Bun in the Oven: Jennifer’s Journey with Infertility

When Jennifer was 18 years old she found out her ovaries did not fully develop. Thoughts of having a family of her own one day felt very uncertain.

“I was really upset because I had always dreamed of having a family.”

Jennifer continued to see Dr. Alice Rhoton-Vlasak for her care and knew that when the time was right she would visit her and UF Health Reproductive Medicine to help her start a family. When she married her husband in 2014, they went to see Dr. Rhoton-Vlasak shortly after.

“I felt like it’d be a perfect fit because I trusted her.”

Because of Jennifer’s condition, she would need an egg donor. After the first donor backed out, the second egg donor confirmed and 9 months later in 2015, Jennifer and her husband welcomed their son Carson into the world.

“He’s perfect, I couldn’t ask for anyone better!”

The only thing Jennifer struggled with was how she would tell Carson about the unconventional way he was brought into the world. She searched the internet for books and articles explaining the process in any easy to understand way for children. She found nothing.

Instead of resigning to the lack of resources, Jennifer decided to take matters into her own hands and create a book herself, to help Carson and other families who went through a similar situation.

“I’m really trying to help other families, since there’s a little stigma surrounding this process and it’s really something we shouldn’t be ashamed of.”

Jennifer brought her love of cooking into the book and used the analogy of baking to explain the process to Carson. Her book “Bun in the oven: special delivery” is now published to help families, just like hers.