Category: Intended Parenthood

Personal Development Guide for Surrogate Mothers

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Developing your personal well being may be a daunting task to begin with as a surrogate mother. The reason behind this is because the psyche has a number of elements which makes it even harder to pinpoint where exactly to start. This guide was developed to direct you in the path that will enrich your personal development goals as a surrogate mother.

For starters, adopt a positive mindset. This will keep you focused on the more important things in life and let go of negative feelings or experiences that you can no longer change. Thinking positive helps you move forward, to not focus on what you may have lost, but look at what is to come in life. It also helps to be surrounded by positive, happy people in your life.

As a surrogate mother, make friends with those who are positive-minded and give happiness in your life. They’ll help you stay on track by being good role models and will help you balance out any negativity that you may get from people who aren’t as supportive of your self-improvement objectives.

Another great tip is to stay calm and collected. Don’t over think and complicate things. Approach problems as an opportunity to grow and reward yourself in your personal achievements. Do not focus on what you may have lost, but look at what is to come in life.

Being humble is a great trait that will boost your personal growth. Considering the worth and feelings of others shows great maturity and helps you to become a better and happier individual.

Stay busy and active, but know when to take breaks. Taking regular breaks is beneficial as it gives you the chance to recharge your brain, thus getting you more work done in the long run. Exercising also helps as it releases good chemicals into the system that will keep your spirits up.

Last but not the least, keep a journal with you. As a surrogate mother, keeping a journal is therapeutic and is the perfect medium to take note of changes and feelings. Pack some paper with you when you go out. Write down your ideas in detail, and then review it at a later time when you can add more on the topic.

Tips for Gestational Carriers

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From boosting your mood to minimizing your risk for various health issues, choosing the right kind of food has plenty of benefits. This article shares some pointers on how you can improve your health as a result of the food that you eat while being a gestational carrier.

Building healthy eating habits are vital to a sustainable plan for healthy nutrition not just for you as a gestational carrier, but also for the child that you are carrying. The general advantages of a healthy and balanced diet, depends entirely on whether or not you can stick to it. Diet modifications that are simple to accept are more suitable over unreasonable alterations that you, as a gestational carrier, will struggle with.

When looking into your nutrition as a gestational carrier, be wary of foods that may seem healthy but end up being quite the opposite. There can be a great deal of fats and sodium in supposedly healthy looking snacks. Smoothies for instance, may end up having a lot of calories from fats and sugar depending on the ingredients they used. You are, after all, eating for two so it is critical for you to be mindful with what you put in your body.

As a gestational carrier, you must pay attention to the labels at the back of the food that you obtain in the grocery store. Take the time to review the nutritional values on the packages before you make your purchase. Doing so will enable you to make informed decisions on your food choices.

One of the top things you can do to provide effective nutrition as a gestational carrier is to include a good multi-vitamin in your routine regimen. This will be more or less, provided for you by the soon to be parents and recommended by your health provider. A good multi-vitamin for a gestational carrier should be balanced and suggested by your physician’s recommendations for you, not the RDA. These multivitamins provide your body with the vital levels of diverse minerals and vitamins that you might not be getting in your diet. This will act as a dietary supplement and will also aid in the development of the baby that you are carrying.

When taking into consideration your nutrition as a gestational carrier, it is necessary to keep the soon to be parents involved throughout the whole process. This will make them feel enthusiastic and bring about a sense of belongingness and importance. Bring them to the market with you and have them help you pick out foods that they like and that are healthy for you and the baby.

As a gestational carrier, make sure to mix protein and carbohydrates when you sit down to eat. You’ll still get energy from the carbohydrates, but the protein will keep you full. Eating a mix of the two will keep your blood sugar sound and keep your cravings in check.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to keep your health in check. This will yield a lot of benefits that both you and the baby you are carrying will enjoy.

Major Concerns about Surrogacy

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In some states, this procedure is actually legal. Like for example in California, there is already an established legislation that makes it possible for heterosexual and homosexual couples to have their own child. Despite the increasing popularity this procedure has gained, there are still a lot of individuals who are not well versed with this process.

Exactly what is this process?

Surrogacy is the answer for couples who cannot conceive their own child. It involves an agreement with another woman (surrogate) to carry the pregnancy for intended parents.

Is there an association between the surrogate and the infant?

There are basically two kinds: Gestational and Traditional. Gestational Surrogacy results from IVF or In Vitro Fertilization. In this process, the egg is fertilized by the sperm outside the body and the resulting baby becomes genetically unrelated to the surrogate mother. Meanwhile, Traditional Surrogacy involves the surrogate as a carrier may it be impregnated naturally or artificially wherein the resulting baby has a genetic link to the surrogate.

Are there cases that a surrogate claims the child?

Prior to the surrogate’s selection, a set of examinations is conducted to determine if the surrogate is physically and emotionally worthy of supporting the whole process. For the safety of all parties, legal papers are authorized and signed.

Exactly what is actually the expense for surrogacy?

Surrogacy is costly. The expense accounts for the Surrogate’s compensation, medical costs and medications, just to name a few. This is where research and comparison of varying fees from different agencies come in handy. There is also financing made available to intended parents to alleviate the financial pain involved in this process.

Is this procedure legal?

The answer to this question is both yes and no, depending on which state you are in. As mentioned above, surrogacy is legal in California. Other similar states would be Illinois and Oregon. New Jersey and New York, on the other hand, have different views on the process.

Surrogate Compensation

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Surrogate Compensation

When one decides to become a surrogate, the payment is hardly the main priority. Surrogates selflessly give up their time and go through a lot of changes for them to help someone start a family. This goes without saying that being a surrogate mother can be very difficult, physically and emotionally.

A number of individuals know that surrogacy is more than just about getting paid at the end of the process. Surrogates in this regard, should still be compensated fairly for their sacrifice.

Becoming a surrogate is like taking on a full time employment, therefore, intended moms and dads commonly recompense the surrogate with a cash fee, which is actually determined in a contract prior to pregnancy. There is also coverage for paying off miscellaneous or other costs on top of expenses relating to the surrogate’s health care costs.

The average cost that a surrogate with no experience may get ranges from $25,000 to $35,000. On the other hand, a surrogate veteran will receive a much higher compensation. In addition, a surrogate mommy’s health care expenditures are already taken care of by the intended parents. This includes visits to the ob gyn, as well as any other added medical appointments or procedures related to the surrogate’s standard health and wellness.

Surrogate Compensation: Charges for Surrogacy Service

Surrogacy expenses vary from agency to agency. The application fees for the intended parents often work upwards of around $500; legal expenditures, on the other hand, usually arrive at $15,000. These expenses do not go straight to the surrogate mom, these funds are meant to cover both the surrogate and intended couple’s financial security.

Surrogate Compensation: Various other Expenditures

As gone over, a surrogate mom’s clinical expenditures are already paid by the parents who enlisted the help of the surrogate. This covers mostly appointments with the doctor and other related medical fees to ensure the surrogate and the baby’s well being. There is also a provision for the surrogate’s interest that also directly affects her interest. An example of this would be if a surrogate mom is forced out or evicted from her property. Whatever money left unused will go back to the intended parents after the baby is born.

Understanding Surrogacy in Ohio

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Thinking of how much it costs to build a family via surrogate is not a bad start in your dream of becoming a parent. What is important to consider is your financial obligation to your surrogate and schedule of payment throughout the course of pregnancy and, at times, post pregnancy.

The legality of surrogacy in this country is still an on-going discussion. What adds spark in the debate is the fact that the laws vary per state. Given this complication, it is imperative for anyone interested in going through this process, may it be the intended parent or surrogate mother, to study the laws regulating surrogacy in all states.

The Key Factors of Surrogacy Agreements

You will need to employ the services of an experienced legal representative to protect your interests. They will need all the inputs coming from you and the surrogate to better understand the circumstances surrounding the process. Partner with this kind of expert to know the nitty gritty details of the contract or agreement that you will have with your surrogate. It is also important to hire independent lawyers for you and the surrogate.

The list seen below will be of great help to cover the basics of the said agreement.

1. Name of parties involved: husband, wife as well as the woman acting as the surrogate.
2. Should be of legal age.
3. Number of attempts or tries.
4. The process of getting pregnant, like “no sexual intercourse.
5. Agreement to never attempt to discontinue pregnancy.
6. A declaration that the mother is unable to conceive or sustain pregnancy.
7. Statements of extensive clinical and mental state of the surrogate as agreed.
8. Health plan for all concerned, including the embryo.
9. Procedures including the positioning of embryo.
10. Monitoring of surrogate’s activities as well as medication taken.
11. Discussion and agreement on regular prenatal health care.
12. Regulation on the surrogate’s activities that may be seen as dangerous to the pregnancy as well as the birth procedure.
13. Surrogate’s parental rights.
14. The presence of the couple throughout childbirth.
15. Legal or Physical custody of the couple and surrogate once the child is born.
16. Financial terms in the course of pregnancy and post pregnancy.
17. Confidentiality terms.

This checklist will ensure that you have the basics covered. It is, however, ideal to look out for other conditions that will better prepare you for potential issues in the future.

Surrogate’s Compensation

Understanding what your financial obligations are to your surrogate is essential in this whole process. This is actually the first of many to tackle when opting for the said service. Whatever compensation is due for a gestational or even traditional surrogate, it is important to establish the fact that they are not an employee. The employee- employer connection still stands even if the surrogate offers the service for free.

Traditional or Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational Surrogacy is different from Traditional surrogacy since the surrogate carries the pregnancy and gives birth from an already fertilized egg or embryo. In this scenario, there will be no hereditary link in between the surrogate as well as the child. Traditional Surrogacy entails artificial insemination or even IVF by merging the surrogate’s eggs with the semen of the benefactor. In this instance, the woman acting as the surrogate possesses a hereditary link to the child, which can be high-risk.

Lawful Issues Post-Birth Adoption

Several states make it possible for the name of the mother and father to appear on the child’s legal birthing documents. In other states, the surrogate’s name is the one put on the birth certificate, which may be changed later when the order for the intended parent comes and gets listed.

Some states permit pre-birth sequence under specific conditions. At the end of the day what is very important is to understand as well as know the rules of each state.

How To Select A Gestational Surrogate in Ohio

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For most couples, starting a family is as easy as 1-2-3; but, for some, they may opt to choose a gestational surrogate or a surrogate carrier. How does a couple select a gestational surrogate?

A gestational surrogate is defined as a woman bearing the child for another couple or single parent who wishes to have a child; but can not bear to go through the process of a normal pregnancy. However, choosing a gestational surrogate has a course that usually has to be followed. Still, it is always a good idea to consult with your own preferred doctor.

Choosing the Right Agency for You

A couple or single parent usually has an ideal surrogate carrier in mind. Before this, the first step would have to be choosing the right agency for you. There are many agencies that offer this service so always choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. Always remember that this will be the agency that you will have to work alongside with for the next 12 to 24 months. Do your research; make sure that the agency is well established. Read feedbacks from other couples or single parents who have already used the reason and the service why these couples or single parents chose them in the first place? It is always best to trust your gut instincts.

Selecting A Gestational Surrogate

After choosing the agency to work with, finding the right candidate for the gestational surrogate is the next step. It is always best to consult with your OB/Gyne or reproductive endocrinologist regarding the medical history of the GS that you plan to work with.

The Ideal Gestational Surrogate

The gestational surrogate should ideally be drug and disease-free during the post-natal and pre-natal stages, and between the ages of 21 to 40 years old. Prior pregnancy that involves the delivery of twins should also be taken into consideration. A deeper understanding for the ideal GS would best be discussed with your physician. Some couples or single parents may opt to choose a relative for the purpose of keeping things within the family genes. If you or your partner chooses to go through in vitro fertilization, make sure to choose your preferred Reproductive Endocrinologist.
In Conclusion

The process of finding the right gestational surrogate may take some time. Remember that using the service of a GS is not for everyone; there will be a lot of emotions that will run through your mind.

A gestational surrogate is defined as a woman bearing the child for another couple or single parent who wishes to have a child; but can not bear to go through the process of a normal pregnancy. Choosing a gestational surrogate has a course that usually has to be followed. After choosing the agency to work with, finding the right candidate for the gestational surrogate is the next step. The gestational surrogate should ideally be drug and disease-free during the pre-natal and post-natal stages, and between the ages of 21 to 40 years old. The process of finding the right gestational surrogate may take some time.

Communicating with your gestational surrogate.

Intended Parents 101: Communicating with Your Gestational Surrogate

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Communicating with your gestational surrogate during the surrogacy journey is very important to its success. The surrogate agency you work with will make sure that all of your preferences are met in finding an ideal gestational surrogate to assist you. The degree of communication and relationship you want with a gestational surrogate will really depend on you and your partner’s preferences. So it is very important to be truthful with your agency when disclosing this information.

After you have disclosed your personal preferences on the type of relationship and communication you want with a gestational surrogate, your surrogate agency will match you with a gestational surrogate who shares the same preferences with you and your partner. If you would like to keep your relationship with your gestational surrogate on a more personal level – meaning you want to have a close working relationship with open communication – your surrogate agency will find you a gestational surrogate who wants the same type of relationship.

If you prefer a more “business like” relationship with your gestational surrogate, your agency will pair you up with a suitable gestational surrogate who shares the same preferences. In this scenario, your agency will be doing most of the communicating with your gestational surrogate and will be informing you of any doctor’s appointments or checkups that you may want to attend with your gestational surrogate.

Communicating with your gestational surrogate is now easier than ever thanks to the services of a reliable surrogate agency. Remember, a good surrogate agency should be able to provide excellent services and support all throughout your surrogacy journey. They should be able to assist you in any way possible to make the journey a lot easier and more stress free for you and your partner.

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Communicating with your gestational surrogate.

Surrogates in Ohio and Their Relationship with the Intended Parents

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Surrogates in Ohio and their rapport with the intended parents is exclusively unique in its own way. Mounting a rich understanding of your expectations of the relationship and allocating those specifics with your surrogacy agency and each other is important.

The prime areas to focus discussions about your surrogate relationship concerns are regularity of communication, types of communication, and the overall tone of your personal relationship. This relationship can be reflected many different ways or you may indicate that you do not wish to have a relationship. Every intended parent’s approach will be different, as will that of the surrogates in Ohio.

Relationships evolve and change over time. Being aware of this creates a balance with your surrogate mother, enabling a healthy relationship to develop and grow.

Surrogates in Ohio must have a balance of communication between themselves and intended parents. It can be a delicate process involving each of you. Determining the amount of communication and gaining an insight into the surrogate’s expectations should be carefully considered. Some intended parents like high levels of interaction, regular updates via e-mail or phone, and the expectancy of attending the doctor appointments.

It is extremely essential to some intended parents to be included in the pregnancy. Similarly, some surrogates in Ohio also desire this close bond with their intended parents and may be disappointed if the intended parents choose not to engage in regular contact throughout the journey and beyond. Many choose to have a life-long friendship even after the birth.

A small percentage of intended parents and surrogates in Ohio feel compelled to have a small dose of contact such as quick updates and texts or phone conversation. Before entering into a surrogacy agreement together, it is important that several discussions take place as to the desirable amount of communication that will take place throughout the pregnancy and beyond.

It is important to talk with your partner about what type of relationship you would like to have with your surrogate before, during and after pregnancy. There are so many advantages and disadvantages to both options. The final decision ultimately rests on your shoulders and your personal preferences.

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Gay Intended Parents 101: Simple Ways to Bond with Your Newborn

Intended Parents 101: Simple Ways to Bond with Your Newborn

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One of the major fears gay parents face is whether they will bond or connect with their newborn, but most intended parents don’t realize that this is a very common worry amongst all types of parents. Here are some helpful tips and ideas to help gay parents bond with their newborn baby:

  • Before your newborn arrives, it is best to join a support group or a network with other gay parents that have tried surrogacy. The more you are able to talk through your fears, learn suggestions and hear stories from other parents, the more you will be prepared and have reasonable expectations of the initial months with your newborn. Reading books on parenting and watching DVDs or TV programs will help you feel ready when your newborn is placed in your arms.
  • Once your newborn arrives, it is best to focus on nurturing and meeting the baby’s needs. This is one of the main ways that parents and children bond to each other. You and your partner need to pay close attention to the nurturing tasks you are doing for your newborn, like feeding, changing, dressing and holding. By coming to your child when called and when you are needed, you will build trust and a feeling of safety which is at the basis of bonding. Responding to your baby’s cries or perceived “neediness” with consistency, love, and gentleness will let them slowly know that you are the parent and you can be depended on. For babies, dependency is a good thing.
  • Talk to your newborn. Language is a key element of connection and will help your baby in his development. Even with a newborn, it is important to talk and sing and coo and use your voice to share information and emotion. You can talk while you are doing care-taking tasks, talk about what you’re doing, and talk while you’re taking a walk. Even though you may think your child doesn’t understand you, you are conveying attachment and sharing information when you talk to him or her.
  • Play. Play is one of the joys of both parenthood and childhood. Before you know it, your newborn will be in the terrible teens and you will miss the days when you were his or her favorite playmate. For infants and babies, traditional games like peek-a-boo and singing games are wonderful ways to interact and bond, as well as teach your baby.
  • Touch. This may seem like a no-brainer, but touch is a key element in attachment and bonding. With an infant or baby, you will be holding your child to feed, rock, and comfort. A thousand words of comfort and security can easily be conveyed to your newborn through touch.

These are just some of the simple ways gay parents can bond with their newborn. By learning all the important skills new parents need to care and nurture for their child, you can easily build a lasting bond with your newborn baby.

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7 Critical Personality Traits A Surrogate Should Possess

7 Critical Personality Traits A Surrogate Should Possess

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As intended parents, you want to find the best surrogate mother for your surrogacy needs. Due to the growing number of people experiencing infertility in the United States, surrogacy has become more widely recognized, and more women today understand the concept of surrogacy and want to help others by choosing to be a surrogate. But with the increasing number of surrogates, it gets difficult to choose the right one for you. To help you get started on this wonderful surrogacy journey, here are a few characteristics you need to look for in a surrogate mother:

  • Honesty. Intended parents need to be able to trust their surrogate completely. A surrogate mother should be honest with the intended parents that chose her to work with them. All questions intended parents might have should be answered truthfully. Honesty is the most important part in any surrogacy relationship and greatly helps with its success.
  • Reliable. A good surrogate should be reliable with the intended parents. The surrogate mother should always make herself available for her intended parents or surrogate agency. Since the surrogate plays an important role, intended parents need to know that they can depend on their surrogate. To be a surrogate means being both reliable as well as professional.
  • Healthy. A good surrogate mother should not just be healthy enough to carry a child to term. She should have a good medical history meaning she has no chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In order to be a surrogate, she should have a good mental history meaning she has no history of mental illnesses such as depression, chronic anxiety and bipolar disorder. She should also maintain a healthy lifestyle by not smoking, drinking or using drugs.
  • Good Communicator. Surrogate mothers should be very vocal when communicating with all involved parties including intended parents, the surrogate agency and the medical personnel. She should provide regular medical updates to the surrogate agency and to the intended parents. She should also alert them if she has concerns about her health or the status of her pregnancy. The surrogate should be able to respond honestly and promptly to both the surrogate agency and the intended parents during the process of surrogacy.
  • Intelligent. A surrogate should be smart enough to understand all the processes involved with surrogacy. She should be able to comprehend all the important legal aspects like the surrogacy contract and relinquishing of all her legal rights to the child. She should also be smart enough to understand all the medical procedures that she will undergo and follow the medical instructions precisely rather than making her own decisions. An intelligent surrogate knows all her responsibilities and understands the gravity of what she will be doing for the intended parents.
  • Nurturing. A good surrogate mother should be nurturing, which means choosing what is best for the baby over what she may want to do. Since the surrogate mother will be carrying the intended parent’s child she should give it the same care as they would during the pregnancy. She should know how to take care of herself and the child she is carrying for the intended parents. A nurturing surrogate mother should be eating healthy, getting enough sleep and making choices that are best for the baby.
  • Responsible. A good surrogate mother should be responsible in her actions. She should follow through with instructions that she is given and be able to complete any tasks that are assigned to her by the intended parents, the surrogate agency or the doctor’s office. A responsible surrogate does what she is told without needing to be reminded. She should act responsibly in informing everyone involved if she has medical concerns.

Knowing for yourself these 7 important characteristics to look for in a surrogate will greatly increase your chance for a successful surrogacy journey. To be a surrogate mother, they should be professional and have the integrity that is embodied by these 7 characteristics. It is vital to identify them in a potential candidate prior to selecting her as your surrogate. A surrogate who possesses these qualities will not only give the intended parents a healthy baby but also a wonderful surrogacy journey.

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