Building a Family with Reciprocal IVF (at the Same Time!)

Building a Family with Reciprocal IVF (at the Same Time!)

Author: Jaimie Kelton – Queer Parenting & LGBTQ Families'. April 7, 2025 Duration: 1:09:31

Two mamas. Two wombs. One donor. In this episode, Ana and Becky share their epic journey of building a family through simultaneous reciprocal IVF—yes, they were both pregnant at the same time. From pandemic sperm shortages to second-parent adoption logistics, this is a deeply lesbian, wildly honest, and beautifully queer tale of love, planning, and two babies born just five weeks apart.

This is a story of planning, spreadsheets, love, and so much queer resilience. Also, sperm selfies. And silk pajamas. You don’t want to miss this one.

🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsor California Cryobank!

Thinking of growing your queer family? Use code LOVEISLOVE at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!

Check out Everywhere is Queer! IOS l Android

🏳️‍🌈 Interested in advertising? Check out our sponsor packages ⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠

🏳️‍🌈 Loved this episode?

Support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and help keep these stories alive!

🏳️‍🌈 Key Takeaways

  • Why they chose reciprocal IVF—and why they did it at the same time
  • The donor selection process (including that pandemic sperm shortage!)
  • Their deeply lesbian love story, from U-Hauls to board books
  • Lessons from the postpartum trenches (and why doulas and dog trainers were essential)
  • Second-parent adoption x2—just to be safe
  • And the beauty of watching your two toddlers snuggle up in the same bed at night


🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

Ana and Becky are a married couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area. They’re thoughtful, funny, spreadsheet-loving parents of two, passionate about intentional family building, queer visibility, and silk pajamas.

🏳️‍🌈 Resources Mentioned


🏳️‍🌈 What resonated most with you?

Drop a comment, DM us, or email thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com—we love hearing your stories!


🏳️‍🌈 Let’s Connect!

Find us on IG, TikTok, Bluesky, & YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast

🏳️‍🌈 Watch full episodes on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈 Order the If These Ovaries Could Talk book 


🏳️‍🌈 Edited by: Jerson Barajas

🏳️‍🌈 Theme Song by: Tiffany Topol

🏳️‍🌈 Logo by: Daneen Stevenato

🏳️‍🌈 Shop merch here

🏳️‍🌈 Full transcript & episode info available on our website

Photo Credit: Lila Gray Photography

🗳️ VOTE. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ADVOCATE. 🍼 BUILD QUEER FAMILIES.

The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a trusted professional for your specific situation!



Our Sponsors:
* Check out Outdoorsy and use my code QUEERFAM for a great deal: https://www.outdoorsy.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hosted by queer mom Jaimie Kelton, The Queer Family Podcast-LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories offers a weekly space that is both uproariously funny and deeply genuine. Each episode features conversations with LGBTQIA+ parents, hopeful parents, and their allies, delving into the specific joys and hurdles of building a family outside of traditional frameworks. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of the paths to parenthood-from adoption and fostering to IVF and surrogacy-and the everyday realities of raising kids in a world that can still feel unfamiliar. This podcast moves beyond theory, focusing on lived experiences that cover everything from health and fitness routines that work for queer families to navigating complex conversations about sexuality and society with children. The goal is straightforward: to share stories that normalize these experiences, elevate diverse voices, and celebrate the full spectrum of queer family life. Tuning in means connecting with a community, finding resonance in shared challenges, and gathering a lot of practical wisdom-and laughter-along the way. It’s a resource and a companion for anyone curious about or living within the beautifully expansive definition of a modern family.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Queer Family Podcast – LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories
Podcast Episodes
Lesbian IVF Journey: From Infertility to Double Donor Twins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:02
Building a family didn’t happen the way same sex parents Sarah and Beth originally imagined. What began as a straightforward plan unfolded into miscarriage, multiple rounds of IUI, IVF, and ultimately the realization tha…
Seven Kids, One Lesbian, and a Graduation Gift of Sperm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:05
Lex Beach is a gay mom of seven kids (ages 8–23), and her LGBTQ family-building story truly covers the waterfront: donor sperm, IUIs, donor sibling connections, parenting through divorce, blended same sex family life, kn…
Trans Dad Shares Journey of Self-Discovery and Parenthood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:11
ARCHIVE (Recorded in 2024): Meet Shawndeez, a non-binary trans dad who shares their journey towards self-discovery and parenthood. Shawndeez discusses the challenges they faced as a queer and trans individual, their deci…
ARCHIVAL: Children’s Equality in Ireland with Ranae von Meding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:08
This episode was recorded in 2020 and originally released under the show’s former name, If These Ovaries Could Talk. While Ranae von Meding’s family life may look a bit different today, the laws in Ireland have not meani…
ARCHIVAL: Shipping Fresh Sperm Can Work! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:03
This episode originally aired back when the show was called If These Ovaries Could Talk, hosted by Jaimie Kelton and Robin Hopkins — before the show evolved into The Queer Family Podcast.Over the years, I’ve had countles…
ARCHIVAL: What Does Pride Mean to You? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:55
As we head into a new year, we’re revisiting a very special episode — and carrying those Pride vibes forward with us.This episode originally aired as the finale of our very first Pride Extravaganza, where all month long…