S8E12 Managing Expectations & Embracing Flexibility as a SMBC (A SGC Village Podcast Sneak Peek)

Motherhood—especially solo motherhood—rarely unfolds exactly the way we imagined. Fertility treatments don’t always go as planned, babies don’t follow sleep schedules, and even our best-laid visions of how life “should” look often get disrupted.In this episode, I’m sharing one of our private Village Podcast episodes on the theme of Managing Expectations and Embracing Flexibility. Inside The Village, each month we take on a broad coaching topic that applies across every stage of the solo motherhood journey, from considering this path to parenting young children. Along with a monthly coaching episode like this one, members also receive a companion workbook and access to an entire library of past themes.In today’s conversation, you’ll hear about:Releasing unrealistic expectations of perfection, both in parenting and in lifeBuilding resilience when things don’t go according to plan (another failed transfer, a toddler meltdown, or changes in your own path to motherhood)Practical ways to adjust plans with more ease and less pressureLearning to “ride the wave” of unpredictability, even when it feels uncomfortableWhether you’re just beginning to imagine solo motherhood or you’re deep in the day-to-day of raising your child, this episode will help you soften rigid expectations, prioritize what matters most, and find more peace in the process.And if you love this episode and want more like it, I’d love to welcome you inside The Village—a community designed to support women at every stage of the journey with resources, coaching, and connection.👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms & kids.🏘️Join our community, The SGC VillageReach out to Katie over at [email protected]

Even with careful planning, none of us can predict how our path to motherhood will unfold.When we last spoke with Tara Resnick, she was preparing for another egg retrieval and left us with quite the cliffhanger. Today, she’s back to share the next chapter of her journey toward solo motherhood.In this conversation, Tara speaks with honesty and vulnerability about the setbacks she’s faced—multiple egg retrievals, the financial strain of treatment, and the deep emotional toll of pursuing IVF as a single woman at 42. She also opens up about the regrets she carries: wishing she had pursued IVF or at least frozen eggs earlier, and staying in relationships longer than she now wishes she had.What makes Tara’s story so powerful is not a picture-perfect narrative, but her willingness to share the messy middle—the heartbreak, the resilience it takes to keep going, and the importance of self-compassion when the outcome is still unknown.Tara’s reminder for all of us: resilience isn’t about toxic positivity. It’s about choosing yourself, holding onto hope, and finding peace even in the hardest seasons.“Choose yourself, always.” – Tara ResnickIf you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to walk through IVF on your own—the ups, the setbacks, the financial and emotional weight—I hope this conversation will make you feel less alone.In this episode, we discuss:Tara’s second and third egg retrievals, including the unexpected decision to pursue a Duo Stim cycleThe financial and emotional impact of IVF as a single womanThe vulnerability of navigating fertility treatments without a partnerReceiving difficult PGT results and the decision to transfer an untested embryoHow to balance hope and grief without falling into toxic positivityWhy Tara believes trying was still the right choice for her, no matter the outcomeAnd moreConnect with Tara: Instagram | @TaraLaurennnSimple Coaching for Health & Weight LossEvolve with Tara: Solution Focused Coaching👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms & kids.🏘️Join our community, The SGC VillageReach out to Katie over at [email protected]

Julie thought she was freezing her eggs for a future partner.Instead, she ended up fertilizing all of them on her path to become a mom on her own—then finding love and partnership afterward.That’s the short version of Julie Ferguson’s story, but there’s so much more to it.Julie is a PR firm owner and solo mom by choice who’s been through more than her share of plot twists on the road to motherhood: divorce, miscarriage, five egg retrievals, two IVF cycles, and one hard-won embryo that became her son. She opens up about what it really took—emotionally, physically, and financially—to make her dream of motherhood happen.And her story doesn’t end there.Now a proud mom to a two-year-old, Julie shares what it’s been like to date as a solo mom, including an unplanned pregnancy at 45 and the evolving relationship that followed. We talk about rediscovering yourself in motherhood, building connections with other donor sibling families, and Julie’s advocacy work with the Stork Foundation, which helps families access IVF through grants.Whether you’re still navigating fertility as a single woman or already parenting solo, Julie’s mix of honesty, humor, and hope is one you don’t want to miss.In this episode, we cover:Navigating miscarriage, divorce, and solo motherhood during the pandemicDoing multiple egg retrievals and two rounds of IVF in her early 40sThe emotional toll of losing an embryo and trying againMaking the leap from egg freezing to IVF with donor spermAdvocating for IVF access through the Stork FoundationDating as a solo mom and navigating an unexpected pregnancy at 45Building a donor sibling community and raising a happy toddler soloWhy prioritizing self-care matters in solo motherhoodAnd moreResources mentioned:The Stork FoundationLittle Words Project - Hope BraceletSociety for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)It Starts With the Egg BookPulling Down the Moon Holistic Fertility CenterConnect with Julie: Instagram: @chijulesJulie’s PR Firm👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.🏘️Join our community, The SGC VillageReach out to Katie over at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Life doesn’t always unfold the way you imagined. For Tara, that meant rethinking everything she thought she knew about love, family, and the “perfect” timing. After years in relationships that weren’t moving toward the future she desired, she found herself at a crossroads: stay stuck waiting for someone else to come around, or start creating the life she dreamed of on her own.In this episode, Tara opens up about the heartbreak of leaving long-term relationships, the fear and uncertainty of starting over at 38, and the courage it took to finally consider solo motherhood. She shares her experiences with fertility testing, choosing a sperm donor, a difficult miscarriage, and the incredible support she’s found in this SMBC community as she takes those first steps toward becoming a single mom by choice.Whether you’re exploring solo motherhood yourself or simply need a reminder that starting over is possible, Tara’s story is filled with courage, clarity, and deep self-trust.In this episode on pursuing solo motherhood, we discuss:Feeling stuck in relationships and deciding when it’s time to choose yourself;The fear of starting over in your late 30s and facing fertility decisions alone;How finances, support systems, and fear hold women back from solo motherhood;Fertility testing, donor conception, and facing miscarriage as a single woman;The emotional growth that comes from doing it scared;The power of connection and finding your people in the SMBC community;And more from Tara’s deeply honest and inspiring journey.Resources mentioned in this episode:👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.💌Become part of the SGC community and stay up to date by joining our newsletter. You can sign up &gt;&gt;here&lt;&lt; at the bottom of the page.Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]

What does life look like a decade into solo motherhood? If you've ever wondered what’s on the other side of the baby and toddler years, this conversation with Beile Grünbaum will give you an exciting glimpse.Beile is a solo mom by choice of two sons, now 10 and 12, and her story is anything but ordinary. A former financial journalist in Denmark, Beile made the leap into solo motherhood in her late 30s and early 40s. But the transformation didn’t stop there. After being laid off while on maternity leave with her second child, she took her expertise in finance and turned it into a thriving financial coaching business, Money &amp; Freedom.Today, she lives with her boys in Portugal, runs an online business, and shares her journey as a podcaster and entrepreneur. She opens up about her fertility story, life after the baby years, building community abroad, dating as a solo mom, and what it really means to design a life that fits you, and your kids.If you’ve been craving stories about solo parenting older children, or wondering what’s possible for your career and lifestyle as an SMBC, you won’t want to miss this one!In this episode on solo parenting older children, we discuss:Navigating donor conception and fertility treatments in Denmark;Parenting through the toddler years and deciding to have a second child;Raising two boys with honesty, confidence, and joy;Being laid off on maternity leave and pivoting into entrepreneurship;Becoming financially free and moving her family to Portugal;Dating as a solo mom (and how ChatGPT supports her search);The mindset shift from waiting to be saved to building her dream life;And much more!Connect with Beile Grünbaum:Website | YouTube | Instagram | Podcast👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.💌Become part of the SGC community and stay up to date by joining our newsletter. You can sign up &gt;&gt;here&lt;&lt; at the bottom of the page.Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]

What if the desire to become a parent is strong, but the partner hasn't shown up?In this episode, I’m talking with Viveka, a school psychologist who has spent her career supporting kids and families—and who’s now navigating her own path to solo motherhood.Viveka started out as a preschool special education teacher, is certified as a yoga instructor and nature therapy guide, and brings a deeply grounded, global perspective to everything she does. She’s biracial, trilingual, a former Indian classical dancer, and one of those people who’s just naturally good with children.&nbsp;When Viveka found herself single in her late thirties and experiencing dating burnout, she decided it was time to freeze her eggs. But once she took a step into this world, she realized that she could be that woman who decides to pursue solo motherhood.Now over a year into her process of becoming a single mother by choice, Viveka shares what it’s looked like to shift her priorities, explore known donor conception through Seed Scout, and start the process of trying to conceive—without waiting for a partner.This conversation is about so much more than logistics. It’s about identity, intuition, culture, and what happens when you finally give yourself permission to want what you want.In this episode about choosing solo parenthood, we talk about:The early stages of becoming a solo mom by choice;Experiencing dating burnout;Choosing solo motherhood when you find yourself single in your 30s or 40s;Cultural considerations and family conversations;Using Seed Scout to find a known sperm donor;Navigating fertility clinics, timing, and IUI with a known donor;Balancing career, future dreams, and the realities of single parenting;And more.Connect with Viveka on instagram: Solo Mama To Be (@soloparentonpurpose)👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.💌Become part of the SGC community and stay up to date by joining our newsletter. You can sign up &gt;&gt;here&lt;&lt; at the bottom of the page.Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It takes a village”, but what does that actually look like when you’re choosing to become a mom on your own?Today’s guest is the perfect example of why becoming a single mother by choice doesn’t mean you have to raise your child alone. You’ll hear exactly what it can look like to build a deeply supportive village, both before and after becoming a solo mom.In this episode, I’m joined by Sige, a psychotherapist and solo mother by choice who brings a wealth of wisdom from both her personal and professional life. Sige shares how a low AMH diagnosis and a breakup led her to pursue solo motherhood through IUI, and how she beat the odds by conceiving on her first try.&nbsp;But it’s her unique approach to communal living and her commitment to building intentional support systems that truly make her story stand out. Together, we talk about what it takes to raise a child without a partner, not by doing it all alone, but by choosing interdependence, community, and creativity.&nbsp;In this episode on building a strong support system before and during solo motherhood, we discuss:How a low ovarian reserve shifted Sige’s timeline and led her to IUI;The emotional pivot from partnership to solo parenting;What it’s like to conceive on your first IUI attempt, despite low fertility markers;The practical and emotional benefits of communal living;Navigating dating and boundaries as a solo mom;How to create a village of support when raising a child alone;Introducing donor conception and donor siblings to your child;Reclaiming creativity and rediscovering yourself after early motherhood;And so much more.Connect with Sige WeismanYou can learn more about Sige’s therapy work on her website.Connect with her artwork on Instagram, @sigeweisman.art or at www.sigeweisman.com.Resources mentioned in this episode:Book: How to Conceive Naturally: And Have a Healthy Pregnancy after 30👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.🏘️Join our community, The SGC VillageReach out to Katie over at [email protected]

What happens when you only get one viable embryo and it’s your only shot at becoming a mom? For Kellyn, her single embryo became the greatest gift of her life.Today’s guest is Kellyn Nagel, a fellow single mother by choice and dedicated attorney who represents children in foster care. Kellyn shares her emotional and financial journey through fertility as a single woman: from egg freezing after a low AMH diagnosis to IVF with frozen eggs, and ultimately to the birth of her daughter, Kellyn’s story is one of trust, resilience, and quiet courage.We talk about the heartbreak and hope of navigating IVF as a single woman, how Kellyn leaned into her gut instincts at every step, and the profound ways motherhood has shifted both her career and her understanding of the family court system. We also touch on the power of donor sibling connections, postpartum realities, and what it means to keep the door open for a second child as a single mom by choice, even when the path is anything but straightforward.In this episode on IVF as a single woman, we discuss:How Kellyn’s journey began with egg freezing and a low AMH diagnosis;Her decision to move from two failed IUIs to IVF using her frozen eggs;The emotional weight of having just one viable embryo, and the joy when it worked;What it’s like to give birth and navigate postpartum as a solo mom;The challenges of working in child welfare while becoming a parent herself;How she connected with donor siblings and built early relationships for her daughter;Her reflections on sleep deprivation, daycare, and going back to work as a new SMBC;And more.Resources mentioned in this episode:Book: This Might Be Too Personal: And Other Intimate Stories - Alyssa ShelaskyListen to Season 6, Episode 8: “Accidental” SMBC Through Foster to Open Adoption With Elizabeth Friedland 👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]

Solo parenting one child is a big job. Add a second baby to the mix, and do it all without a co-parent, and everything shifts.In this episode, I’m joined by Randi Maves, a solo mom by choice to two boys, four years apart. Randi wouldn’t trade this life for anything, but she’s honest about how intense it can be juggling two different stages of parenting on her own.From navigating daycare drop-offs and picky eaters to handling preschooler meltdowns while sleep-training a newborn, Randi gets honest about what the daily juggle really looks like. She talks about the tools and support systems that are saving her sanity right now, including her decision to hire an au pair, and the emotional process of adjusting to life as a solo mom of two.We’re also diving into Randi’s fertility journey with IVF at 40+, including the heartbreak of getting no viable embryos, the decision to transfer her one mosaic embryo, and the deep trust it took to move forward.If you’re thinking about having a second child as an SMBC, already in the thick of solo motherhood, or just wondering what this path can look like, Randi’s story is a beautiful mix of honesty, resilience, and real-life logistics.In this episode on solo parenting two kids after 40, we talk about:How her mom’s diagnosis sparked her decision to become a momWhat it was like to move across the country with a baby in towWhat shifted her perspective on having a second child soloThe highs and lows of IVF as a single woman in her 40sWhat it’s really like to solo parent two kids in different phases of lifeHer approach to building a support team, including daycare and live-in helpThe emotional weight of parenting without a partner, and why acknowledgment mattersHer mindset around letting “future Randi” handle “future problems”Resources mentioned in this episode:HBO Documentary First Comes Love (2013)Facebook group ‘My Perfect Mosaic Embryo’🏝️ Interested in the Aug 27-31 Family Trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico? Join one of these info sessions to get all the details!👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids.Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]

The desire to share life with a partner doesn’t just disappear when we choose to start our families on our own. And it doesn’t have to. Today’s new episode is a beautiful reminder that both things can be true: you can want motherhood and partnership, and you don’t have to give up one to have the other.At 35, Erin Russell was faced with the hard realization that her family line would end with her if she didn’t pursue parenthood soon, so she started seriously considering solo motherhood. But right as she was preparing to begin fertility treatments, life threw her a curveball — she met someone.Erin was clear about what she wanted and gave the relationship space to grow. But when it became obvious they weren’t aligned on having kids, she made the powerful decision to walk away. She ordered donor sperm the very next day.Becoming a mom didn’t erase Erin's hope of sharing life with a partner. Just two months after her son was born, she started dating again — not out of pressure or urgency, but as a way to reconnect with herself, enjoy adult time, and stay open to love.Now that her son is two and she’s happily in a relationship that feels like the right fit, Erin reflects on what it’s been like to still want partnership as a solo mom by choice, and how she's navigating love, parenting, and a changing sense of identity all at once.In this episode, we talk about:How Erin knew it was time to pursue solo motherhoodThe challenges of navigating IUI, IVF, and insurance hurdlesWhy "just surviving" the newborn stage isn’t enough, and how building a support system made all the differenceThe guilt and reality of sending your baby to daycare as a solo momDating as a solo mom: why Erin started early, how she set her own pace, and what she looked for in a partnerHow she’s weaving her new relationship into her solo mom lifeAnd why the grief of doing it alone doesn’t just disappear once your baby arrivesWhether you're considering solo motherhood, already parenting, or wondering if dating might fit into your life someday, Erin’s story is full of honesty, hope, and real-world encouragement for wherever you are on the path.Want to connect with Erin Russell?Follow Erin on InstagramCheck out Erin's writingRead Erin's article on SMBCs (featuring me as an interviewee!)🏝️ Interested in the Aug 27-31 Family Trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico? Join one of these info sessions to get all the details!👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms &amp; kids. Reach out to Katie...