S8E13 Pregnancy Without a Partner: Facing Hyperemesis and Finding Strength With SMBC Mel Anderson

The Single Greatest Choice: For Single Women Exploring Solo Motherhood by Choice (SMBC), Fertility, and Having a Baby on Their Own Through Donor Conception or Adoption

Pregnancy doesn’t always go the way you imagined it would. For my dear friend and fellow SMBC, Mel Anderson, what began with excitement quickly turned into one of the hardest seasons of her life. Instead of hiking and practicing yoga through her pregnancy as she had envisioned, Mel faced hyperemesis: severe nausea and vomiting that left her unable to care for herself, barely able to eat or drink, and often confined to the bathroom floor.

⚠️Before we dive in, a gentle heads up: this episode includes a detailed discussion of hyperemesis and the mental health struggles that can come with a difficult pregnancy. If you’re feeling particularly anxious about pregnancy, this might not be the right episode for you. And if you’re currently in the middle of a hard pregnancy yourself, please know there is relief and joy on the other side (which you’ll hear about in the next episode, in which we’ll continue with Mel’s story).

In this deeply vulnerable conversation, Mel shares what it was really like to go through pregnancy without a partner while navigating a condition that tested her body, her mental health, and her spirit. From the heartbreak of canceled embryo transfers to the unexpected challenges of her pregnancy, her story is raw, honest, and important.

If you’re considering solo motherhood, pregnant yourself, or simply want to know you’re not alone in facing a difficult path, this conversation will remind you that strength can grow even in the hardest places.

In this episode on Mel’s story about her pregnancy without a partner, we discuss:

• Mel’s path to becoming a single mother by choice after ambivalence about having children in her younger years;
• How Mel’s relationship history played into the decision;
• Being diagnosed with hyperemesis and how it shaped her pregnancy;
• Mental health struggles and learning to advocate for herself in the medical system;
• The critical role of support during a high-risk pregnancy as a solo mom;
• Why sharing the hard stories matters just as much as sharing the joyful ones;
• And more.

👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms & kids.

🏘️Join our community, The SGC Village

Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]