Category: Surrogate Motherhood

Personal Development Guide for Surrogate Mothers

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As a surrogate mother, personal development can be a lot to take in and execute given the complexity of the human psyche. This article is developed to guide you in the right path and give you easy to apply tips that will improve your personal development goals as a surrogate.

For starters, be in the presence of positive people. They are sure to bring a lot of joy and positivity that will surely flush out any negative energy you get from people who aren’t as encouraging of your self-improvement aspirations.

Exercising is another useful tip. Not only will it keep your body fit but will make you feel good about yourself. This is beneficial for surrogate mothers who need a boost every now and then.

Take advantage of breaks. Whenever you find yourself in a rut, take a breather. It will help you see things in a better light and get your brain working again. Taking regular breaks is good because it gives you the chance to recharge your mind, so when you resume work, you’ll be able to get a whole lot more done.

Keep a journal with you so whenever thoughts hit, you can write them down.  As a surrogate mother, this is exactly a good idea as this will allow you to keep track of changes or moods that are important to you. Bring some paper with you when you go out. Write down your idea in detail, and then go back to it when you feel like it.

Last but not the least, do a self check. Ask yourself questions that will help you reassess the way you approach life and how you can do better. Look over your own past experiences. Which events had the most impact on the way you live your life? What transformations have occurred thanks to these events? Thinking deeply about these issues as a surrogate mom can bring awareness and appreciation that are essential to your personal health.

Gestational Carrier’s Nutrition Guide

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A healthy and nutritious diet can change your life for the better in so many ways, especially for a gestational carrier. From improving your mood to reducing your risk for various illnesses, choosing your food wisely has countless benefits. Here are some tips on how you can improve your health through the food that you eat while being a gestational carrier.

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

One of the best things you can do to ensure proper nutrition as a gestational carrier is to include a good multi-vitamin in your daily regimen. This will be more or less, provided for you by the soon to be parents and prescribed by your health practitioner.  A good multi-vitamin for a gestational carrier should be balanced and prescribed by your physician’s recommendations for you, not the RDA. These multivitamins provide your body with the necessary levels of various minerals and vitamins that you might not be getting in your diet. This will act as a supplement and will also aid in the development of the baby that you are carrying.

When considering your nutrition as a gestational carrier, it is important to keep the soon to be parents involved throughout the whole process. This will make them feel excited and bring about a feeling of value and importance. Take them to the store 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 stable and keep your appetite in check.

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 overall effectiveness of a healthy diet, hinges entirely on whether or not you can stick to it. Diet alterations that are easy to accept are preferable over extreme modifications that you, as a gestational carrier, will struggle with.

When considering your nutrition as a gestational carrier, be sure to watch out for foods that may appear healthy but end up being quite the opposite. There can be a lot of fats and sodium in supposedly healthy looking snacks. Smoothies for example, 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 vital for you to be careful with what you put in your body.

Surrogate Compensation

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The charges that carry out on surrogate compensation does not go straight to the surrogate mother, but go to making certain that she as well as planned moms and dads are actually defended economically.

Coming to be a surrogate is actually comparable to taking an all time task, thus desired moms and dads normally make up surrogate compensation along with a cash money expense, which is actually determined in agreement prior to maternity, as properly as settling for additional and also health care expenditures. The ordinary rate that a very first time surrogate could count on to gain is actually in variety of $25,000 to $35,000, along with surrogate experts receiving spent much higher volumes. As explained over, surrogate mother’s clinical expenditures are actually presently settled for through planned moms and dads, which features ob-gyn check-ups as well as any kind of added clinical treatment essential for surrogate’s overall health and wellness.

Surrogate Payment

When one undertakes selection to come to be a surrogate, settlement is actually often never ever a best concern. This goes without pointing out that being actually a surrogate mom can easily be actually fairly challenging both physically and psychologically.
Many folks learn that surrogacy is actually worth even more in comparison to the sacrifice that a surrogate accepts.

Surrogate Remuneration: Costs for Support Service

Surrogacy expenses contrast coming from company to company. Function expenses for desired parents normally operate upwards of around $500, while lawful costs typically get to $15,000. These charges carry out , does necessarily go straight to the surrogate mother, but they carry out go in the direction of guaranteeing that she as well as desired moms and dads are actually secured fiscally.

Surrogate Settlement: Surrogate Cost

Ending up being a surrogate is actually identical to approving an all time task, thus desired moms and dads normally recompense surrogate along with a money expense, which is actually predisposed in agreement prior to maternity, as effectively as paying off for additional expenses, as well as health care costs. An ordinary cost that a first time surrogate may anticipate to gain is actually in variety of $25,000 to $35,000, along with surrogate experts obtaining spent greater volumes.

Surrogate Compensation: Additional Expenditures

As gone over aforementioned, a surrogate mother’s health care costs are actually presently settled for through desired moms and dads, which features ob-gyn visits- to and from the clinic, and also any type of added clinical treatment essential for surrogate’s standard overall health. An instance will actually be if a surrogate mommy is actually forced out coming from her home. Backing her would certainly be accessible through desired moms and dads’ funds to sustain her residing safety and securely.

Understanding Surrogacy in Oregon

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The legality of surrogacy in the USA can be considered somewhat a hot topic for debate. It doesn’t help that its legality vary per state. For anyone who is interested to give surrogacy a shot, it is critical to know the laws per state. This is helpful for both the intended parents and surrogate to learn the basics and the legalities surrounding this procedure.

The Basic Elements of Surrogacy Agreements

A legal professional with an extensive knowledge of Surrogacy laws will play a pivotal role as the agreement is created with the woman acting as the surrogate mother. It is also ideal to have independent or separate lawyers as well.

The conditions itemized below are important and must be discussed openly with your surrogate.

1. Names of parties involved, namely, the couple and the surrogate.
2. Must be of Legal Age.
3. Number of tries or attempts.
4. The method of achieving surrogate’s pregnancy, like “no sexual intercourse.”
5. Agreement to sustain and continue the pregnancy.
6. A declaration that the mother cannot conceive a child and sustain a pregnancy.
7. Statement of extensive medical and mental condition of the surrogate, as agreed.
8. Medical insurance for all parties involved in the placement of the embryo.
9. Modern technology or practices involving the placement of the embryo.
10. Close monitoring and checking of surrogate’s activities as well as medication ingested.
11. Agreement on regular prenatal medical care.
12. Restriction on surrogate’s activities that may be considered dangerous to the pregnancy and the birthing process.
13. Parental rights of the surrogate.
14. The presence of the couple during birth.
15. Legal or physical custody of the surrogate and the couple once the child is delivered.
16. Financial considerations before, during, and after pregnancy.
17. Confidentiality terms.

The items discussed above covers much of what is needed, but it would be better to take note of other factors that will help you prepare for cases that you may not be aware of. Being one step ahead is critical at this stage to avoid having problems that will not only affect you but also the child‘s best interests.

Surrogate’s Pay

The surrogate’s compensation is considered to be one of the many challenges to expect when deciding to go for surrogacy. This answers the question on how much a surrogate gets paid for her services. Take note as well that whatever compensation a traditional or gestational surrogate gets, it is important to know that they are not an employee. Disqualification comes into play even if the surrogate does it for free, meaning, she is still not qualified under the definition of employee-employer relationship.

Gestational or Traditional Surrogacy

Traditional Surrogacy is the procedure wherein the surrogate goes through artificial insemination or IVF by mixing the surrogate’s eggs with the sperm of the donor. In this case, the surrogate has a genetic link to the child, which could be very risky because of the said genetic link.

Gestational Surrogacy on the other hand, is the procedure wherein the surrogate carries the pregnancy and delivers the child from an already fertilized embryo. The egg and sperm are from the couples who required the services of a surrogate. In this case, the surrogate serves only as a carrier for the child, and there is no genetic link involved.

Legal Matters Post-Birth Adoption

There are still a lot of legalities to check and agree upon prior to or after the child’s birth. In many states, legal courts allow the intended parent’s name directly indicated on the child’s birth certificate. In other states, the surrogate’s name is the one placed on the birth documents, which can be amended in the future when the order for the intended parent’s come and be listed.

Some states allow pre-birth order, however only under certain circumstances. The main point is to know and understand the laws of each state in terms of surrogacy.

How To Select A Gestational Surrogate in Oregon

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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. So 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. 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 single parents or other couples 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. The ideal candidate should have had at least one successful pregnancy, with no background on miscarriages, abortions, bleeding or any other medical issues that may be a risk factor. 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. A thorough medical examination must be performed on the GS so that any complications may be prevented. This will include, but not limited to: a physical examination, laboratory examinations, ultrasounds, a comprehensive medical history check, psychological examinations, and screening for any threatening diseases.

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. 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. Arm yourself with a lot of information, a full heart, and the possibility that your baby will soon be in your arms. 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. In the end, what everyone wants is someone to hold close, carry, and another human being to call their own.

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.

Ideal Organic Food Diet for Surrogate Mothers in Oregon

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During pregnancy, surrogate mothers in Oregon are eating for two. Eating a well-balanced diet not only provides your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay healthy, but provides the unborn baby with the nutrients he or she needs to grow and develop. Surrogate mothers need increased amounts of vitamins and minerals to support the health and growth of the unborn baby. Vitamin supplements are also recommended.

There are foods you should limit or avoid during pregnancy, especially foods that have been treated with pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals, but organic foods are foods that are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Meat and dairy products must not be produced using antibiotics, growth hormones, or feed composed of animal products in order to be considered organic.

Organic food is very expensive — often twice the price of the same, non-organic product. If you have a limited budget, eat only organic fruits and vegetables. The health benefits of organic meat, poultry, eggs, and milk are not clear. You can even cut corners by purchasing only certain organic fruits and vegetables that have not been exposed to large amounts of pesticide or herbicide. Traditionally, grapes, peaches, strawberries, winter squash, green beans, apples, spinach and tomatoes have high levels of pesticide. You can consume non-organic foods that have inedible peels, such as oranges, or have outer layers that can be removed, such as lettuce.

Supplement your diet with vitamins. Vitamins and minerals help you maintain good health. As a surrogate mother in *state*, your food is not only providing your body with nutrients, but also that of the unborn child. Usually a well-balanced diet provides all the vitamins and minerals you need, but surrogate mothers in Oregon often take a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid and other vital nutrients needed during pregnancy. When choosing a vitamin or vitamins, make sure it contains folic acid, iron, and Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Folic acid helps prevent nervous system disorders in the unborn child and protects mothers from cancer and stroke. Surrogate mothers in Oregon should ingest 600 mg of folic acid every day.

Eating a diet that consists of organic fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and dairy products and lean protein sources such as beans, legumes, poultry, low-fat red meat, and fish low in mercury will give your body the widest array of vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced diet also provides your body with fiber, which is necessary for intestinal health, and calcium and vitamin D, which promote bone strength for you and your baby. If you can afford it, you can switch your diet to organic foods to ensure better health and development for you and your baby.

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Surrogate Cost Insurance Questions & Answers

Surrogate Cost: The 3 Biggest Surrogacy Insurance Questions Answered

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Surrogacy is a wonderful journey that leads to the creation of families, but there are a lot of details to be worked out, and the process can be confusing. One of the biggest sources of confusion is the overall surrogate cost. The biggest factor that affects the financial aspect is the surrogacy insurance coverage. Because the surrogate insurance has such a big impact on the financial cost, it is important to understand as much as possible about how the coverage works. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about surrogacy insurance:

Question 1: What is the advantage of being covered for surrogacy over someone who has no surrogacy insurance coverage?

The intended parents face a great deal of expenses regarding the surrogacy process. They have to pay for fertility medications, the surrogate’s stipend, agency fees and legal expenses. If a surrogate already has insurance coverage for surrogacy, the intended parents would not have to purchase a separate policy for her. Because they do not have to buy an insurance policy for that surrogate, using that surrogate is more affordable for the intended parents than using a surrogate without the surrogacy insurance coverage. Because of this, the intended parents may be more inclined to choose a surrogate who already has surrogacy insurance coverage over one with no insurance coverage so that they can save money on the surrogate cost.

Question 2: Another surrogate uses the same insurance company that I do and she got paid on her claims. Since I am using the same insurance company, will my surrogacy claims get paid, too?

No, not necessarily. Insurance policies and rules change and vary from state to state, time to time, and employer to employer. It is not a good idea to assume that because you are using the same company that you have the same policy. Surrogate agencies are experienced in researching insurance benefits for surrogacy. Ask your surrogate agency for assistance with investigating your insurance benefits.

Question 4: I qualify for Medicaid. Will Medicaid cover my surrogacy?

No, not necessarily. Another common mistake surrogates make is that they make the assumption that Medicaid always covers pregnancy. Pregnancy care and surrogacy are not considered as the same thing by the insurance company. Your surrogate agency will be able to contact medicaid for you and verify your coverage for surrogacy. In all likelihood you will not be covered for surrogacy under medicaid.

These are some of the most common insurance questions frequently asked by surrogate mothers. By understanding these questions, you will get a better idea of how your insurance works and how much they will cover, if any, of the surrogate cost. As a general rule to remember, it is not wise to assume that your insurance will just cover your claims. It is better to have your surrogate agency handle surrogacy insurance concerns, because they are experts in this field. Having a surrogate agency assist you and the intended parents will help the surrogacy journey be less complicated and more stress free.

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How to Tell Your Family You Are a Surrogate

How to Tell Your Family You Are a Surrogate

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When you want to become a surrogate mother, it is not an easy task. Along with the numerous responsibilities before, during, and after the surrogacy journey, you will be left with the dilemma of letting your family, children and friends know of your decision to become a surrogate mother for others. Getting all the moral support you can from your family, children, and friends is very important for your surrogacy journey. The moral support your family can give you will help you cope with all the emotions you might feel during pregnancy.

It is important to remember that any pregnancy usually affects those people who are near and dear to you. Your immediate family should be the first ones to find out about your decision to become a surrogate mother. Your husband, parents, and children should be well educated on the surrogacy process. The best time to tell your immediate family about your decision to become a surrogate mother is when you have firmly decided on being a surrogate. Letting your immediate family know the reasons why you decided on being a surrogate will greatly help them understand your purpose and goals. Being truthful with them will help them understand and accept your decision.

Letting your children understand your situation as a surrogate will take a bit of time and patience. Remember that the reaction of your children will depend mainly on what you have told them. Explaining this sort of thing to your children will always call for sensitivity, and most importantly, the truth. You should also consider introducing the concepts and ideas of surrogacy to your children over a period of time, rather than all at once. For example, as you arrange a meeting with the intended parents, you can take the opportunity to bring up these ideas with your children. You can begin talking about families and what makes a family between television shows or after social gatherings with other children so that they can get the importance of family.

For your friends and other relatives, it is highly advisable to not let them know about your situation as a surrogate immediately. The best approach would be to let the pregnancy come up naturally in conversation. The more natural, confident, and happy you are about it, the more accepting they will be to you being a surrogate. If you are nervous and scared of their reaction, they may question your decision. Just remember that they won’t all accept or agree with your decision to become a surrogate mother and this should not affect you.

You should not fool yourself into believing that your pregnancy will not affect the people who are closest to you. It is vital for your family to be well prepared and supportive, and this is a very important aspect for your pregnancy to be a success. They need to fully understand that the baby is not going to be a member of your family. If you have children, you need to make them realize that they are not getting another brother or sister. They need to understand that you are merely providing a service for some couple who were not able to have a baby on their own. Surrogacy can be a very educational and socially expanding experience, not only for yourself and your family, but also your community.

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Should Pregnant Surrogates Eat Organic Foods?

Should Pregnant Surrogates Eat Organic Foods?

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The goal shared by all intended parents and surrogate mothers is to produce a healthy baby. To ensure that the baby develops properly, it’s very important for the surrogate to eat healthily while she is pregnant. More and more, intended parents are going a step further by asking their surrogates to eat only organic foods. While some surrogates are reluctant to do this, others are entirely willing – after all, it may improve their own health.

As with any significant decision, though, there are pros and cons to be considered.

The downsides include that organic foods can be much more expensive than the same type of non-organically-produced foods. This is due to their higher cost of production. A surrogate may be more willing to eat organic foods if the intended parents offered to pay for the organic foods she eats.

A related issue to that is the fact that organic foods can also be harder to obtain; not every grocery store or supermarket has such a wide selection of organics. They’re a specialty item, after all, and surrogates with fewer options for food-shopping (in rural areas or small towns, for instance) may have trouble shopping for organic foods.

And of course, not every food is available organically. There’s a real possibility that a surrogate eating only organically may have to miss out on some of her favorite foods for the duration of her pregnancy.

There are convenience issues, too. Organics, due to their lack of preservatives, can spoil more easily – shorter shelf-lives, which require more regular shopping.

But there are a lot of good reasons that intended parents ask their surrogates to eat organic foods. Insecticides and additives are potentially harmful if they are passed though to the baby during pregnancy. Organic foods lack insecticides and additives – those things won’t be carried through into the baby.

Health concerns have, from time to time, been raised over genetically modified crops, or meat from animals that have been fed those crops. Organic food, by definition, is not genetically modified, which removes those concerns.

Research has shown, additionally, that organic foods contain more healthy vitamins and minerals, possibly due to the lack of preservatives involved.

And as a side-benefit, if you’re concerned about how animals are treated, organic food is a much better idea. Organic farming requires that animals be fed a natural diet, and are kept (unlike mass-produced ‘factory farm’ meat) in much more humane free-range conditions.

So while organic food can be inconvenient at times and more expensive, it also does provide a much healthier choice for the surrogate and the baby. It’s a big decision that should be weighed seriously from both sides, but there are solid reasons behind why a lot of intended parents do want their surrogate mothers to eat organically during their pregnancy.

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Important Things You Need to Know After IVF

Important Things You Need to Know After IVF

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After an embryo transfer, a lot of tension and anxiety can happen. For first-time surrogates and intended parents, questions begin to linger in their minds – “Should I be on bed rest for the first two or three days?”, “What foods should I eat?”, “How active can I be during the two-week wait, and “Will our surrogate get pregnant?”

These questions are all important to comprehend, and advice can vary from doctor to doctor. The really important thing to remember is that there’s no guarantee of pregnancy through IVF – there are a lot of factors involved in the process.

Some common suggestions recommended by doctors are:

1. No heavy lifting for the first 48 hours after IVF transfer.

2. No strenuous physical activities like running or aerobics.

3. No alcohol, drugs or smoking.

4. No intercourse until a fetal heartbeat is determined.

5. Bed rest for the first two days after the IVF transfer.

It’s very important to remember that these instructions do differ between doctors.

As intended parents, if you want to be more sure that these instructions are followed, it might be helpful to assist – or have someone assist – your surrogate during the first two days after the IVF transfer. Run the errands that the surrogate needs done, prepare meals for her and her family, help with laundry and so forth.
The surrogate is likely to really appreciate your help while she’s on bed-rest, while you yourself would have peace of mind that the surrogate is following her doctor’s instructions.

In most cases, the transfer’s success is known after ten days. On the tenth day after the transfer, the surrogate goes back to the IVF clinic to see if the embryo has implanted into the uterus.

On Day 12 after the embryo transfer, the fertility clinic checks to see if the HcG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) level has doubled – if it has, then the embryo is properly growing.

The In Vitro Fertilization procedure is not 100% successful; not every embryo transfer will result in a pregnancy. In the event that it doesn’t, it’s important not to make any rash decisions until the intended parents have had an opportunity to discuss the outcome with the doctor.

The doctor may have some insight about why the transfer was a failure – poor embryo quality, poor uterine lining or genetic problems are all possibilities.
Surrogacy is never a certain process, and the better you understand it, the better you’ll be able to plan your next steps. Proper medical advice will help the intended parents understand the best way to move forward.

There are a lot of important aspects of surrogacy that need to be properly understood. Knowing them will help intended parents better comprehend the process of surrogacy.

The issue of bed rest after an IVF transfer is still under debate; so far, nothing has been proven. Remember, it’s at the discretion of your doctor to give all the necessary instructions to your surrogate – first and foremost, pay attention to your doctor’s advice.

Your Next Step

To find the surrogate mother that’s right for you and your family, simply fill out our easy free online application and a Oregon Surrogate Agency caseworker will contact you within 24 hours (during the business week) to discuss your application, answer any questions you might have, and outline the next steps. And in the meantime, you can also download our free reports to get even more information on surrogacy and the surrogate experience.