Ep. 53 - Single Mom By Choice: Unexpected Joys Navigating Special Needs with Michele Elizaga

Join us in this episode as we explore the inspiring journey of Michele Elizaga, a Filipina American single mom by choice. Michele shares her decision to embrace motherhood on her own terms and defy societal expectations of needing to be partnered to have a baby. It started on her 40th birthday in Costa Rica where she had a pivotal conversation with a good friend that led her to consider having a child without a partner and pursue fertility options.What started as a wild idea turned into a fast-paced roller coaster as Michele navigated sperm banks, fertility tests and doctors, and then a shocking pregnancy with the odds stacked against her all in less than a year. She shares with us the unexpected joy of becoming a mother to a son with Down Syndrome and autism. Michele's story is a testament to the power of choice and destiny and highlights the challenges and triumphs of raising a child with special needs. We talk about how being supported by her community was essential to Michele's journey, and we also talk about how Michele has utilized things like therapy and medications in different seasons to support her own mental health and ADHD.We hope this episode offers hope and inspiration to anyone considering non-traditional paths to parenthood or wanting to learn more about it, as Michele exudes joy and possibility in our conversation that life as a single mom by choice to a child of a special needs is equally wondrous and amazing.Find more of Michele:Instagram: instagram.com/micheleelizagaStory: Love What MattersSend us your thoughts! Hey Healing the Tigress listeners! This is Dr. Jenny Kim from episode 45. You may remember my story about losing my baby Joey before he was 7 months old and how I grew through the grief. Last year, I wrote and created a customizable picture book called "Look to the Sky," reminding loved ones that their love lives on through every day signs. Now we are trying to make this book more accessible to the community. So from now unt Support the show✨ If you'd like to subscribe to our podcast for access to more bonus episodes, please click here for Buzzsprout Subscriptions! Once subscribed, you can use an RSS feed to listen from any of your podcast platforms. Thanks in advance for your support, as this really helps us keep the show going! ❤️ (Think of it like buying us a boba...to share! 😉🧋)