012: Ditch the Fairy Tale - Breaking Motherhood Bias

DITCH the Fairy Tales! You know, the ones about Prince Charming, Happily Ever After, and the big "happy family".  Today, we're talking about big, bold and important issues with Cheri Bergeron - author, speaker, coach, and founder of the nonprofit Cheri’s Choice.After a successful career in tech and entrepreneurship, Cheri faced a truth too many women discover too late: traditional timelines and fairy tales don’t always line up with biology. Her journey to motherhood wasn’t linear. IVF, child loss, foster parenting, and a custody battle that challenged outdated laws all shaped the path that led her to becoming a single mother by choice.Now, she’s helping other women weigh their options and create families on their own terms.Articles:  https://www.inspiringlivesmagazine.com/health-wellness/fertility-after-40-how-i-beat-the-odds-to-create-the-family-of-my-dreams/https://www.inspiringlivesmagazine.com/health-wellness/fertility-after-40-how-i-beat-the-odds-to-create-the-family-of-my-dreams/You can purchase her book at https://amzn.to/4k7VNqEOr download the Introduction for free at www.cheribergeron.com/bookAbout CheriCheri Bergeron is an author, blogger, public speaker, trained life coach, and founder of the nonprofit Cheri’s Choice, guiding women through alternative paths to motherhood.Following a successful career in IT, Cheri now helps single women weigh their options, navigate fertility challenges, and build families on their own terms. Her personal fertility journey included becoming a mother without a partner through IVF treatments and donor conception. She won a landmark Texas custody battle (Bergeron v. Saunders) that challenged outdated legislation concerning families formed through assisted reproduction.In her memoir Mission: Motherhood, Cheri shares her experiences with relationships, workplace challenges, child loss, infant prematurity, and choosing motherhood after 40. She details her struggles with IVF and the realities of “geriatric pregnancy.”Her nonprofit, Cheri’s Choice, provides education, counseling, and community support for women seeking non-traditional paths to motherhood.  Her mantra?  If the glass slipper doesn’t fit, screw the fairy tale!  Become a mother on your terms.Today, from her home in Austin, Texas, she empowers women to reject limiting fairy tales and boldly chart their own paths to motherhood — even without a Prince Charming.Connect with Cheri:www.cheribergeron.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cheribergeronhttps://www.facebook.com/missionmotherhood/https://instagram.com/screwthefairytaleAuthor website:  http://www.cheribergeron.com/Nonprofit website:  http://www.cherischoice.com/Legal battle:  http://www.bergeronvsaunders.com/Exposing the Hidden Reality is a weekly gathering for women who are ready to get real, ask better questions, and push back against the biases and barriers that shape our lives, work, and leadership. Here, we: ✨ Dive into bold conversations with brilliant women ✨ Spotlight untold stories and truths ✨ Challenge hidden systems and social norms ✨ Share practical insights—with a side of sass and sisterhood Have you lived through something that exposed hidden biases, reshaped how you lead, or changed the way you see yourself and the world? Women and allies who are ready to speak truth, to name what's been silenced, and to spark change through authentic conversation are always invited to join us so we can hear your story. This is a platform for our collective and individual voices;  where your voice matters and your experience can light the way for others navigating similar terrain. Click Here to ApplyConnect with Exposing the Hidden Reality:https://exposingthehiddenreality.comLinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/exposingthehiddenrealityFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/exposingthehiddenrealityInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/exposingthehiddenrealityConnect with Annette Garsteck:https://www.annettegarsteck.comConnect with Sandra Wint:https://www.me-her-us.comPhotography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations