S8E4 Solo Parenting Two Kids After 40, With SMBC Randi Maves

The Single Greatest Choice: For Single Women Exploring Solo Motherhood by Choice (SMBC), Fertility, and Having a Baby on Their Own Through Donor Conception or Adoption

Solo parenting one child is a big job. Add a second baby to the mix, and do it all without a co-parent, and everything shifts.

In this episode, I’m joined by Randi Maves, a solo mom by choice to two boys, four years apart. Randi wouldn’t trade this life for anything, but she’s honest about how intense it can be juggling two different stages of parenting on her own.

From navigating daycare drop-offs and picky eaters to handling preschooler meltdowns while sleep-training a newborn, Randi gets honest about what the daily juggle really looks like. She talks about the tools and support systems that are saving her sanity right now, including her decision to hire an au pair, and the emotional process of adjusting to life as a solo mom of two.

We’re also diving into Randi’s fertility journey with IVF at 40+, including the heartbreak of getting no viable embryos, the decision to transfer her one mosaic embryo, and the deep trust it took to move forward.

If you’re thinking about having a second child as an SMBC, already in the thick of solo motherhood, or just wondering what this path can look like, Randi’s story is a beautiful mix of honesty, resilience, and real-life logistics.

In this episode on solo parenting two kids after 40, we talk about:

• How her mom’s diagnosis sparked her decision to become a mom
• What it was like to move across the country with a baby in tow
• What shifted her perspective on having a second child solo
• The highs and lows of IVF as a single woman in her 40s
• What it’s really like to solo parent two kids in different phases of life
• Her approach to building a support team, including daycare and live-in help
• The emotional weight of parenting without a partner, and why acknowledgment matters
• Her mindset around letting “future Randi” handle “future problems”

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• HBO Documentary First Comes Love (2013)
• Facebook group ‘My Perfect Mosaic Embryo’

🏝️ Interested in the Aug 27-31 Family Trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico? Join one of these info sessions to get all the details!

👩‍👧‍👦The Single Greatest Choice is the single mother by choice resource you’ve been craving for every stage of your SMBC journey. You can find 1:1 Coaching for every stage of solo motherhood by choice, Community Groups for thinkers, triers, and pregnant SMBCs, The SGC The SGC Village Membership Community, Retreats for early stage SMBCs and Family Trips for moms & kids.

Reach out to Katie over at [email protected]