Shannon R Rios Paulsen MS LmftManifesting Baby: The Mother's 30-Day Fertility Journal

I cannot say enough good things about the book. It is phenomenal. In the first 4 days my outlook about everything TTC changed.

A hurtful and strange book/prompted journal for adoptees hoping to become a biological parent. There is NOTHING to prepare an adoptee for reading how an adoptive parent believes they can “manifest” someone else’s child and have it be “lovingly placed” in a stranger’s arms. This mere suggestion is so despicable for those of us who have been trafficked and not able to be raised by our loving families due to predatory adoption agencies and adoptive parents.I so needed a great prompted journal for our journey to conceive a child. Our story is not a hard one yet, just one with lots of preparation. As I was/am trying to get my health in order to TTC safely, I was feeling the need to journal my thoughts.Enter this book/journal.I was so excited to get it, as it seemed simple enough. I didn’t read ahead too much because I thought that would defeat the purpose of the meditations/prompts.I am an adult adoptee who is considered a ‘domestic infant adoptee’ (DIA). I have done so much emotional labor and healing surrounding my adoption with the help of professionals and a strong adoption constellation community. For this I am grateful, and I am in reunion with my birthmother.When I read more into this book and nearing the end, I became increasingly aware that the author is an adoptive parent using spirituality to inference that one can manifest ANOTHER woman’s baby into their family. This gave me so much emotional upset that it has set me back in my fertility journey and dredged up parts of me that I truly believed were healed.This book is a harmful and predatory message, full stop, wrapped in faux spirituality. The fact that it is written be a therapist that should be abreast of current adoption practices and infant- other separation is astounding to me as a school-based psychologist.

I am so glad I took the leap of faith and started this process. This journal is for healing and embracing the child that is yours to be. It helps you take a look at the journey you and your partner are on and how you can be your best self. My infertility journey has led me to see and heal so much more than I realized and I highly recommend this journey as a part of this process when it hasn't been so easy. Open mind and manifest.

I had no idea what to expect when ordering this journal. I have completed the first 5 days and love it! Each day contains an interesting prompt, and questions to respond to. I’m looking forward to continuing this journal as I prepare for motherhood.

Great for those ttc couple's.