Surrogacy is a generous and selfless act. Women choose to become surrogates because they want to give the gift of life to another family and, of course, because they want to enjoy the experience and be the best surrogate they can be! You have decided to give a priceless gift to those who cannot start a family on their own. However, this process does not come without some challenges. Even though every surrogacy journey is different, here are six things to keep in mind when becoming a surrogate.
1. Educate Yourself
Educating yourself is one of the most important phases for having a positive surrogacy journey. When you decide to become a surrogate, many aspects need to be taken into consideration. The first step is to learn as much as possible about the process to be ready for what is to come. In this early stage of the process, it may be wise to speak to a counselor to ensure you are ready to cope with the challenges related to the surrogacy process.
2. Take Good Care of Yourself
A healthy surrogate equals a healthy baby, so taking care of yourself while pregnant is vital to have a successful surrogacy journey. There are many resources online where you can find advice to keep you in shape during your pregnancy. Your doctors and surrogacy specialist can also provide you with additional information and good practices that will help you during your pregnancy. Remember, your emotional well-being is as important as your physical health throughout the pregnancy. Don’t neglect it.
3. Seek Out Surrogacy Professionals
Whether you want to follow an independent surrogacy journey or work with an agency, you will need to have an attorney specializing in surrogacy. Be sure that you choose a reputable surrogacy professional. The chosen professional must be there to be a resource for information and support.
4. Maintain Open Communication with Your Intended Parents
Don’t forget that open communication is vital in a surrogacy journey. Try to keep your intended parents as involved as you are comfortable with. The more communication and moments you can share throughout the surrogacy process with your IPs, the stronger your relationship and the better the journey will be.
It depends on each relationship, but you could try to share how you feel, talk openly about the challenges you are facing (e.g., morning sickness), or provide frequent updates, to name a few examples. You could invite them to the doctor appointments. Don’t be overwhelmed. You don’t need to share everything. Only share what your comfortable sharing.
5. Document Your Journey
This journey will be life-changing for you and your intended parents. It can be worth it to document the journey for you and your family to remember it in the future. There are several options for documenting your surrogacy journey—from taking pictures during your pregnancy to capture life with your family to keeping a journal and taking notes.
6. Get Emotional Support
From getting matched with the intended parents to giving birth, the surrogacy journey can be emotionally draining. You will go through the side effects of the pregnancy while still attending your daily activities. Finding emotional support is particularly important considering that you are helping someone achieve their parenthood dream, and at the end of the journey, you’ll give the baby away. There are great surrogacy professionals out there that can help you, but you could also find a support group of surrogate mothers or even just one other surrogate to chat with. It can be helpful to share your feelings and problems with women who are or were on the same journey as you.
Wrapping Up
A big thank you for considering becoming a surrogate mother! This is probably one of the most generous acts a woman can do. Keep in mind the advice in the post to have a successful surrogacy journey! Please visit www.MySurrogateMom.com to learn more about the surrogacy process!
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