Expert Dr. George Parker: Inclusive pregnancy care & studying rainbow families nationwide
In our first expert episode of the season, we sit down with Dr. George Parker, senior lecturer of health service delivery at Victoria University of Wellington. With a clinical background in midwifery and a PhD in sociology, George has dedicated their career to making perinatal spaces safer and more inclusive for rainbow whānau.We talk about the complexities of LGBTQ+ parenthood, the importance of inclusive healthcare, and what it means to come into your own with age (and a bit of gumption). George also shares insights from their research, including the Trans Pregnancy Care Project, which explored the experiences of trans parents and healthcare providers. You can read more about this project at transpregnancycareproject.wordpress.com.George also introduces their new initiative, Inclusion Through Difference, which will include a nationwide survey of rainbow parents launching this September. This survey is an important chance for our communities to be counted and to contribute to research that wants to see us thrive. You can follow the project on Instagram at @inclusionthroughdifference, and the survey will be available through Moana Vā, so be sure to follow them too @moana_va.Finally, George highlights rainbow-inclusive antenatal classes offered by Empwr, which provide affirming and supportive pregnancy education. You can learn more at empwrbirth.com.Thanks for listening to Proud Conception. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and join the conversation with us on Instagram @ProudConceptionPod.
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Camila: Two mums, known donor, at-home insemination, & connecting rainbow families across Aotearoa
In this conversation on Proud Conception, we speak with Camila, a queer parent originally from Argentina and now based in Ōtautahi. We discuss her international love story with wife Hannah, the logistics of building a family with a known donor and using low tech, at-home insemination techniques, having a supportive GP, forming a written agreement with the donor, and the importance of community support. We also discuss Camila’s advocacy and community work and the needs of queer families as she builds an organisation focused on Rainbow Families across Aotearoa. If you’re interested in the work Camila’s doing with Rainbow Families Aotearoa you can follow their instagram @rainbowfamiliesaotearoaThe two Facebook Groups that Camila and I discuss on this episode are Rainbow Families Aotearoa NZ and the Auckland Rainbow Families Social Club.If you’re a visual listener watching this on YouTube, I apologise for the tech issues we had at around 30 minutes which means you have to look at an awkward photo of my face for the last half of the episode! The conversation is worth it, I promise.Thanks for listening to Proud Conception. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more please follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and head over to Instagram to join the conversation @ProudConceptionPod.
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Lou: Two mums, IUI, donor sperm, male role models & remembering the bigger picture
In this episode of Proud Conception, we speak with Lou about life in Christchurch with her wife Libby, their two boys, and Libby’s niece. Lou shares their journey using a local fertility clinic, navigating multiple rounds of donor selection, and making tough decisions after several unsuccessful IUI attempts. She openly discusses some challenges during the mandated counselling sessions and the role of male figures in their whanau. Lou also reflects on how she and Libby carved out special moments to keep their partnership at the centre of what can otherwise be a clinical process, and how the intensity of the journey eventually faded as they settled into their new family life.Thanks for listening to Proud Conception. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more please follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and head over to Instagram to join the conversation @ProudConceptionPod.
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Steph: Two mums, donor sperm, IUI, reciprocal IVF, infertility, miscarriage and being financially prepared
In this episode of Proud Conception we speak with Steph, a queer parent from Germany now living in New Zealand, about her journey to parenthood with her wife Kat. Steph discusses the challenges faced in Germany's legal landscape for LGBTQ+ families, the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatments, the complexities of using donor sperm and the practicalities of paying for these very expensive treatments. Steph shares her experiences with the donor selection process and the importance of inclusive language in their family with their two daughters, Josie and Henri. Thanks for listening to Proud Conception. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more please follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and head over to Instagram to join the conversation @ProudConceptionPod.
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Jess: Two mums, gender transition, infertility & building a rainbow community
Welcome to Proud Conception! In this inaugural episode, we hear from Jess — a cis woman from Australia now living in Aotearoa with her wife Lauren, a trans woman, and their two boys.Jess shares their journey through infertility, IVF, and cross-border conception. She shares about navigating Lauren’s gender transition alongside their family-building plans, how they talk to their kids about identity and origin, and the joys of parenting as a two-mum family. Jess offers heartfelt advice for future LGBTQ+ parents, emphasising love and acceptance in family life.Thanks for listening to Proud Conception. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, please follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and head over to Instagram to join the conversation @ProudConceptionPod.
Welcome to Proud Conception, a podcast that explores the diverse parenthood journeys of LGBTQ+ families in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Each episode dives into real stories of parenthood, focusing on the lived experiences of queer parents as they navigate the path to building their families. Keep listening for the expert interviews where we hear from the people supporting these paths to parenthood.
This podcast is about giving voice to the many ways LGBTQ+ families come to be and creating a world where our little ones feel seen, safe, and proud. Thanks for being here!
New Zealand