The Kids or Childfree Podcast

In this episode, Keltie Maguire discusses some of the key themes and insights that have come up in her private and group coaching sessions during Season 5 of The Kids or Childfree Podcast, as well as episodes from Season 5 that address these topics. You'll hear her discuss: * Why this choice is going to put your relationship under a microscope. * How the Kids or Childfree decision forces you to confront reality, and the undeniable truth of your situation. * How this choice can be a vehicle for growth and transformation. * The power of the question, "What version of motherhood/CF living would make me a hell yes?" * The importance of articulating what is a fulfilling life means to YOU. __ Get your tickets or an All-Access Pass for our Kids or Childfree Support Series here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series].  Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

In this conversation, writer and author of The Mother Code, Ruthie Ackerman, shares her personal journey from being childfree to becoming a mother, exploring the complexities of motherhood, societal expectations, and the emotional struggles that accompany the decision to have children. You'll hear Ruthie and Keltie discuss: * How Ruthie decided to pursue motherhood in spite of her ambivalence, and being only 55% confident in her choice to have kids. * How being from a long lineage of women who left their children, meant Ruthie was scared she would do the same.  * Why a difference of opinion about kids meant the end of her marriage, and how Ruthie navigated dating while pursuing motherhood. * Ruthie's experiences with egg freezing, IVF, and egg donation. * How Ruthie's book, The Mother Code, seeks to dismantle traditional notions of motherhood, while highlighting the ambivalence many women feel about motherhood. * Why those who become mothers need to identify and create their own version of motherhood, rather than the versions that have been given to them.  As mentioned in the show: Find Ruthie online at www.ruthieackerman.com [https://www.ruthieackerman.com] You can find her book, The Mother Code, all places that books are sold: ruthieackerman.com/the-mother-code [https://www.ruthieackerman.com/the-mother-code] And on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ruackerman/ [https://www.instagram.com/ruackerman/] About Ruthie: Ruthie began her writing career with a promise: to shine a light on the people, places, and ideas that are too often ignored. After a stint at the New York Times and a few years reporting on the economy for Forbes, she was awarded journalism fellowships to war-torn Liberia and Lebanon to showcase young people in both countries who were rebuilding their lives out of the ashes of destruction—and finding the resilience to push forward.  In the decade since, she has profiled game-changing entrepreneurs and social activists and written extensively about the professional and financial advancement of women. Ruthie wrote a piece for the New York Times Modern Love column about her own failed egg freezing.  [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/style/modern-love-egg-freezing-fertility.html]“Don’t Put All Your (Frozen) Eggs in One Basket,” [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/style/modern-love-egg-freezing-fertility.html] which became the launching point for her memoir, The Mother Code: My Story of Love, Loss, And The Myths That Shape Us [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mother-code-ruthie-ackerman/21707225?ean=9780593730119&next=t&affiliate=2186] (May 2025, Penguin Random House), and shifted her focus from traditional reporting to personal stories.   She started Ignite Writers Collective in 2019 as a way to work with other writers at all stages of their careers, sharing her insights from years as an editor and writer. Her clients have gotten book deals, published essays, and found the bravery to share their stories with the world.  Ruthie’s writing has been published in Vogue [https://www.vogue.com/article/wander-feminist-act], Glamour [https://t.co/B55PTR9HzK?amp=1], O Magazine [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a31897100/pregnant-during-coronavirus/?utm_campaign=socialflowTWOPR&utm_medium=social-media&utm_source=twitter], The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/style/modern-love-egg-freezing-fertility.html], The Atlantic [https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/12/trapped-in-lebanon-foreign-domestic-workers-with-no-rights-or-way-home/67479/], The Wall Street Journal [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204190504577040402069714264], Forbes [https://www.forbes.com/sites/ruthieackerman/2018/11/12/how-this-interior-designer-turned-paint-into-profit/?sh=6fe19d9f751e], Salon [https://www.salon.com/2006/11/15/swanee_hunt/], Slate [https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/10/ahmadinejad-goes-to-lebanon-and-is-greeted-as-a-conqueror-and-a-heartthrob.html], Newsweek [https://www.newsweek.com/battle-over-turning-beirut-next-dubai-74103], and more. Most recently, she was the Deputy Editor at ForbesWomen. She has a Master's in Journalism from NYU and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their daughter. Ruthie’s forthcoming memoir, The Mother Code, will be released in 2025 by Random House.  __ Get details on an upcoming Kids or Childfree Workshop: kidsorchildfree.com/workshop [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/workshop] Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

In this solo episode of the Kids or Childfree Podcast, Keltie shares four key beliefs that she had to shift in order to embrace her childfree choice. You'll hear her discuss: * The myth of the lightbulb moment. * Why she needed to debunk the idea of there being a right and wrong choice. * Why it was key to remember that there is more than one path to a happy life. * Why she had to see life as something she chose - rather than it being something that happened to her. __ Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

In this conversation, Keltie is speaking with mom, essayist, and author, Elissa Strauss, about her book 'When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others'. Hear her and Keltie discuss: * Elissa's personal experience with motherhood, including the parts she was most afraid of. * The complexities of caregiving, particularly in the context of motherhood.  * How to navigate the challenge of maintaining self-identity while parenting. * How social media is shaping perceptions of motherhood — and the messiness of real-world care. * Why we need a broader understanding of care that transcends traditional roles and highlights the transformative potential of caregiving experiences. * The magic of caring for others — and how we can experience this, no matter what we ultimately choose. As mentioned in the show: Elissa is online at www.elissastrauss.com [https://www.elissastrauss.com] Pick up a copy of When You Care: simonandschuster.com/books/When-You-Care/Elissa-Strauss/9781982169275 [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/When-You-Care/Elissa-Strauss/9781982169275] Read Elissa's Substack at elissa.substack.com/ [https://elissa.substack.com/] The piece Elissa's husband wrote about the impact of not breastfeeding their kids is here:  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/opinion/sunday/formula-breastfeeding-fatherhood.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/opinion/sunday/formula-breastfeeding-fatherhood.html] Tune into the How the Wise One Grows episode featuring Elissa: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IHtrBPfmBMO55I7Mz9sKm [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IHtrBPfmBMO55I7Mz9sKm] Tune into the How the Wise One Grows episode featuring Keltie: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Iw67drKUnzd1q1WjuzhUW?si=wCPBHC4vRa2Uwc-CGLO9dQ [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Iw67drKUnzd1q1WjuzhUW?si=wCPBHC4vRa2Uwc-CGLO9dQ] Find Elissa on social media: @elissaavery [https://www.instagram.com/elissaavery/] on IG facebook.com/elissa.strauss.7 [https://www.facebook.com/elissa.strauss.7/] linkedin.com/in/elissa-strauss-742720112/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-strauss-742720112/] About Elissa:  Elissa Strauss is the author of When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others. She is a journalist, essayist, and opinion writer, and contributes to publications like the New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, and elsewhere. __ Get details on our upcoming Kids or Childfree Support Series here: kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series] Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

In this conversation, fertility expert, Dr. Amanda Adeleye, MD, is sharing the fertility knowledge you need to feel empowered in your Kids or Childfree decision. This includes... * Common fertility myths and misconceptions  * The role of age in fertility, including when your fertility starts to decline  * How likely it really is to become pregnant in your mid-30's, at 40, and beyond * Fertility preservation options — including egg and embryo freezing – and who they're suited for * Why understanding personal goals is crucial in making informed family planning decisions As mentioned on the show: Find Amanda online at ccrmivf.com/locations/us/il/chicago/amanda-adeleye-md/ [https://www.ccrmivf.com/locations/us/il/chicago/amanda-adeleye-md/] She's on Instagram at instagram.com/amanda.j.adeleye_md [https://www.instagram.com/amanda.j.adeleye_md/?hl=en] Get details on free health education platform, Roon, at roon.com [https://www.roon.com/] Roon is also on Instagram at instagram.com/roonwomenshealth [https://www.instagram.com/roonwomenshealth/] Find Amanda on Roon at roon.com/expert/DrAmandaAdeleye [https://www.roon.com/expert/DrAmandaAdeleye] About Amanda: Dr. Amanda Adeleye, MD, is a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility (REI) specialist. She provides fertility services including IUI, IVF and fertility preservation at the newly opened fertility clinic, CCRM Chicago, where she is the founding partner and Medical Director. She received her Medical Degree from Columbia University, completed her residency at New York Presbyterian - Columbia University, and did her fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Adeleye is committed to improving the educational resources available to all patients to inform them on their fertility journey. As part of this work, she helped to create Roon, a free, trusted health platform founded by doctors to replace unreliable internet searches with expert medical guidance. _ Get details on our upcoming Kids or Childfree Support Series here: kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series] Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguide And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree