Introduction: Fertile, Infertile and No Longer Fertile
An Alternative to Fertile and Infertile
Childfree and Adoption
The Focus of This Book
Chapter One: Jean Tells Our Story
Chapter Two: What It Means to Live Childfree
Childfree Means Changing Negative into Positive
Childgree Means Taking Advantage of the Advantages
Childfree Means Taking Control of Your Life Again
What It Does Not Mean to Live Childfree
Conclusion
Chapter Three: The Transformation from Childless to Childfree
GRief Again: What the Metaphor Misses
Stress Reaction: A Different Approach to Grief
Transformation
How All of This Helps Us to Understand Childfree
Conclusion
Chapter Four: The Power of Choice: Making Life Decisions
Thinking about Ending Your Infertility
The Paradox of Choice
Task One–Identifying and Removing Decision Blockers
Task Two–Establishing a Foundation for Decision Making
The Third Task–Committing Yourself to Your Decision
The One Great Principle of Making Life Decisions
Conclusion |
Chapter Five: Choosing to Live Childfree
Redefinition: Looking at Why You Want toHave Children
The Real Work of Deciding to Live Childfree: Communication
The Relationship between Adoption and Childfree
Reconciliation
Conclusion
Chapter Six: But What About…?
But What about Regret?
But What about the Pressure to Have Children?
But What about the Maternal Instinct?
But What about Old Age?
Conclusion
Chapter Seven: The Future
Is Childfree Right for Your Future?
What to Expect from Others
What to Expect in Living Childfree
Making Plans for Your Future
Sweet Grapes; Or, Here’s to the Future!
Chapter Eight: Open to Adoption:Considerations of Traditional
Adoption, DI, Surrogacy and Embryo Transplant
The Transformation from Infertility to Affirmation
Choice: Identifying and Removing Decision Blockers
Choice:Estalbishing Your Priorities
Choice: Committing Yourself to Your Decision
Conclusion
Chapter Nine: Mike’s Turn
Epilogue (Update,1998: How has life been in the over a dozen
years since the Carters embraced a childfree lifestyle? |
