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| My Surrogacy |
Surrogacy is a huge part of my life! I always knew I wanted to be a wife and mother and once I had my daughter I felt so complete. She made me a different person, a better person and from that point on I felt like I didn't want to live my life without making a difference. When my daughter was about 1 years old I met a women who was a surrogate and literally from that moment on I was intrigue and began to research it. I would read and think about it and then let it go and so on but it always seem to be in the back of my mind. I realized it was God's plan for me, it was my way of making a difference and Lord knows I had no idea what a blessing it would be to so many.
My first surrogacy journey started in 2001. After knowing that surrogacy was something that was apart of me and something I was meant to do I contacted an agency and got set up to become a surrogate. I was listed as a Gestational Surrogate which means I am only the carrier and the baby is no part of me by DNA. I was matched with a single man who had two sons through surrogacy already. I couldn't imagine why he would want more kids so when I talked to him and he explained to me that he had frozen embryos left and to him they were children. So he would use them all and let God determine how many children he would have. After getting past my reservations and getting to know him and his boys I knew more children would be a blessing to this family. I flew to Canada with my mother in law in tow (I was to scared to go alone) and got ready for my very first IVF process. 3 frozen embryos were transfer and the 2 week waiting period to find out if they took began. It was so hard to sit and wait but sadly it did not take and I wasn't pregnant. We immediately began the process again and once again I flew to Canada this time alone. I was very excited and determined that this time would be it and in September our second IVF attempt had taken and I was pregnant. I was very sick for the first 3 months as I had been with my daughter. I did not work and enjoyed being pregnant and being home with Rylee. I enjoyed my pregnancy and found that most people were clueless about surrogacy. Rylee was very young and didn't understand the process at all she didn't even know I was pregnant so there wasn't much to explain to her. Due to high blood pressure and swelling Amber 7lbs 3oz was born 3 weeks early on Father's day in 2003. She was such a precious baby girl and I enjoyed the time we spent together before she went home. I have seen her once since birth and that was at 4 months old. Since she lives in another state I have watched her grow on-line through photos and updates and I never forget her birthday. Amber now has 6 siblings the youngest being a set of twins.
My second surrogacy journey came as a surprise! After my first surrogacy I didn't really think about doing it again until I got a call from a different agency requesting me as a surrogate. (I guess your name goes in a little black book hahaha that's a joke) They had a couple and wanted to know if I would consider working with them after reviewing their profile in my heart and gut I just wasn't feeling it and declined. It did get me thinking about if I wanted to do another. I wasn't sure but I told the agency to put me on their active list and I would see how things went. About a month later they had another couple out of Houston and my heart broke for them while reading their profile and all that they had been through. Steve (my husband) and I agreed to meet them in Houston and we all hit it off. They were so out going and I could see them being great parents. After a meeting they always want you to take a few days to think about it so no agreements were made but before we left the building that day I knew they were the couple for me. Shortly after we got the ball rolling, it was time for our first IVF. S and I went into the room and we were set to transfer 3 embryos but the doctor suggested that we only transfer two because the quality was really good making the chances of multiples really high. Not only did we get pregnant on the first try but we were pregnant with twins! It was hard for S & C to be excited as they had already lost a set of twins but I was so excited for them but no where close to being prepared for what was coming my way. I was once again sick for the first 3 months and again stopped working this time to ensure I could deliver healthy twins. My belly popped right out during the first trimester and at 15 weeks with the parents S & C, Steve and Rylee in the room we found out that they were having twin boys. Rylee was not happy and wanted there to be another baby so it could be a girl. S & C were so great about letting our daughter be apart of things so it would help her understand what was going on. During my first journey she was 2yo barely 3yo but this time she was 5yo. We explained to her that S's belly was broken and that God put their babies in my belly to grow and that when they came they would go home with S & C but that we would visit them. By the middle of the 2nd trimester I was huge, my back hurt and I couldn't see my feet. At 30 weeks I went into preterm labor, after medication to stop the labor, medication to help the boys lungs mature faster and bed-rest at the hospital thankfully we were able to stop it . I was able to go home and I tip toed around everything trying not to over do myself or get to tired. I went another 5 weeks and at 35 weeks on New Years Day 2005 Alex 6lbs 7oz and Aiden 5lbs 3 oz were born healthy and happy. Never even went to the NICU and actually went home before I did. I adore the boys as if they were my own and I love the bond I have with the family. We were so lucky to only have them a few hours away but when S took a new job it took them to California. We hope to one day take a trip out to see them soon but enjoy the pictures and videos we see of them on-line.
My third surrogacy journey began the summer of 2006. After a pretty rough pregnancy carrying twins I took some time to recover and get my body healthy and strong again. As always the urge to be pregnant came a calling and I signed up with a new agency out of California and within a few months I got a profile on a couple. I knew immediately that they would be great parents and knowing how challenging it would be to get pregnant for them made me want it for them even more. I flew to Cali in April for our first IVF transfer which would be with frozen embryos. Everything went well and I got to spend alittle time with IL & V, they were so interesting and funny. I was so sure it had taken but I was wrong it didn't I was devastated. It was very hard to accept and I knew we only had one more chance and it made me want it even more for them. This time we decided to do a fresh transfer so I had to match my cycle up with IL and once they took her eggs I went in for our second IVF transfer. We found out that they grade of the embryos were very poor quality making the chances of getting pregnant very low. The doctor suggested that we transfer 7 which is alot when normally they do 2 nor more than 3. It was my choice I had to decide because although the embryos were poor quality we were increasing the chances of multiples and I never wanted to be put in the position of doing a selective reduction. As I looked at IL (mother to be) I was determined to get pregnant so I laid back and we transferred 7 poor quality embryos and the 2 week waiting period began. I was so nervous never feeling this way I tested alittle early and my faith would come out on top because it did take and I was pregnant and thankfully with only one baby. Getting pregnant was hard this time and once again I was sick 24/7 and although in all my other pregnancies it was gone at 12-14 weeks this time it lasted till 29 weeks and it was the first time I had worked through out a pregnancy to. I was so tired and it was hard but working made the pregnancy go by faster however I was put on medical leave from work at 36 weeks because my blood pressure was getting alittle high and we wanted to make it alittle longer. At 37 weeks on March 20th after 7 hours of labor and 3 pushes baby Mateo was born 6lbs and 17 inches long. It was a bitter sweet moment as I watched his parents fall in love with him. IL, V and baby Mateo came to stay with us after we were released from the hospital. The pedi doctor wouldn't release him to fly so while they made arrangements to drive home I got some extra time with them. I will say it was the first time I had a hard time letting go. Since they were coming from out of state I knew they might be staying with us so I had prepared our guest room for them and the baby. Having all the baby stuff in there and then Mateo being there certainly stirred things up for Steve and I.
After they left Steve said he wanted another baby and I agree. 6 months after having Mateo and 8 years after getting pregnant with our daughter we were finally pregnant again with our own baby.
At 30 years old I can say that I know I won't be someone who dies without having made a difference in this world. I can not change the world we live in, stop world hungry or the wars but I have touched lives so deeply that my life will for ever have meaning. I am truly blessed to have a wonderful extended family through surrogacy.
2000 My daughter Rylee was born
2003 Amber was born - Surrogacy
2005 Alex & Aiden were born - Surrogacy
2007 Mateo was born - Surrogacy
2008 My son Gaige was born
You ask........am I do yet? I have learned to never say I am done because every time I do I find myself pregnant again so guess we'll see what God has planned for me.
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Posted by Mom09Faith on 2009-10-13 15:38:34 | Rating: | Views: 32
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