Welcome to Building Your Family! I am so glad you are here! This is a podcast about fertility treatment, donor conception, surrogacy, and all of the ways the modern family is built. Through this podcast, parents, parents-to-be and experts in the world of fertility treatment will share their stories, educate you and help you have an easier family building journey and a better parenting experience. I am an award winning researcher, therapist, author and the only therapist asked to testify before the State Senate Judiciary Committee to legalize compensated surrogacy in NY, and I am here to assist you in realizing your dreams.
For more information and support, connect with our Building Your Family Community here, familybuilding.net/building-your-family-community/… I look forward to seeing you there.
Warmest regards, Lisa
Building Your Family
Trans Family Building with Trystan Reese: Same Love, Harder Path to Parenthood
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.
4 days ago | [YT] | 1
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Building Your Family
Empowering Your Fertility Journey: From Egg Freezing to Future Choices with Dr. Jaime Knopman
How do you make smart, grounded choices about egg freezing today that support whatever comes next – IVF, donor conception, or deciding not to pursue treatment at all? In this episode, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Jaime Knopman joins Lisa to unpack the real numbers, timing, and trade‑offs so you can feel more empowered and less sold to.
We talk honestly about when egg freezing makes sense, what “ideal before 35” actually means in real life, and why success rates are never higher than about 75% – no matter what the brochure says. Dr. Knopman explains how to think about lab quality, age, and medical factors, while Lisa brings in the emotional side of planning for the possibility of future IVF or donor conception.
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
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Building Your Family
Join us for a free workshop on building healthier relationships with your surrogate 💜✨ Happening March 4th at 5PM EST
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
Get your free ticket here: www.eventbrite.com/e/talking-to-your-donor-conceiv…
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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Building Your Family
Peeing, Pooping, Sex & Your Pelvic Floor: Pregnancy, Postpartum & Beyond with Dr. Sara Reardon
Leaking when you laugh, rushing to the bathroom “just in case,” constipation, or painful sex after birth… common, yes. Normal, no.
In this episode, pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Sara Reardon (aka The Vagina Whisperer), joins me to break the silence on peeing, pooping, pregnancy, postpartum, and sex. We talk about what your pelvic floor actually is, why it matters during fertility treatment, pregnancy, birth and menopause, and how small changes can make a huge difference in daily life.
Dr. Sara shares practical guidance from her app and new book Floored, including how to breathe, move, poop, and have sex in ways that support your pelvic floor instead of fighting it. We also cover C‑section recovery, scar tissue, back pain, and why “adult diapers are not your destiny.”
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
Dad or Donor? 6 Things To Decide Before You Define The Relationship | Building your family
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.
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
Free Workshop: Choosing a Donor
Thinking about choosing a donor but feeling overwhelmed by the process? 🧩
It's a 60‑minute live workshop on Wednesday, February 11th at 5 PM EST.
This session will cover concepts you won’t learn anywhere else, designed to help you make informed, confident decisions.
Get free tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/choosing-a-donor-tickets-1982…
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 4
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Building Your Family
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency & Donor Eggs: Fitness Coach Kyla Burke’s IVF Story
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.
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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Building Your Family
✨ Join my FREE live workshop! ✨
Discover how to build a healthier, more supportive relationship with your surrogate.
📅 Wednesday, Feb 4th | 🕔 5PM EST
Hosted by Lisa Schuman, LCSW – reproductive therapist & author.
👉 Don’t miss this chance to gain insights and guidance for your surrogacy journey!
Would you like me to also draft a shorter, punchier version (like a teaser line) that grabs attention quickly for people scrolling fast?
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 1
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Building Your Family
Genetic Loss in Donor Conception: Will I Love My Child as Much? | Building your family
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.
4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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