Single Men | Solo Dad Families

Introduction

DC Network welcomes all single men who are considering, undertaking or have used donor conception as the means to start a family.  Whatever your situation, many of our members will have faced the same questions.  If you are a parent looking for information and guidance around being open with your child and others, DCN can also provide resources, information and support.

Making your decision

  • Is donor conception right for you?
     
  • Choosing a clinic.
     
  • Treatment options.
     
  • Choosing a donor.
     
  • What about your child?

Telling & talking

  • What to say, to whom and when.
     
  • Is there a ‘right’ age to start telling your child?
     
  • What’s the best way to explain their origins to your children?
     
  • How will your child deal with the issue at school / with friends / later on?

Your child’s rights

  • Will your child have information about their donor and/or make contact with her/him / them?
     
  • Will your child be able to contact others conceived with the same donor, or in the donor’s family?
     
  • Does the donor have any rights?
     
  • What can donors know about the children they have helped create?
     
  • Do the donor’s children or other family members have any rights?

Parenting

  • Will I be able to bond with my child?
     
  • How will it feel to be a family without a mother in the picture?
     
  • What do donor conceived children think and feel later on?
     
  • If my child is unhappy/not doing well at school/ being bullied, might this be because s/he is donor conceived?
     
  • Where can I find information that will help me talk with my child as s/he gets older?

Personal stories

DC Network members recall the decision to use donor conception, what helped them make the decision, the use of donated eggs, sperm or embryos and parenting donor conceived children.