Geriatric Mamas

Building Your Family with Donor Conception, Surrogacy & Adoption with Guest, Author Lisa Schuman!

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica are joined by donor conception, surrogacy and adoption expert guest Lisa Schuman. Lisa is a mom of three via adoption, licensed clinical social worker and therapist who is now a family-building expert, award-winning researcher, therapist, podcast host, and author of her new book called Building Your Family; The Complete Guide to Donor Conception. Lisa joins the Geriatric Mamas to share her expert advice on choosing a donor, how surrogacy has changed over the years, and much more on building your family.
For a full list of resources mentioned in this episode please visit the Geriatric Mamas website here!
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
Welcome Lisa! (2:49)
How Lisa Got Started Working In The Field Of Infertility (4:37)
Building Your Family Through Donor Conception (10:12)
How Surrogacy Has Changed Over The Years & What To Expect In 2024 (16:20)
Lisa’s Framework For How To Choose A Donor (22:30)
Where to Find Lisa’s Books (32:39)
Kerry Washington’s Donor Conception Story (33:17)
Camille Guaty Donor Egg Conception Story (43:39)

HOPEisode: Megan’s Story

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica read a HOPEisode story submitted by our listener Megan. Megan welcomed her miracle baby girl in April of 2023, at the age of thirty seven. Listen as we share her infertility struggles and journey to geriatric mama-hood that led her to create her new newsletter called The Balance, which is filled with her thoughts on navigating the balance of family and career. The Geriatric Mamas also share Gordon & Tana Ramsay’s fertility journey, Sienna Miller’s pregnancy announcement and the meaning of ‘sexy menopause’.
For a full list of resources mentioned on this episode visit the show notes here!
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
Megan’s Story (13:22)
The Ramsay’s Story (22:40)
Sienna Miller Is Pregnant At 41 (34:07)
What’s Sexy Menopause And What Are The Symptoms?! (39:59)

Geriatric Happy Hour: (In)Fertility, Santa Claus & An Update on Paris Hilton!

On this ‘Geriatric Coffee Convos turned Happy Hour’ episode, Sonia and Jessica discuss coping with infertility during the holidays, the story of Santa Claus for older children, an update on the tragic Tamika Thomas IVF Medication case, Potty training using the Oh Crap! Potty Training Book, instagram poll results on geriatric celebrity mamas being responsible for reminding us that we have biological clocks, why Paris Hilton decided to go the surrogacy route to have her babies and our thoughts on the viral TikTok video about Mom’s Christmas stockings being empty.
For a complete list of resources mentioned on this episode as well as all links to the podcast visit the show notes here!
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
The Story Of Santa Claus For Older Children AKA How To Or Not To Ruin Their Childhood (8:26)
Coping With (In)fertility During The Holidays (17:25)
An Update On The Tragic Tamika Thomas IVF Medication Swap (33:03)
Instagram Poll Results On Celebrity Mamas Having Babies In Their Late 40s (40:29)
Financing Options For The Cost Of Growing A Family (43:13)
Oh Crap! Potty Training Book, Sonia & Mike Are In The Thick Of It (50:08)
Why Paris Hilton Decided To Go The Surrogacy Route, Her Netflix Documentary, Changing Diapers, Etc. (59:01)

HOPEisode: Maria’s Story

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica are joined by Geriatric Mama guest Maria. Maria is a teacher and consultant who helps homeschool parents and students navigate their educational experience. Maria welcomed her first miracle baby at the age of thirty four. Listen as she shares her infertility struggles and journey to almost geriatric mama-hood including her experience working with Naturopathic Doctor Corina Dunlap.
For a full list of resources mentioned in this episode, including information about The Home School Admin and Dr. Corina Dunlap, please click here!
Topics discussed in this episode:
Welcome Maria! (3:08)
Maria’s Story (5:27)
Where you can find Maria at The Home School Admin (37:16)
Thank you for listening! 
xx, Sonia & Jessica
 

‘Advanced Maternal Aged’ Celebrity Mamas & Their Journeys to Geriatric Mama-hood!

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica discuss how geriatric celebrity mamas are getting pregnant in their mid-to-late forties. From natural conception to IVF, adoption, egg donor-ship and embryo donor-ship; the stigmas around older celebrity mamas not wanting to share exactly how they conceived. The Geriatric Mamas weigh in on if it’s advanced-maternal-aged celebrity mamas’ responsibility to remind us that we have biological clocks since they’re able to have their babies later in life.
For all resources mentioned in this episode including some funding and support options for fertility treatments, surrogacy, etc; please click here!
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
This Is Probably Borderline Abusive, But... (12:59)
This Is Episode 21! Sonia’s Lucky Number For So Many Reasons (15:05)
Celebrity Moms & How They Became Moms (24:07)
Favorite Christmas Movies; And Sonia Didn’t Know The Grinch Was Actually Written By Dr. Seuss (01:11:48)
 
 

Geriatric Coffee Convos: They’re Singing Deck The Halls!

On this Geriatric Coffee Convos episode, Sonia and Jessica try to sing Mariah Carey’s Christmas song and then move on to discuss the new Geriatric Mamas team member, posts on the Geriatric Mamas Facebook Group, not having bouffants, children behaving a little bit extra when mom enters the room, a beloved geriatric football mama, Kourtney Kardashian giving birth to her baby at the age of forty four and being girl bosses but also the default parents and IVF on the Latest Season of American Horror Stories.
For a full list of this episode’s resources please click here!
Topics discussed in this episode:
Per Adam’s Aunt Courtney’s Suggestion, We Needed another Geriatric Coffee Convos Episode (10:45)
11/12 is National Happy Hour Day! (11:40)
We Have a New Marketing And Promotions Manager! Welcome to the Geriatric Mamas Team Alyssa! (12:46)
Hilarious Post on the Geriatric Mamas Facebook Group (13:31)
We Don’t Have Bouffants, But Will We When We’re Grandmothers? (17:34)
The Viral Wifey Haircut (19:02)
We Heard That Children Behave 800% Worse When They’re With Their Moms (22:14)
Mommy Makeovers (40:19)
Guess Who’s A Geriatric Mama and Making it to All of Her Two Son’s NFL Games Too? We’re still Not Mathers. (42:33)
Kourtney Kardashian Had Her Miracle Baby! (50:46)
Being The Girl Bosses Circa 2010 and Also the Default Parents (56:15)
Jessica Takes Us Back to The Reversing Menopause Episode (01:02:53)
IVF On The New Season Of American Horror Stories (01:56:58)
Stassi, Beau and Their Babies’ Halloween Costumes Were So On Point (01:09:16)
Finding Family and Children’s Holiday Pajamas (01:10:35)
The MIL Who Told Her DIL To Put Cereal In Her Newborn’s Bottle (01:12:09)

HOPEisode - Amy’s Story

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica are joined by Geriatric Mama guest Amy. Amy is a licensed therapist specializing in infertility and perinatal mental health in CA. Amy welcomed her first miracle baby at the age of thirty three and her second miracle baby at the age of thirty seven. Listen as she shares her infertility struggles and journey to geriatric mama-hood!
For a full list of resources mentioned in this episode click here!
Topics discussed in this episode:
Welcome Amy! (4:41)
Amy’s Story (5:31)
PTSD After Infertility (54:43)
Amy’s Infertility & Perinatal Mental Health in CA (57:08)
Amy’s Coaching Practice (01:04:25)
Amy’s Advice For Women Who Are Going Through Infertility (01:07:16)
Where to Find More Information About Amy’s Practice (01:10:15)

Longevity, Diaper bags & Multi-Focal Lenses With Guest Suzy Lofton Bullis of Old New Moms!

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica are joined by Suzy Lofton Bullis of Old New Moms! Suzy welcomed her second baby boy as a geriatric mama in May of 2021. Listen as she shares her decision making process about becoming a mom later in life and how she and the Geriatric Mamas are taking on the challenge of longevity to be there for their children as long as they can, even if they’re 95% plastic. Maybe we are mathers now.
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
Hi Suzy! (4:21)
The Old New Moms Facebook Group Hit 100K Members! (5:12)
Last Week’s Episode About Reversing Menopause Means Our Demographic is Going to Grow and Get Even More Geriatric! (9:49)
Suzy’s Journey to becoming a Geriatric Mama (11:20)
Diaper Bags and Multi-focal Lenses (15:07)
The Old New Mom Blog (16:27)
Growing the Old New Mom Community (18:09)
Being a Geratric Old New Mama - It’s Not Just About the pregnancy and the Baby Part (24:45)
The Topic of Longevity (26:32)
Suzy’s Longevity Tips (28:40)
Sonia’s Longevity Tips (33:22)
Jessica’s Longevity Tips (39:31)
Some Advantages of Being an Older Mom (44:23)
Continued Longevity Tips (45:39)
On the Topic of Being A Geriatric Mom- Do You Watch American Horror Story? (47:47)
For a full list of resources mentioned on this episode click here!

This Just In: Menopause is Temporarily Reversible, Also We’re Not Mathers!

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica discuss Halloween home decor, baby Halloween costumes, in-home pet cemeteries, the fact that there’s a fertility clinic in Greece that is currently reversing menopause for their patients and also recommending a natural approach for those under 50 who prefer to try that as well. The Netflix documentary Unnatural Selection was cancelled- but if we ever get discovered we’ll pretend this episode didn’t happen; aka feeling cute, might delete later!
Topics discussed in this episode:
Happy Birthday Dinosaur Sonia, But She’s Not Actually 57! (00:21)
Annabelle, Hayden and Jess Have Colds (00:52)
Our 40th Birthdays (6:04)
Loosing Sonia’s Kitty Chase (06:55)
Jess and Adam’s In-Home Pet Cemetery (11:35)
Halloween Home Decor & Babies (13:54)
Halloween Costumes (17:45)
Reversing Menopause Temporarily is Possible, But We’re Not Mathers (21:39)
Why Did We Want to Be The First Country to Land On The Moon, But Not The First to Jump Start Menopausal Ovaries? (33:31)
So You’re Saying That We Have to Go to Greece? (38:29)
The More Natural Suggestion To Help Women Under 50 Temporarily Reverse Menopause (39:30)
The Cancelled Netflix Documentary Unnatural Selection (42:47)
Hopefully We Don’t Get Cancelled (48:24)
The Number of Ultrasounds Covered by Insurance Companies (50:47)
The Nuances You’ll Find On Our YouTube Videos (55:20)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Crete Fertility Centre In Greece
Crete Fertility Centre, established 31 years ago, has been offering personalized services to infertile couples, using state-of-the-art technology and psychological support. The result is the birth of over 6000 babies all over the world with the contribution of our unit.
Its peaceful location permits the provision of sensitive attention for each couple’s individual needs and specific medical circumstances in their quest for parenthood.
The international level, state of the art facilities, ensure that the highest quality of care is available. Medical and laboratory equipment are the most modern currently available, while standards of hygiene, health and safety are exemplary, in full compliance with the highest and strictest levels in Europe. These have already been confirmed by ISO Certification procedure, having the respective specification by the 24th of February of 2010. Moreover, since November 8th 2017, it is one of the few clinics in Europe that has the DIN EN 15224 certification, which is the European framework for standards for the development and implementation of healthcare management systems.
It is noteworthy that Crete Fertility Centre is located on the seafront in one of the biggest and & most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean, Crete. Thus, it is not surprising that couples travelling to this familiar holiday destination find that the tranquil setting on this beautiful island, lessens the inevitable anxiety and tension of imminent fertility treatment.
Add to this, our cost effective pricing policy (compared to other European and countries worldwide) and the highest standards of medical expertise, science and health, establishes Crete Fertility Centre as the best choice for cost, effectiveness and safety for all ART needs.
12 Things to Know About Emerging Therapies for Menopause Reversal
Greek fertility physicians invented the procedure known as ovarian rejuvenation for menopause reversal. Platelet-rich plasma is injected into your ovaries during the surgery (PRP). PRP is a concentrated solution made from your own blood and is employed in different areas of medicine.
The process is based on the PRP’s inherent growth factors, which can help with:
Regeneration of tissue, increased blood flow, and decreased inflammation
The theory is that it may also reverse signs of aging in your ovaries and activate previously dormant eggs.
Doctors tested this in a small research with eight women in their 40s. Each of these women had gone around five months without a period. To assess how well their ovaries were working, researchers measured their hormone levels at the start of the study and every month after that.
All of the participants resumed their regular periods after one to three months. The mature eggs were then accessible to the doctors for fertilization.
Getting pregnant after beginning perimenopause is doable: Although difficult, being pregnant during perimenopause is not impossible. Your ovaries might start releasing eggs again after a surgery like ovarian rejuvenation.
Your ovaries’ mature follicles rupture during ovulation to release an egg or eggs. Ovulation becomes less regular after perimenopause sets in, and you don’t release a viable egg every month. The fact that your ovaries still contain healthy eggs is what matters.
The ovarian rejuvenation technique might aid in restoring or rebalancing the hormones that regulate follicle maturation and bursting. This will enable you to conceive naturally or will enable medical professionals to retrieve an egg for In-Vitro-Fertilization(IVF).
Researchers discovered that all four participants produced an egg that could be harvested for fertilization in the one peer-reviewed study that had been done up to that point.
Ovarian Rejuvenation
How ovarian rejuvenation works: Stem Cells can, under the proper biological stimulus, morph into any type of cell in the human body, including eggs. The presence of Stem Cells in the ovaries and their transformation into mature oocytes (egg cells) has been demonstrated in mice by Harvard researchers. Stem Cells have also been shown to be present in the human ovary, so it is quite possible that they can be transformed into eggs by Growth Factors contained in the individuals’ own white blood cells and platelets which have been injected into the ovary.
Injections of Growth Factors, when used for many other types of medical treatments, are made from a patient’s own blood and blood cells.
The Latest results at the Crete Clinic: According to our latest data, the success rates of PRP reach over 85% and according to our data so far, the pregnancy rates that we have achieved after PRP are 48%, of which 26% was achieved with natural conception.
Both PRP techniques, transvaginal ultrasound and laparoscopy, can be carried out in our clinic. The success rates of both techniques coincide.
Our experience in the field of fertility has been evident by the study that we have done and it has already been published with data from 2017 – 2018 and it is the most extensive study in the world as far as the number of the patients are concerned. In a short while, our new study with a sample of about 500 patients will be published which will prove our new data which is even more encouraging and exceptional.
Enriched PRP
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is an innovative regenerative therapy, which involves the application of autologous platelet-leukocyte-rich plasma containing growth factors and thrombin directly to the site of treatment. PRP treatment has been used broadly in several areas of medicine and aesthetics to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, initiate healing and of course regeneration and rejuvenation of the tissues. The degranulation of platelets releases the biological factors into the site giving the beneficial effect.
To increase the efficiency of the PRP, Crete Fertility Centre started to apply a novel technology by enriching and fortifying that with growth factors (Enriched PRP – EnPRP), derived from the patient's own blood.
The most important benefit of the Enriched PRP – EnPRP is that it contains over 10 times higher concentration of growth factors and cytokines.  Evidence from research shows that it is the growth factors that reside in the platelet granules that are responsible for inducing healing and regeneration. With this novel technique we managed to break the billions of platelets and directly get the growth factors and cytokines. So, we offer an extra energy to the ovarian rejuvenation process, by applying them directly. This way, we fortify and make more efficient the PRP effect on the ovarian stem cells. This treatment acts on the ovary, reversing the aging process of the follicles and awakening their development process. It is at least 10 times more effective and efficient from the PRP alone and it has direct and long-lasting effect.
Similar is the effect of the Enriched PRP – EnPRP to the uterine and vaginal rejuvenation. Regarding the uterine Enriched PRP – EnPRP, our first results revealed that it has greater efficacy on the endometrial growth and subsequently on the pregnancy rates, since pregnancy rate is increased with growing endometrial thickness. EnPRP makes the endometrium (lining) friendly for the embryos during an IVF or spontaneous pregnancy.
Melatonin & Menopause Reversal For Women Under 50
Researchers have been looking at the relationships between melatonin and menopause for a long time. Your pineal gland produces the hormone that promotes sleep aka melatonin. According to earlier studies, the pineal gland starts to decrease as menopause approaches.
Melatonin is thought by scientists to be crucial in the synthesis of reproductive hormones. The levels of reproductive hormones start to fall off without it.
According to one study, women between the ages of 43 and 49 who received a nightly dose of 3 milligrams of melatonin had their periods return. These participants were either menopausal or in the perimenopausal stage. Ages 50 to 62 participants showed no impacts.
Melatonin may be a natural, risk-free method of postponing, or perhaps possibly reversing, menopause, though more research is needed in this area.
3mg Melatonin
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Melatonin- 3 mg of quality melatonin in each capsule. *
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Thank you for listening! For questions and comments about this episode, please contact us here! (Scroll to the bottom of the page). 
 

From Coffee to Cocktails and 5 Tips For Coping with Infertility PTSD!

On this episode, Sonia and Jessica discuss the recent news article about an IVF patient who was given the wrong medication by her local pharmacy and 5 tips for coping with the lasting trauma of infertility after successfully conceiving and having a baby. Spoiler alert, dinosaurs giving birth need to advocate for themselves, but also a reminder- we’re not actually dinosaurs, we’re just Geriatric Mamas.
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
News Article About IVF Medication Mistake (15:20)
Coping With The Trauma of Infertility After Successfully Conceiving & Having a Baby (22:17)
Tip #1 (28:20)
Tip #2 (31:15)
Tip #3 (32:50)
Virgin River Spoiler Alert Starts (40:46) ends (41:28)
PTSD After Baby is Born (41:44)
Correction for Coffee Convos Episode Topic About 21-Month Old Baby Girl’s Death After Being Hit by a Tow Truck in Maine (44:13)
Is Waiting for The Other Shoe To Drop Postpartum Depression? (46:24)
Tip #4 (47:20)
Tip #5 (51:34)
A Recap: This is What You Get when We Record During Cocktail Hour (51:56)
Show notes including all links referenced in this podcast episode can be found at geriatricmamas.com/podcast.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
IVF Medication News Article
A Las Vegas woman undergoing IVF to expand her family was mistakenly given abortion medication — not fertility medication — by her local pharmacy, terminating her pregnancy in its early stages.
“They just killed my baby,” Tamika Thomas told 8 News Now. “Both my babies, because I transferred two embryos.”
The mom of 4 had been undergoing in vitro fertilization, a lengthy process in which fertilized embryos are implanted in the uterus to lead to a successful pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. She and her husband had turned to IVF after having her Fallopian tubes removed, and they had paid for the expensive procedure out-of-pocket.
Thomas had just had two embryos transferred when she went to pick up medication to help her body “think it's pregnant.”
But pharmacy technicians at her North Las Vegas CVS gave her Misoprostol instead, which is used for “medication abortion,” according to the National Institute of Health.
The Lasting Trauma of Infertility- New York Times Newsletter Article by Regina Townsend, founder of the Broken Brown Egg- Infertility website & community.
“Infertility changes how you see yourself and the world. Somewhere along the journey, many of us stop feeling as though it is something that is happening to us, but instead begin to believe that it is a part of who we are. You become used to living in a constant state of fluctuating despair and hope. And this doesn’t turn off when and if you get pregnant. It doesn’t turn off when you hear or see the heartbeat. My son is 3. I’m still trying to turn it off.
Six months into motherhood, I felt as if I was in quicksand. I’d gotten through infertility, gotten past a failed adoption, braced my way through I.V.F. and a C-section. I should have felt invincible, but instead, I was numb. I felt as if the other shoe would drop at any moment. I had to pay for the victory that was my son, didn’t I? That was the routine of the roller coaster infertility had been for us. No success without swift defeat.”
The Baby Heartbeat Doppler Sonia Referred to:
Easy To Use, High Performance Baby Heartbeat Monitor .
This fetal Doppler is high sensitivity, 0 radiation, convenient measurement. Large-screen LCD display readings more clearly.
High sensitivity waterproof probe, 12~16weeks can hear fetal heartbeat easily. Using clear tuning chips, the sound is more realistic.
Light and portable fetal monitor, built-in speaker and 3.5mm headphone socket with volume control.
The fetal doppler monitor is a hand-held obstetrical unit, which is applicable to clinic and home for daily self-check by pregnant women.
Thanks for listening and checking out the show notes!
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Disclaimer:
Please consult your physician for personalized medical and health advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition, your pregnancy, birth plan and post-partum treatments.
Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of something you have heard on the Geriatric Mamas podcast or website.