Galentine’s Day is observed on February 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day and it celebrates platonic friendships, usually among women. It is a day designed to bring together the ladies in your life you love the most and share your affection with them. Fun Fact: The holiday originated from the show Parks and Recreation, if you haven’t seen it yet – I highly recommend it for a good laugh. (Season 2 Episode 16, you’ll thank me later.)
When you think of Galentine’s Day, you are reminded of all the extraordinary women that you know and love – and some of those women are choosing to be single. Being single by choice describes a person who does not want to be in a relationship.
They value their independence and do not feel the need to have a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife to gain validation. People who are single by choice may still go out or date casually but do not choose a long-term committed relationship. Below are a few reasons why people are single by choice:
- You prefer your own company.
- You have the freedom to focus on your own hobbies.
- You can prioritize yourself more.
- You don’t have to split money or space.
- You don’t know what you’re looking for in a partner.
- You don’t have to compromise.
Now that you know some of the reasons why people would choose to be single, what does that look like in the world of fertility? What if you are happy being single but want to be a mom? Well, you are not alone. When you are ready to be a mom, nothing will stand in your way. Partner or no partner. With reproductive technology being so advanced and the ability to walk into a fertility clinic and forge your own journey – the possibilities are endless. Here at Generation Next Fertility, we believe that your path towards parenthood should be unique to you.
We interviewed a few women who have decided to go on their IVF journey independently and this is what they had to say. Patient Jane: “Choosing to follow my heart and go through the IVF process has been life-changing, it was exciting, scary, and empowering.”
Another patient Carol said, “I knew I always wanted to be a mom, but as a single successful career-driven woman living in New York City, I always pushed it to the back burner. Now that I’m in my 40s, being able to utilize IVF to make my parenthood dreams a reality, without having to complicate my life with a partner is great. I have control of my own happiness and that feels wonderful.”
Finally, GNF patient Marie added “It’s not without its challenges, when I first saw that progesterone in oil injection, I thought I was going to faint. But I managed to get through it will the support of my doctors and the excellent clinical staff that helped me find the right spot to inject myself. They also provided me with some tips and tricks to use during this process so it wouldn’t hurt as much.” “Being a single mom by choice has given me the lifestyle I’ve always wanted, and I don’t regret a thing – my angel baby is just perfect.”
So, here’s to all the amazing, strong, incredible women this Galentine’s Day who are choosing their own path to parenthood and offering up their stories to inspire others to discover their own unique path. We at Generation Next Fertility couldn’t be happier for you.
Want to read more about IVF without a partner, check out our past blog post, IVF Without a Partner: I Did I.V.F. Without a Partner. It Shouldn’t Have Been So Hard. – Generation Next Fertility