One and Done? The Benefits and Drawbacks of Having an Only Child with Author Lauren Sandler

Should we try for another child? Can we handle all the treatments, ups and downs, and possible heartbreak that comes with trying again? Will my child be okay without a sibling? Will our family feel complete with “just” one child?

Lauren Sandler, award-winning journalist and author, is joining Baby or Bust to share her thoughts and insights on parenthood and chat about her bestselling book One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One. This is the book that ignited an international conversation about single-child families.

In this conversation, Lauren Sandler shares with Dr. Lora Shahine her experience as an only child and a mother of an only child. They explore the cultural pressure surrounding family size and society’s heavy expectations put on parents to have more than one. 

You’ll hear Lauren share the importance of personal choice in parenting, debunk myths about only children, and highlight the significance of happiness and fulfillment in parenting. You’ll walk away ready to embrace your unique family dynamics and make empowered choices about your lives and families.

In this episode you’ll hear:

[2:29] Meet Lauren Sandler, author of One and Only

[5:13] Getting questions about family building

[8:43] 2 by 2––Society’s Expectation

[11:05] What does research say about single children?

[17:20] Pros of being an only child

[23:42] Assumptions about an only child’s life and future

[30:23] Lauren’s life today

Resources mentioned:  

www.laurenosandler.com/about 

One and Only book: www.laurenosandler.com/the-book 

 

Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Lora Shahine, MD

Dr. Lora Shahine, reproductive endocrinologist at Pacific NW Fertility and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, completed her residency in OBGYN at the University of California in San Francisco and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Stanford University. She is dedicated to educating and advocating for increased awareness of infertility, miscarriage, and the impact on environmental toxins on health through an active social media presence, teaching, clinical research, and authoring multiple blogs and books including best selling, ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’

Previous
Previous

Caffeine & Your Fertility: Does It Really Matter?

Next
Next

Return to Hope After Stillbirth with Dr. Kiley Hanish