Catalogue Baby is a graphic memoir about one woman’s efforts to conceive a baby, on her own, in her forties. 

Myriam’s journey was far from straightforward. As a single woman, in order to conceive, she needed a sperm donor. She tried anonymous sperm donors, and sperm donors she knew. Myriam went through several rounds of IUI (intrauterine insemination) as well as several rounds of IVF (in vitro fertilization). 

Myriam writes about her experience trying to conceive in such a raw and vulnerable way, but includes dark humor as a relief for the reader (it seems we have the same coping mechanism haha). As someone who has yet to try IUI or IVF, but has experienced pregnancy loss and recurrent miscarriages, this book was both relatable and filled with new knowledge for me. 

I am someone who wants to read books about pregnancy loss to feel less alone, so this book was a good fit for me. It also has a “happy” ending which is helpful, as I’m in the thick of trying to determine some next steps in my own motherhood journey (that feel overwhelming to say the least). I also recommend this memoir for anyone who is currently supporting someone going through infertility in your life. Myriam does a great job breaking down the emotions surrounding IUI and IVF as well as the guttural emotions woman face following pregnancy loss and how to navigate those as a supportive friend or family member. However, if pregnancy loss or infertility are triggers for you, I recommend skipping this graphic memoir. 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the illustrations. They brought so many of my bottled up emotions to life while reading this book. They were phenomenal.