Give the Gift of Love This Holiday Season

The holidays are all about giving. The end of the year is traditionally a cultural time of building empathy, assisting the disadvantaged, and showing love to those close to you through philanthropic measures. While you’re checking off your gift list this winter, consider adding the names of a couple that wants to grow their family.

If you have children, you have experienced the desire of having biological children and were luckily able to do so. However, not all couples are as lucky. When someone cannot get pregnant through traditional measures, they have several “Alternate Reproductive Technology” or ART options. ART encompasses IVF, adoption, surrogacy, and other methods of reproduction alternate to the traditional way.

If you enjoyed being pregnant and had an uncomplicated pregnancy, then surrogacy may be an excellent choice for your future!

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is an AFP (Alternate Family Planning) method. The process of surrogacy has legal, medical, and interpersonal components. For each step of the process, there are many regulations and rules, which is why it’s often best to go with a surrogacy agency like Simple Surrogacy. They are familiar with all the processes involved and can guide you through successfully.

In the United States, gestational surrogacy is the most common form of surrogacy. Gestational surrogates are not related to the baby at all, unless they choose to carry for a relative. The ova will come from either the Intended Mother or an Egg Donor, and the sperm will come from the Intended Father or a sperm donor. In these cases, you are more of a babysitter for the child until they are ready to be born. 

Matching is the start of your surrogacy journey, where you go on a series of “first dates” with Intended Parents to see if you are a good fit. As a surrogate with Simple Surrogacy, you have full control over who you work with. The relationship between Intended Parents and their Surrogate tends to be very close, so Simple Surrogacy tries to pair people who could become family to one another.

Legally, a contract has to be in place for the baby to go home with the Intended Parents instead of the surrogate. Each party gets a reproductive lawyer that can help them with their preferences and requirements for the contract, and once negotiated the medical process can begin.

Surrogates go through a medical and psychological screening before the matching process, so by this point, you will know a surrogacy journey is possible. Most Intended Parents already have embryos ready for implantation. After a mock cycle, the doctors implant the embryo and the pregnancy process begins.

After the child is born, surrogates and Intended Parents tend to keep in contact with each other, because the bond they forge during surrogacy can’t be equated to anything else. However, this is up to individual preference.

Why Should I Do It?

There are so many great reasons to be a surrogate, which the staff at Simple Surrogacy knows because it is entirely made up of former surrogates, egg donors, and parents through surrogacy. Regardless of your motivation, there is something in it for everyone.

The biggest reason to become a surrogate is that you will help someone who wants to grow their family and has struggled with having biological children in the past. Our straight couples are often dealing with infertility and have been through a long journey trying to get pregnant. Likewise, our same-sex couples have had the cards stacked against them their entire relationship – especially when it comes to reproduction. Surrogacy is a wonderful experience for you, and it means the world to them.

Financially, you will be compensated for your time and risk as a surrogate. Simple Surrogacy compensates its surrogates the most at a base pay level and often Intended Parents have stipulations to the contract that add to your payout. While this is not always a motivating factor for people, it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Mentally, surrogates find that they know themselves better after a journey. Some even describe the feeling of helping someone this way as “addicting” and become repeat surrogates as many times as they can. Surrogates also gain a lot of self-confidence during this time, as they have proof of their own kindness and courage.

Socially, surrogates become inspirations in their communities. Most new surrogates start their first journey after being inspired by another person to jump into the process. By showing what others in your community could be doing, you pave the way for others to follow in your footsteps.

Surrogates also gain family through this process. After the child is born and the Intended Parents have started their beautiful family, they will often reach out to the same surrogate for a sibling journey or they will stay in contact, like an extended family. Even international couples take trips to see their surrogates, send letters, and communicate often after the birth of their children.

You will also join a community of extremely supportive and loving people who have been through their own surrogacy journeys and can reach out to help you feel less worried or support a feeling that you have during the pregnancy. Close-knit and kind, surrogates will welcome you with open arms.

Takeaways

If you’re looking for a way to truly give back this holiday season, surrogacy may be for you. Getting involved in the surrogacy process can help you grow as a person and feel more confident about yourself and your decisions. Bringing a child into the world is no easy feat, and Intended Parents need your help to make it happen.

If you’re interested in becoming a surrogate, reach out to Simple Surrogacy here.