Emily Patel, founder of Hopeful Mama Foundation and a mother through donor eggs, joins me to share a not-so-typical path to parenthood, one that reveals the stress, doubt, and decision-making traps families face during donor conception. Emily discusses why family is more than genetics, what she’s learned from the many women who seek support through her foundation, and how to find clarity when the stakes feel sky-high.

You’ll learn

How stress can derail good decisions—and practical ways to slow down and choose well

What “family beyond genetics” looks like in real life

Themes Emily hears from women at Hopeful Mama

Resources & Links

Hopeful Mama Foundation: https://hopefulmamafoundation.org/

Follow Emily Patel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilympatel/

Building Your Family Community (courses, workshops, community):https://familybuilding.net/building-your-family-community/

10 Things Donor Conceived Children Want Their Parents To Understand (free):https://familybuilding.net/new-newsletter-page/

Contact Lisa: www.familybuilding.net

About the show The Building Your Family podcast is a free service of the Building Your Family Community. Building Your Family Community is the only expert-created educational & support community for people using donor conception, surrogacy, or fertility treatment to build their families. Educational content only; not medical or therapy advice.

In this episode of Building Your Family, we explore a bold and different approach to IVF — one focused on streamlining treatment to make it more affordable while still maintaining quality care.

Our guest explains why, for many patients, a standard IVF protocol can deliver the same results as highly customized treatments — in less time and at a lower cost. While a personalized approach that considers nutrition, sleep, and overall wellness is valuable for some, others could start treatment sooner and still achieve success without added complexity.

If you or someone you care for is considering IVF, this episode is essential viewing. It’s a powerful reminder of why it’s so important to arm yourself with the right information and understand all of your choices.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

When streamlined IVF is an effective option

How standard protocols can save time and money

Why not every patient needs an extensive customized plan

How to talk with your doctor about your treatment choices

🎧 Listen on the Building Your Family podcast or watch here to get expert insights and help you make informed decisions.

📚 Learn more about Dr. Arredondo: https://pozitivf.com/ Follow Dr. Arredondo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pozitivfertility/

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how strongly I believe in giving people evidence-based, trustworthy information — not myths or marketing.

In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, I introduce you to someone you probably haven’t heard of — but should. She’s a behind-the-scenes powerhouse in reproductive medicine who will walk you through what really happens in a fertility clinic lab.

🎧 You'll learn:

How decisions are made

What new technologies are promising — and what still needs evidence

The difference between hype and help when it comes to treatment success

Whether you’re going through fertility treatment or just curious how it all works, this episode is packed with insights from someone who has built many labs and is driving advances in reproductive medicine and science..

👉 Subscribe for more expert-led content: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingyourfamily 💬 Let me know in the comments — what surprised you most?

📚 Learn more about Cynthia Hudson: Tomorrow Lab Sciences: https://www.tmrwlifesciences.com/ NOVA Genomics: https://www.novagenomics.org/ Perch Fertility: https://perchfertility.com/