Tuesday 21st September 2021 – 8pm (GMT)
This webinar focuses on how, as parents through donor conception, we can redefine our parenting identity, as well as the reasons why donor conception can make us question our legitimacy in the first place.
I was joined again by the wonderful Julianne, Consultant Perinatal Psychologist at Parenthood in Mind, to really focus on this topic and our common fears. She talked about what fathering and mothering actually is and can be, especially in the face of the grief and loss of a genetic link to our child. We explored our fears around what others might think and how we worry about being recognised as the legitimate parent, linking back to the concept of ‘ghosts and angels in the nursery’ which Julianne previously touched on in our Attachment and Bonding webinar earlier in the year (available as a recording).
Parenting identity will be considered in the context of both solo parenting and for those in a relationship, expanding on some of the attachment concepts previously discussed and also exploring some of the things that might get in the way of us redefining our parenting identity.
Speaker Bio
Julianne Boutaleb
Julianne is a highly experienced perinatal psychologist, who has worked for over 17 years in the NHS and in private practice with individuals and couples adversely impacted by infertility issues. As a member of BICA, she lectures and writes on how individuals and couples who are trying to conceive (TTC), pregnant or parenting following ART (IVF, ICSI, donor conception, surrogacy) or adoption may be psychologically affected.