World Childless Week Support and Resources
The physicians, nurses, and staff of RMA Long Island IVF have been helping Long Islanders build their families for over 30 years. We’ve treated patients who have conceived quickly with little medical intervention. Others may have needed more advanced assisted reproductive technologies. But despite all the advances in assisted reproductive technology and the ever-increasing success rates, there are still some patients who don’t end up with a biological child.
Some may foster or adopt children, but that may not be an option for any number of reasons. When all options for parenthood have been considered, tried, and exhausted, an infertility journey ends. And a new journey begins as these warriors must make the difficult decision to put their infertility years behind them and try to adjust to a future without children.
While many of those suffering from infertility do so in silence, the reality is that there is far more support and resources for those still undergoing treatment than there is for those who have involuntarily decided to live a childless life—known as “childless not by choice” or “cnbc”. And it’s hard to think of any infertility-related group that needs support more than this one.
World Childless Week (or “WCW”) is meant to raise awareness of the reality that infertility isn’t always resolved with the birth of a baby.
World Childless Week is designed to give a voice to the involuntarily childless and to help them find others who understand what it feels like to walk on that particular path. It’s also for those who have come out the other side of their journey, finding a way to live a full and happy life in time, to share their stories with others who can’t fathom finding happiness without children.
In an effort to help support women and men who are involuntarily childless, we’d like to share some resources*.
World Childless Week. On Facebook and the web. worldchildlessweek.net is where the movement apparently began in 2016. Founded by Stephanie Phillips, World Childless Week’s mission statement is: “…WCW aims to raise awareness of the childless not by choice (cnbc) community. To help the community to find support groups that understand their grief and can help them move forwards to acceptance. It’s for anyone who is childless despite their longing to be a parent because they have never been pregnant (for any reason), not carried full-term or have suffered the sadness of a baby born sleeping. All of our champions and founder Steph, represent our audience.” They pledge— “We are here for you through the year, we get louder in September”.
WCW shares the following sobering statistics:
-
5 million couples are childless - One in five women reach 45, childless
- 1 in 3 pregnancies end in miscarriage.
WCW “champions” include men and women of all ages, colors, religions, and sexual orientations, as well as singles and couples, so there is a voice for everyone there.
The World Childless Week Facebook page will feature different daily themes this week, including “Our Stories, Letters from our Hearts, Childlessness and the Arts, Men Matter, Too, Comment that Hurt, We are Worthy, and Finding Acceptance.”
Life Without Baby. On Facebook and the web. It’s mission statement: “Life Without Baby aims to fill the silence in the motherhood discussion and be the voice for women who do not have children, whether by chance, choice or circumstance. “Life without baby.com offers a wealth of helpful resources to help women not only to survive but to thrive when facing the life without children. Lifewithoutbaby.com is run by Lisa Manterfield, the author of several books, including “I’m Taking My Eggs and Going Home”.
More to Life. On Facebook. More to Life wants to show that “there is life and meaning beyond children”. Its Facebook page encourages followers to share their stories of how they are living well while childless under the hashtag #LivingProofMTL. Their “main goal is to help our childless not by choice members to find acceptance of their status and enjoy a joyful and satisfying existence.”
At RMA Long Island IVF, we offer access to counselors who specialize in supporting those suffering from infertility, whether they are just beginning their journey or are at a difficult crossroads. Our hearts break for those who are involuntarily childless and we wish the cnbc community strength and eventual peace in what is surely an emotionally difficult transition.
Please feel free to share any tips or resources that helped you transition to living involuntarily childless.
*RMA Long Island IVF is sharing resources for informational purposes only and does not endorse nor is it affiliated with any of the resources mentioned.