Follow along every other Tuesday as Kate and Karyne navigate reciprocal IVF using Karyne's eggs, unknown donor sperm, and Kate's uterus. And drink lots of La Croix. Learn more about their journey by visiting gayestshowonbirth.com. Submit your questions or comments to gayestshowonbirth@gmail.com.…
Karyne ran a 5K this weekend but you wouldn’t know it from her hashtag. Ari still hasn’t gotten over his egg aversion, and Kate still hasn’t gotten over her people aversion.
As aware and sensitive and “woke” as they are to gendered comments, Kate and Karyne still find themselves saying “hey guys” quite a bit. Also this week, the baby is still enjoying his pureed food … even banana shrimp.
Kate and Karyne went to New York and came back to a baby who doesn’t wake himself up in the middle of the night anymore. The trick? Being patient. Also this week, a PSA: Always read contracts before you sign them.
Kate and Karyne found a solution to Ari waking himself up at night. Also, they’re seeing some results with the helmet, and Kate’s pumping days are over.
Karyne is sick. Other than that, Ari had his helmet appointment, he got introduced to peanuts, and he’s sleeping in his own room.
We’re back after the longest hiatus! We missed you! This week on the show we catch up on all the new things the baby can do, how well he’s sleeping, Rent the Runway, and baby doll helmets.
Kate and Karyne both went back to new roles at work, the baby rolled over for the first time, and Fleetwood Mac on a school night probably wasn’t the best idea. The show will be taking a little break, but will be back the second week of January. Happy holidays!
Karyne finally filed the second-parent adoption paperwork and it was easier than she thought, thanks to the kindness of a stranger. Thanksgiving at Kate’s family was awesome, and Grandpa Saul gave everyone a great surprise.
The doctor dropped a little bomb a few weeks ago, but as usual, everything turned out fine. Karyne has been navigating the court system to see if she needs to do a second-parent adoption. Also this week, Kate and Karyne went to IKEA. Big mistake. Huge.
Kate and Karyne answer some of your burning questions like is the baby sleeping. Also this week, Ari had a naming ceremony, he’s going through a growth spurt, and did the Beyonce concert happen? Listen and find out.
People feel compelled to come up and talk to you when you have a baby, and Kate and Karyne have been fielding all sorts of questions. The dogs have graduated from their training, and Ari now weighs more than 10 pounds!
Being in the hospital for 5 days is no joke. This week, Kate and Karyne spill the dirt on what happened on days 3-5 after baby Ari was born. Also, Gayest Show on Birth will be released biweekly from now on, until further notice!
Kate and Karyne are back for real this time! This week on the show, they talk about the millions of things that happened during their extended hospital stay leading up to when baby Ari was born.
Kate and Karyne have some exciting news to share: #tinylevy was born last week! They have lots of updates to share, but will be taking a short break while they get into the groove of mom life. Check Facebook and Instagram for updates on when that will be. Check the GSoB Facebook and Instagram accounts for updates on when that will be!
Kate and Karyne had a really exciting week: The baby turned and is face down, Kate doesn’t have strep B, and most importantly, the last big project is now complete. Also this week, they had their last doula class and their fourth baby shower was a huge success.
Kate had to do a 24-hour pee test this week, which entailed a lot of pee. The baby’s room finally looks like a room a baby would want to be in, and Kate and Karyne learned a lot on their tour of the hospital.
Kate and Karyne have been getting a lot of unsolicited advice lately, but they don’t mind, especially when it comes from the sandwich lady. They also fell into an American Girl doll hole, reminisced about champagne buffet dinners at the hospital, and added a new segment to the show.
Kate is on the hunt for shoes that will fit her swollen feet, but she thinks help is on the way. The baby shower was this weekend, and they got a ton of cute baby clothes — even though it’s all blue.
This week Kate and Karyne had a baby workshop with the doulas, where they learned how to cope. With everything. Kate’s ankles are swollen and the baby is stretching, but the best news of the week? They’re moving on to Plan B of the wallpaper project.
Kind of a slow week over here at the Levy house, though Kate and Karyne found plenty to keep them busy: organizing, labeling, and washing some baby clothes. And in between, they’ve tried to influence the baby’s taste in music.
Kate and Karyne had the busiest week, but most importantly, someone called back about the wallpaper in the baby’s room. Other than that, this week was filled with meetings with the rabbi, meetings with HR about parental leave, and ultrasounds. Oh, and the baby has a new favorite song.
Kate and Karyne are feeling a little overwhelmed with all the things they have on their plate, and spent part of the weekend crying. Also in this episode: Kate gives an update on her prenatal massage, they try to break down some of the HR paperwork they need to fill out, and the dogs are (finally) in boot camp.
Kate and Karyne are back from vacation! This week they talk about placenta encapsulation, what to put in their going to the hospital bag, Care Bears, and heavy-duty dog training.
The baby has been moving around a bunch, and Karyne can finally feel him kicking. They also finally hired a doula and couldn’t be happier. Kate and Karyne are taking next week off (again — sorry!), so see you again in a few weeks!
Kate had a moment of anxiety last week but (spoiler alert) everything is fine. Meanwhile, Karyne spent her day reading about co-sleeping, and we can’t feel the baby moving too much because the placenta weighs a whopping 1.5 pounds.
Kate and Karyne circle back and chat a bit more about their fears. But thanks to Instagram’s new policy regarding uncensoring birth pictures, they can learn a little more what they’re getting into. Also, Karyne turns 40 this week.
To celebrate their 30th episode, Kate and Karyne thought they’d play 20 questions about their feelings on giving birth and parenting. They also cleaned out the linen closet and practiced their Kegels.
You know what’s really hard? Nailing down an Instagram, email, and Twitter account for a baby who hasn’t been born yet. So to make themselves feel better, Kate and Karyne did some adulting while doing retail therapy.
Kate and Karyne got some interesting news from the genetics counselor. The good news is that Karyne got to graduate from Google University School of Medicine.
Kate and Karyne didn’t clean the garage this week, but they did decide to drop some money on some inconsequential — yet very cool — nonsense: a 4D ultrasound of the baby. Next time they’ll bring 20 family members and friends.
Whether the baby is shaped like a mango a Nintendo Game Boy, or an heirloom tomato (??), Kate is feeling him move a little, which reminded Karyne of the time she was assaulted by a massage chair. They cleaned the baby’s room and the garage more, per usual. And Karyne messaged with her favorite Instagram influencer, Aydian Dowling.
This week, the baby is the size of a Nintendo controller, which is the best of all the weeks. Kate and Karyne got a surprise bill from the IVF clinic that turned out to be less money than they thought, but still. And Karyne’s mom tried to hypnotize her into saying the baby’s name. It didn’t work. Or did it?
Kate got a new pregnancy pillow and the only ones who love it more than she does are the dogs. Kate and Karyne’s friend sent them some hemorrhoid pads and other must-have post-pregnancy items, and they now have a place to put everything because they organized the garage! But the most important news of all is that the baby’s due date is on Beyonce’s birthday. You’re welcome, little Levy.
Last week, Kate challenged Karyne to help take care of the 8-month-old who was going to be at the a cappella group retreat. Karyne passed with flying colors and no babies were harmed during the challenge. Also, they got Beyonce tickets.
Kate and Karyne share the things they’re most excited for and scared about when it comes to having a kid. Karyne signed up to get a free baby box for the baby to sleep in and is looking for some parenting books to start reading. In the meantime, Kate challenged her to find a kid and change a diaper or two.
Kate and Karyne are finally in the second trimester! That means, more energy and the baby is the size of a peach. Or something. Also this week: Kate made the 20-week anatomy scan appointment, but not without some shenanigans, and there’s really nothing better than buying gear. A lot of gear.
We made it to episode 20! Nobody showed up for the nap party, but that’s fine. This week Karyne and Kate talk about their budget (again), maternity jeans, and the many bodily functions that occur when you’re pregnant.
Kate and Karyne got a king-size bed and it’s the best thing that ever happened to them. No really. The first OB appointment went really well, and they got to see the little alien who’s one day going to be a roommate who never leaves.
This week Kate and Karyne bought a heartbeat monitor to alleviate some stress, which will make the 20th episode nap party that much better. Kate explains to Karyne the many ways in which a doula can help. And Karyne learned the hard way that not all are welcome at exclusive country clubs.
This week Kate and Karyne take a deep dive into all the Bay Area treats they love, and Kate’s grandma offers a great suggestion for how to spice up those hospital ice chips. The IVF clinic has delivered the news they’ve been waiting for. So Karyne will celebrate by taking a nap. But the best news of all? Karyne finally gets to share her love of her favorite budgeting app with you all. You're welcome. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate is still feeling that this whole baby thing is a little surreal, so to make it feel more real, she went on a Target app shopping spree. Did $100 worth of baby clothes do the trick? This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate and Karyne are back from their Hawaiian vacation and they’re feeling refreshed and a little punchy. This week they had a pretty major appointment with their RE; Kaiser made a pretty major flub on the phone; and Kate and Karyne dissect the many wonders of being an auntie. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate and Karyne welcome their good friends Cristal and Shimina on the show this week to discuss building a community, different family units, and contacting the sperm donor when the child turns 18. Oh and they did all this while drinking, because they’re on vacation in Hawaii to celebrate Karyne and Cristal’s 40th birthday! Aloha! (We will be taking a break next week and will be back on January 23.) This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate and Karyne ring in the new year with some beta test results, after having peed on so many sticks. But the worst part about the beta test, is that it’s the first of many milestones on the long road to getting pregnant. There’s so much more waiting to be done! This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
The one-week wait is almost over, and Kate and Karyne couldn’t be happier, even though they’ve found plenty to do to keep them busy. Kate is experiencing some symptoms — and so is Karyne (obviously) — that could mean something or nothing or both. Did they end up doing the at-home pregnancy test? Listen to find out. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate’s transfer went perfectly, according to the nurse, embryologist, and physician, and Kate and Karyne are now a week away from finding the results. That is, of course, if they don’t break down and take the pee on a stick test on Christmas. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Kate’s lining is finally up to snuff and the transfer is scheduled for this week! Kate and Karyne also found the perfect analogy to describe what happens in the uterus as it preps for a baby. Nobody is surprised that the analogy has to do with food. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
This week, Kate and Karyne hold a gender studies course with each other, diving deep into the psychology of gender reveal parties and Kate’s dashed dreams of having a gender neutral child. Oh, and their dog Henry makes an (uninvited) guest appearance. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and Kate and Karyne are still playing the waiting game. But in a surprising turn of events, they got the PGS test results back earlier than they thought they would. It’s a Thanksgiving miracle! This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
After a week of waiting, Kate and Karyne now have another 2 weeks of waiting. But that’s OK! It’ll prep them for the waiting and waiting they’ll have to do later on in this process. Also this week, they discuss what the egg retrieval process really entailed and offer an update on the status of their embryos. This episode is sponsored by Episona. Visit www.episona.com and enter the code birth10 to save 10% off your purchase of an Episona Test.
This week Kate and Karyne decided that the needles at the fertility clinic weren’t enough, so they made acupuncture appointments. They also celebrated Karyne’s grand finale by doing her egg retrieval! But the real exciting news? Someone actually entered Karyne’s contest. Swag is on the way!