In this conversation, we hear from Jane van Dis, M.D., an OB-GYN who specializes in women's/maternal health and its intersection with reproductive justice — both in terms of Jane's personal experience of motherhood and how her professional insights and expertise can help inform your own choice.

You'll hear about:

• The idea of informed consent in understanding the potential effects of pregnancy and childbirth on a woman's body and overall well-being.
  
  
• The impact of environmental toxins, such as plastics and chemicals, on women's health and the potential risks they pose to pregnancy.
• Climate change and its potential consequences on future generations when making decisions about having children.
  
  
• The complexities of ethical decision-making in today's world.
• Global population growth and declining birth rates, alongside the possibility of mandated motherhood
  
  ...and many more fascinating areas of discussion.

As mentioned in the show:

Bumpin’ and Fertility Rules by Leslie Schrock (Medical Editor, Jane van Dis, M.D.)

Under The Sky We Make by Kimberly Nicholas

Generation Dread by Britt Wray

Eve by Cat Bohannon

About Jane:

Jane van Dis, MD is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Rochester and faculty in the Institute for Human Health and the Environment. She lectures nationally and internationally on the intersection of the climate crisis and women's/maternal health. She Co-Founded OBGYNs For Sustainability and TIMES UP Healthcare and Co-Admins OB Mom Group. Dr. van Dis is an Editor at the Journal of OB Hospitalist Medicine and is a single mom to twins.
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Check out our free resources here, or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources

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In this episode, Keltie reflects on the insights and takeaways from the first season of The Kids or Childfree podcast.

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Get the details on our two group coaching programs that start the week of April 20th: kidsorchildfree.com/group-coaching

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, or a rating on Spotify.

Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree

Author Kate Kaufmann shares her journey of choosing to be childfree after trying to have children alongside much valuable wisdom gleaned over her 70-plus years of life without kids.

You'll hear about:

• The challenges and grief associated with this decision and how her identity shifted over time.
• The importance of intergenerational relationships and the value of having childless elders in her life.
• Practical aspects of aging without children, such as making end-of-life arrangements and having a support network in place.
• The capacity and stability that come with not having children and the richness of relationships that can be formed in different ways.
• Why individuals may not fit neatly into the categories of childless or childfree, and how one's feelings and experiences may change over time.

As mentioned on the show:

Find out more about Kate and her work at www.katekaufmann.com

You can read Kate's column over at Psychology Today here: www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/unapparent

Learn about and purchase Kate's book, Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No, here.

About Kate:

International, award-winning author of Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No, Kate Kaufmann advocates for better understanding of the childless/childfree demographic in person, on air, and in print. A popular speaker, media guest, and conversation-starter, Kate has an MFA in creative writing and professional background in human resources and consulting. Outlets where her work has been featured include NBC, CBC Radio, Psychology Today, and the Washington Post.

Kate’s mission is to open doors to frank, respectful conversations between the childless and childfree, as well as among parents, non-parents, and those whose futures are as yet unclear.

Kate’s book Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No has been published in North America, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Brazil, and Korea, with a Chinese edition forthcoming.

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Get the details on both of my upcoming group programs – Kids or Childfree, as well as Confidently Childfree — here: kidsorchildfree.com/group-coaching

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, or a rating on Spotify.

Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree