Three Dads and a Baby

Adventures in Modern Parenting

By: Ian Jenkins MD

Narrated by: Graham Halstead

Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Families come in all forms, but parental love is universal....

As a closeted teen, Ian wondered if he would ever be able to live openly with a male partner. Years later, he had not one but two partners in a polyamorous throuple - what more could he ask for? But something was still missing....

Join Ian and his partners, Alan and Jeremy, as they embark on a sometimes hilarious, sometimes tearful quest to become parents. They run the gauntlet: IVF failures, the threat of Zika virus, the urgent hunt for a new doctor, pregnancy-threatening bleeds, costly legal battles, and a reluctant superior court judge.

Ultimately the grace of women - embryo donors, their egg donor, their surrogate, even a surprise milk donor - allow them to complete their family with one perfect girl and become the first polyamorous family ever named as the legal parents of a child.

Contains mature themes.

©2021 Ian Jenkins (P)2021 Tantor

Interesting, informative and delivered with a dash of humor

For me this was one of my top three books on Audible so far. The story is so authentically voiced that I thought it was read by the author. I found it both interesting and touching. The story develops very organically. At the same time, many facts about assisted reproduction, the hurdles in the way of being legally recognized as a parent, and the risks and challenges of pregnancy and birth are seamlessly woven into the story. The author is very open about his feelings and brings the reader along with him as he evolves. Highly recommend!

Amazing Read

I would recommend this book to anyone. What a great story of a family banding together to fight the odds. Narrator was wonderful but the story so much better. A great life affirming story. Glad there are people like this out there

Honest & Complex

Ian's writing style is equal parts intelligent and entertaining. He shares his family's story with heart. Out of respect to my conscience as a disabled person and a person who respects the dignity of women, I have to mention the eugenics slant, the consideration of underprivileged women in foreign countries for surrogacy, and the mysogynistic undertones of wanting a female child first and discussing the potential drawbacks of her large size. However, I appreciate Ian sharing his family's story candidly with the world. 💜

Pompous! Flaunting how much money they have.

I was shocked at the level of arrogance this book puts forth. The affluence this family has comes out loud and clear ( $8k nursery that looks like dream vacation home but need not worry as they can just “ redo” it, as well as the 8k they paid for a baby shower- there are dozens more examples including practically every chapter the listener will know how much money they have spent (down to change.) Also, the air of being “ highly educated” comes across loud and clear and it is NOT in a positive way-usually implemented in a way that is NOT to help others, but rather to use it for their own advantage. I wanted to listen to this because I have a 17 year old gay son. We love him ( probably more) than is possible. He’s the light of my life. I was hoping to listen to a book so I could learn how he might create his family ( what a sheer disappointment this book was for that pursuit). In addition, I have four children ( all born by c- section). They are happy, healthy and my deliveries were wonderful. This book made me feel like having a c- section was just about the worst fate one could have to deal with. It made me feel less than adequate and was incredibly hurtful and insulting- “ I would rather have a belly massage that a 6 week laceration”. Don't we all? In addition, this rhetoric coming from someone who has never had a baby, but more absurd in fact is that this is someone who has dealt with this feeling of being demoralized for something he was born with (being gay) I am very upset by this book on so many levels ( NONE of which include their being polyamorous, having children, being gay etc) It’s the way this is portrayed that is very thoughtless to the audience. Don’t waste your time or money.