The Long-Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility [Paperback]

Ellen Sarasohn Glazer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1994 | ISBN-10: 002911814X | ISBN-13: 978-0029118146

For the hundreds of thousands of people who become parents after experiencing infertility, expectations of parenthood - often idealized during the long wait - are seldom met. Frequently, with the joy and satisfaction brought about by a successful pregnancy or adoption, come negative feelings and magnified fears of losing the baby. This book takes a sensitive look at the unique dilemmas faced by this vulnerable group. Including personal stories of men and women who have undergone the same unsettling process, it gives couples the information, advice and support they need to cope with the stresses and realities of patenting following infertility.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You've suffered through infertility, years of assisted reproductive technologies, adoption hassles and heartbreak, and now, finally, you've got your child. The infertility is "over" you are a parent! It seems like life should be a bowl full of cherries. But infertility struggles often leave an emotional scar--even when the outcome has been successful--and parents who have tackled this problem have a unique set of issues and dilemmas.

What (and when) do you tell your child about their birth? Who else do you tell? What about those remaining feelings of loss or inadequacy? What kinds of problems do you face raising both biological and adopted children? In the revised edition of The Long Awaited Stork, infertility specialist Ellen Sarasohn Glazer gives information, advice, and reassurance for adoptive parents; sperm donor, egg donor, and in vitro fertilization parents; parents who have used surrogates; parents of special-needs kids; and parents raising more than one child, each born through different methods. An extensive appendix of resource organizations and recommended reads rounds out this helpful guide for parents with a distinct set of questions. --Ericka Lutz --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

A successful pregnancy or adoption is a time of celebration. Yet, all new parents are sleep-deprived, confused, and often overwhelmed by the demands of parenthood. And, if you've come to parenting after a long, arduous course of infertility diagnosis and treatment, you've been faced with a unique set of dilemmas; your experience with infertility causes all parenting's stress and strains to be even more pronounced. Finally, here's a book that's sensitive and responsive to the vulnerable state you are in. The Long-Awaited Stork gives you all the information, advice, and support you need to adjust to and cope with the special problems of parenting after infertility. "Parents who have wondered what the long-term impact of infertility has been on their self-image will find the answers they have been seeking in this insightful book. In her sensitive way, Ellen Glazer makes it clear that having or adopting children does not And the emotional impact of infertility."—Lois Melina, author of Raising Adopted Children and Making Sense of Adoption "The Long-Awaited Stork provides comfort to the infertile and is a must-read for mental-health professionals in the field. Glazer's book is a sensitive and rich exploration into the long-term issues of infertility. Written in clear and entertaining style, [it] provides parents and professionals with the missing piece in our search for understanding."—Hilary Hanafin, Ph.D., Center for Surrogate Parenting "Clearly, the infertility experience puts couples in a unique (and often lonely) place as they strive to be effective parents. I am glad that, as last, I have Ellen Glazer's book to recommend to my patients. It's an important resource and a useful affirmation of many diverse feelings that infertile couples express as they venture forth into parenting."—Linda Applegarth, Ed.D., Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Cornell University Medical College "The Long-Awaited Stork is a long-awaited book. Many patients will --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Lexington Books (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 002911814X
• ISBN-13: 978-0029118146
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,410,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm not the only one!, April 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Long-Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility (Paperback)

The Long Awaited Stork is the book that I wish I'd found three years ago when my twins were born! Like many other infertility veterans, I thought that my struggles were over when I became pregnant and delivered two healthy baby girls. Indeed, things are great but I still find that infertility is part of my life. I loved it when Ms. Glazer referred to the "cameo appearances" that infertility makes. It's a great description for those waves of feeling that come back when I least expect them. This book is a GREAT gift for anyone who is newly pregnant or for a new adoptive parent.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a much-needed addition to the infertility/parenting shelf, September 22, 1999

By 

Hugh's mother (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long-Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility (Paperback)

There aren't many good books out there about infertility and adopting, especially compared to ordinary parenting books, but there are even fewer about parenting after infertility. This book really is required reading. Perhaps its most important contribution is to acknowledge that years of suffering don't just dissolve without effects once you've ``solved'' the problem by having a child. My only regret is that it doesn't go into still more detail -- here's hoping it sparks some imitators. Because it discusses emotional and psychological issues rather than purely medical ones, it is unlikely to go out of date any time soon.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Congrats - you're pregnant ! Now what ?, June 2, 2000

By 

Aniruddha Malpani "Infertility Specialist" (www.drmalpani.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Long-Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility (Paperback)

Many infertile couples are so focussed on trying to get pregnant, they often lose sight of the fact that the real challenge - that of bringing up their child - arises only after they achieve their goal and have a baby ! This book is a very helpful guide on parenting for all infertile couples , and discusses issues which most books on infertility ( and most on parenting ) do not touch.