What’s a good support system, and why is it important for surrogates? — Colorado Surrogacy

With any major decision in life, and especially with pregnancy, it helps a lot to have a good support system around you. To be a gestational carrier, you have to have your own children, so you know how stressful it can be sometimes as a pregnant woman. With surrogacy, you add more relationships, personalities, and variables as you carry a child for the Intended Parents. Having people to support you, help or even just listen will help in the surrogacy process. Who can you reach out to for support?

You should always have a core supporter(s), this person is meant to share the journey with you. They are meant to provide physical, emotional, or mental support throughout the process – one person does not have to provide all of these things, but they are all important! This person is reliable and committed to any task or step for you if necessary. This could be a wife, partner, mother, sister, or friend.

While your primary support person is important, and can be several people, having additional supportive friends and family is an added bonus. These are the people you can lean on when needed and support you in the surrogacy process. Being pregnant can be hard and having people to help with food, your kids, or anything else you may need is important. Even knowing who you will use for childcare during screening or transition, if necessary, is important. Many times, you may need childcare for some appointments, depending on the age of the children, and during/after the birth. You want to plan for the unexpected and having a lot of people to help in times of need can make you less stressed.

Last, but not least, is your agency. Agency staff, especially your case manager, can help, can be there for you. If nothing else, they can listen or talk about what to do next. Many agencies have support groups or have allowances for psychological support. You should take advantage of those resources, not only from the surrogacy community, but from professionals who know the surrogacy industry. They can be great resources, especially when navigating the emotional and mental side of the surrogacy journey.

Here are some of the times to think about when having that support system can be particularly helpful: The day of the medical screening, depending on whether you have to travel and/or if your partner needs to attend. Tracking appointments before transfer. The actual day of the move, which may include significant travel. Follow up appointments after transfer. OB appointments especially those with ultrasounds. And, of course, the birth! These are just a few examples.

It is important for you to be as stress-free and comfortable as possible during this process and a network of good friends, family members, and other supportive people to lean on is essential.

Have more questions about the surrogacy process? Thought about becoming a gestational surrogate? We want to talk to you! Fill out our intake today and our intake coordinator will call you. Are you ready to be a surrogate?