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PODCAST

Building your family

Welcome to Building Your Family, the only expert-guided community platform designed for parents and parents-to-be using reproductive medicine to build their families. We provide unique strategies to help make your path to parenthood smoother and more informed—empowering you to navigate the critical decisions that shape your family’s future. At Building Your Family, we’ve already helped thousands of people navigate the complexities of family building and parenting with confidence. Our goal is to

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All Episodes

51:30

Single Mom by Choice: How Donor Sperm, IVF and Donor...

Building your family ·

2026/10/04

How many times would you try before you gave up?Kristin Duncan already knew what it took to become a single mother by choice. Her son Blake was conceived with donor sperm. But trying for her second child brought a whole new level of heartbreak, repeated IVF rounds with her own eggs, ovarian PRP, multiple clinic changes, a backup donor who fell through, and a journey that tested everything she had. In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Kristin sits down with Lisa to share the full

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44:52

What To Do When You Are Told There Is No Sperm: The...

Building your family ·

2026/09/27

If you or someone you love has been told there is no sperm, this episode is for you. In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa talks with Dr. Eric Forman of Columbia University Fertility Center about STAR, Sperm Tracking and Recovery, an AI powered system that can find ultra rare sperm that human embryologists may miss entirely. What you will learn in this episode: What STAR is and how it works — scanning millions of images in under two hours to find sperm hidden among debris and

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20:50

Donor Siblings: What Every Parent of a Donor...

Building your family ·

2026/09/20

Your donor conceived child almost certainly has donor siblings. That is not a maybe — it is one of the realities of donor conception that every family needs to understand. In this episode Lisa Schuman, LCSW covers the three realities of donor siblings, what the research actually shows about donor conceived children and sibling relationships, why families connect with sibling pods and what they are looking for, how these relationships evolve over time, and how to use the Zoom Out framework to make

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44:23

Male Infertility, Donor Conception and the Family...

Building your family ·

2026/09/13

When Dana and Ben received a diagnosis of zero sperm count they had no idea what came next. Donor sperm? Adoption? And how do you make that decision together as a couple when everything feels impossible?In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman LCSW sits down with Dana and Ben to talk about their journey through male infertility. They cover the diagnosis, the emotions, the decision to use donor sperm, the process of choosing a donor, and what it has been like to build their

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44:19

PMOS: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Diagnosis,...

Building your family ·

2026/09/06

Could you have PMOS and not know it? For many women the answer is yes, and the wait for a proper diagnosis can take up to ten years.In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman, LCSW talks with Dr. Elizabeth Gardner about PMOS, formerly known as PCOS, a complex hormonal disorder that affects millions of women and goes far beyond fertility. What you will learn in this episode: What PMOS actually is, and why it starts as a communication problem in the brain Why diagnosis can take

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13:39

How To Talk To Your Donor‑Conceived Child (Zoom Out,...

Building your family ·

2026/08/23

Talking to your child about donor conception can feel terrifying. What do you say? When do you say it? And how do you do it without creating shame or confusion?In this episode, reproductive therapist Lisa Schuman, LCSW, shares her Zoom Out Theory for talking to donor‑conceived children about their story. Instead of getting stuck in today’s anxiety, Lisa helps you think about your child’s long‑term emotional health and sense of self. You’ll learn how to acknowledge your own feelings, and start (or

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35:10

Will IVF Lab Technology Beat Human Embryologists? |...

Building your family ·

2026/08/16

If you’re doing IVF or thinking about it, will more technology in the lab actually be better than a human embryologist handling your eggs and embryos – and what do two new breakthroughs mean for your chances?In this episode of Building Your Family, I’m joined by Dr Richard Paulson, former president of ASRM and early IVF pioneer, to unpack what’s really happening behind the lab door: automation, AI, robotics, and why the lab may matter more than almost anything else for your IVF success rates and

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12:08

Before You Choose a Donor: The ‘Zoom Out’ Guide to...

Building your family ·

2026/08/09

If you’re considering donor conception and feel like you “can’t see the forest for the trees,” this is your zoom‑out episode. Before you choose a donor, sign with a clinic, or pay an agency, you need the big picture. In this video, we step back from the overwhelm and walk through the full donor conception landscape: • How your decisions affect your child long‑term (identity, mental health, relationships) • Common mistakes parents make when they’re rushed, exhausted, or only hearing the clinic’s

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26:40

Broadway Husbands: Their Road to Maverick (Pride...

Building your family ·

2026/06/14

Re-released for Pride 2026 — In loving memory of Bret Hanna-Shuford (1979–2026)In this beloved episode, I sit down with Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna — the Broadway Dads — to talk about one of the most heartfelt and hard-won family-building journeys I’ve ever witnessed. Together, these two Broadway performers navigated egg donation, surrogacy, financial challenges, a lost match, a miscarriage, and a global pandemic before welcoming their son, Maverick, in 2022. Bret passed away in January 2026

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63:53

Queer Families & Donor Conception: Building Strong...

Building your family ·

2026/06/07

What does it really look like to build a queer family today – with donor conception, infertility, and non‑biological parenting in the mix?In this episode of Building Your Family, Lisa sits down with long‑time queer family advocate and podcast host of the Queer Family Podcast, Jaimie Kelton to talk honestly about infertility, the emotional weight of genetics, and the many paths LGBTQ+ families take to build their families. They explore how advocacy and resources for queer families have evolved, why

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34:13

Secondary Infertility & PCOS: What To Do When Doctors...

Building your family ·

2026/05/24

She was only 25 and already knew something was wrong.If you have one child and are secretly struggling to have another, this episode is for you. Margarita’s story of secondary infertility and PCOS shows what happens when “just keep trying” isn’t good enough. In this episode of Building Your Family, Lisa Schuman sits down with Margarita Lainez to talk about the often overlooked reality of secondary infertility and PCOS. After having her first child with ease, Margarita assumed a second would come

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49:22

When Standard IVF Isn’t Enough: How One Fertility...

Building your family ·

2026/05/17

If you’ve been told “this is just your protocol,” “we’ll just try again,” or “everything looks fine” while IVF keeps failing, this episode is for you. Standard IVF works for many people, but not for everyone. So what happens when you don’t fit the usual box? In this conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Pietro Bortoletto, reproductive endocrinologist at Terra Fertility. He trained at Northwestern, Brigham & Women’s / Mass General, and Weill Cornell, and now focuses on the hard cases: diminished

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37:48

Proactive Fertility: When To Get Checked, Freeze Eggs...

Building your family ·

2026/04/26

Most people only meet a fertility specialist in crisis mode.In this episode, Dr. Shefali Shastri, Clinical Director and Physician Partner at RMA New Jersey, explains what proactive fertility actually looks like. Dr. Shastri is a board‑certified reproductive endocrinologist who has helped bring thousands of babies into the world since joining RMA New Jersey in 2009. Inspired by her OB/GYN mother, she now combines cutting‑edge science with deeply personal, patient‑centered care. We cover: • Who

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43:46

National Infertility Awareness Week: RESOLVE, Queer &...

Building your family ·

2026/04/19

National Infertility Awareness Week is about more than awareness posts. It is about whose stories get heard, who gets left out, and how we turn lived experience into better policy for everyone building their family. In this episode, I’m joined by Danielle, the new CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. We talk about what RESOLVE is really doing behind the scenes, how they’re supporting single parents by choice and queer families, and why telling your story is one of the most powerful

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20:04

‘Screw It’ Moments in Fertility: How Stress Quietly...

Building your family ·

2026/03/29

When you’re going through fertility treatment, donor conception, or surrogacy, it’s completely normal to hit a point where you think, “Ugh… screw it.”In this solo episode, Lisa Schuman names and explains the “Screw It Principle”: the quiet ways stress, exhaustion, jealousy, and resentment slip into big decisions about clinics, donors, and agencies. She breaks down the two versions of “screw it” moments, why they feel so good in the moment, and how they can slowly pull you away from your deepest

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49:41

Inside the IVF Lab: How Clinics Keep Your Embryos...

Building your family ·

2026/03/22

Most patients never see what actually happens to their eggs and embryos once they disappear “into the lab.” In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Dr. Eduardo Hariton to unpack what safety really looks like in modern IVF: barcodes, double-checks, lab standards, and how AI is starting to support better decisions.Dr. Hariton earned his MD from Harvard Medical School and MBA from Harvard Business School, has published over 70 papers and presentations, and leads innovation across a large

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46:14

Trans Family Building with Trystan Reese: Same Love,...

Building your family ·

2026/03/15

Trans people don’t want “special” families. They want what every parent wants: to tuck their kids in at night and know they’re safe.In this episode of Building Your Family, Lisa Schuman, LCSW, sits down with educator and advocate Trystan Reese to talk about trans family building: what’s the same, what’s different, and what trans parents need from clinics, communities, and allies right now. They cover: • Trystan’s journey as a pregnant trans man and becoming a parent • Why trans people’s desire to

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11:50

Dad or Donor? 6 Things To Decide Before You Define...

Building your family ·

2026/02/15

When you’re building your family with donor conception, one huge decision often gets skipped: Are we setting this person up as “Dad” (or “Mom”)… or as a “Donor”?This episode is not about what your child might eventually choose to call them. It’s about the role you intentionally create at the beginning and how that choice shapes expectations, time, money, relationships, and logistics for everyone involved. It can be beautiful, or it can become very complicated, depending on how it’s set up. In this

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56:50

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency & Donor Eggs: Fitness...

Building your family ·

2026/02/08

What if you’re told you’re in premature menopause at 34 – and your only path to pregnancy is IVF with donor eggs?In this episode, I’m joined by fitness coach Kyla Burke, who shares her personal journey with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), IVF, and ultimately pregnancy using donor eggs from a friend. Kyla talks honestly about: – Mistaking her early POI symptoms for lingering COVID effects – Learning what AMH actually means and how it changed her plans – Moving from her own eggs to donor eggs

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21:48

Genetic Loss in Donor Conception: Will I Love My...

Building your family ·

2026/02/01

If you’re using or considering donor conception and wondering, “Will I feel like the real parent?” or “Will I love this baby as much?” you are not alone.In this solo episode, I talk about genetic loss – what it is, what it isn’t, and why it’s different from lifelong “genetic grief.” I share findings from my own research and years of clinical work, and explain why the distress you feel about needing a donor (even during pregnancy) has no correlation with how much you will love your child. We’ll

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