Grief With Surrogacy
Surrogacy gives many people the opportunity to grow their family when they otherwise couldn’t have and bring them the greatest joy. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t grief and loss throughout the process.
Thoughts When You Consider Surrogacy
Let’s take a look into all the complex thoughts one has while they are considering moving forward with surrogacy.
Unsolicited Advice
We hope this doesn't need to be said about a surrogacy journey or *any* other kind of fertility challenge...
Less advice and more support, k?
Trust Issues When Navigating a Surrogacy Journey
And what is surrogacy? The very definition of lack of control. You are literally handing your embryo to another person to carry. And while you can stipulate all kinds of things in the contract, the reality is that this is the essence of lack of control.
Instead of Saying: “Why Didn’t You Just Adopt?”
Reason number 19,473,682 why saying “Why didn’t you just adopt?” or questioning anyone’s choices along their fertility journey is not okay: as a support person to your loved one, your job is to unconditionally love and support them through both their darkest and brightest times.
Privacy in Surrogacy
Surrogacy can be kept a secret.
It’s nobody’s business.
It’s up to the family (the parents) to decide how they want to choose to share this information… if they even want to share it. Yes, people are going to realize that someone was not pregnant, and suddenly they have a baby.
Jealousy in Surrogacy
It’s normal to feel jealous of your surrogate. She is living your dream.
She is the one that gets to feel the kicks, watch her belly grow, feel the cravings, and get all the attention.
If you feel jealousy, it’s okay.
Acknowledge the feeling and hold space for it.
You Can’t Keep Surrogacy a Secret
It’s impossible to be completely private about a surrogacy journey, one day you don’t have a baby and the next you do.
Conversations need to happen after the baby arrives.
Conflicting Emotions in Surrogacy
As with anything we talk about at IWSTHAB, there are multiple sides to every experience. This post highlights the many sides of the emotions one may experience throughout a surrogacy journey.
“It’s Hard For My Husband As Well”
Some men cry, some men get angry, some men talk about their pain…And some men don’t.
And that is perfectly okay. Let him know you are there for him but then let him process in his own way. Even if that means that he doesn’t seem to process it at all.
Donor Conception: Musing From A Woman Who is Considering Using A Donor
Using a donor is an incredible opportunity. It’s a real gift to be in this moment of history that allows people who would otherwise be infertile have the capacity to have a child.
And no matter how or when you choose to share your story with your child, you’re doing the best the can, with all the information you have right now.
And we see you. We are holding you. And we support whatever choice you make.
Donor Conception: Using an Egg Donor for My Third Child—Overcoming Fears About Love and Connection
There are so many questions and feelings as it is when exploring donor conception.
There are even more when only one of your children is donor conceived.
Swipe to read this followers journey through overcoming her fears about love and connection 🌷
Donor Conception: “It’s Kinda Cool To Be Made From A Donor”
As we’re hearing from more donor-conceived people, we’re sharing an excerpt from a conversation with a 13-year-old daughter of a single mom by choice. Swipe to hear some of her thoughts on being donor-conceived ➡️
Donor Conception: Finding My Roots—Life After Learning My ‘Real’ Father is an Anonymous Sperm Donor
Swipe to read a different kind of donor-conceived story about the ramifications of secrecy.
We’re shifting gears today and highlighting some stories from the donor-conceived community 🌷
Donor Conception: I Was Donor Conceived
We’re shifting gears today and highlighting some stories from the donor-conceived community 🌷
Donor Conception: Building A Family As An Orthodox Lesbian Couple
Thank you to another anonymous follower for sharing her special story ❣️
Donor Conception: A Couple’s Donor Sperm Story
Huge thanks to our anonymous couple for sharing their story with sperm donation.
Donor Conception: “My Embryo Donation Story”-Melina
A special story from Melina @sunnysquirrelfarm about her embryo donation experience 💗
Donor Conception: Questions For After Baby Arrives
Even once the baby is born, new questions always arise. Here are a few to think about as you continue your donor conception journey ❣️
Donor Conception: Why People Use Donors
There are a lot of misconceptions about using donors to build your family. Here’s one of them.