Bodywork Therapy - With Jesse Tischler, Bodywork Therapist

Bodywork therapy during pregnancy can alleviate some of the discomforts and pain associated many experience during these critical months. On this week's ABCs of Surrogacy, we are pleased to have Jesse Tischler, a bodywork therapist, who will be discussing how bodywork therapy can assist a pregnant women becoming more comfortable and and how bodywork therapy can aid new parents in helping their infant or newborn resolve common issues they experience early in life such as colic and reflux. Don't miss this very informative episode of ABCs of Surrogacy.

Prenatal Massage care:
Elliot Berlin
Berlin Wellness Group
info@doctorberlin.com
323.549.0070
www.doctorberlin.com

Infant Massage:
Contact Summer:
http://www.summerandsage.net

Organic Formula:
Search: Babys Only Organic Formula
There is a dairy-based formula and lactorelief formula.
It can be used to various ages but to be certain of it you can contact the company directly to hear why they advertise it for toddlers only.

Jesse Tischler
310.424.0353
Los Angeles
jessetischler@gmail.com

And at the Berlin Wellness Group:
323.549.0070
jtischler@doctorberlin.com

Tawni Rae: Author of "My Seven Gifts - A Surrogate's Story"

On this episode, we are pleased to have Tawni Rae, author of "My Seven Gifts: A Surrogate's Story," as our guest. Tawni is a multiple time surrogate mother whose book chronicles her surrogacy journeys and her passion for surrogacy. Even though she was once told she would be unable to have children, she not only gave birth to her own three children, but also seven surrogate babies! Tawni will also advice to those considering becoming a gestational surrogate for those of you who are thinking about becoming a surrogate mother. Don't miss this informative episode on this week's "ABCs of Surrogacy."

Tune in live at 7pm PST on BlogTalkRadio and be sure to follow along on Twitter using #TheABCsofSurrogacy!

Season 3 is Coming!

It's been a great break but we are looking forward to coming back with season 3 of the ABC's of Surrogacy! We're still lining up amazing guest hosts for you so check out the episode schedule page often to see who's coming!

In the meantime catch up on all of season 2's episodes right here!

"Breeders: A Subclass of Women", A Documentary Which Knows Nothing About Surrogacy
Amy Demma, Reproductive Law Attorney, Discusses Egg Donation and Surrogacy
Tips For Infertile Partners, featuring Kristen Magnacca, author of "Love and Infertility"
Surviving Becoming A New Parent, with Parent Educator Danielle Brooks
Families Through Surrogacy
"What Makes A Baby", with guest host Cory Silverberg
Common Legal Questions and Concerns Regarding Surrogacy, with Guest Host Michelle Keeyes, Esq.
Dr. Said Daneshmand - Reproductive Endocrinologist with Fertility Center Las Vegas
Expanding Reproductive Health Options for HIV-Affected Individuals: It's Time
Candace and Chris, Bloggers of "Our Misconception"
Exploring the Option of Home Birth With A Midwife and Doula
"Our Journey": One Couple's Guide to US Surrogacy - Author Richard Westoby
The Benefits of Pediatric Craniosacral Therapy
Exploring International Surrogacy Options, with guest host Eloise Drane

How To Tell People You're A Surrogate

Live In The Los Angeles Area? Join Our Resolve Walk Of Hope Team! #TeamHelloBaby!

Post by Los Angeles Surrogacy Center.

You're invited to 2014 AIDS Walk San Francisco Fundraiser http://t.co/gOEzweIiYT
— Dawn Marmorstein (@dmarmorstein) June 26, 2014

Stages of Labor: Stage 2

HelloBaby is now a Stella+Dot Stylist!

Visit www.stelladot.com/hellobaby to take a look at their online store or visit the Hello Baby website at http://www.hellobaby.guru

Episode 5: Being A Surrogate Is Great. But First, Love Your Body!

Originally Aired August 6, 2013

Few gifts are greater than being a surrogate mother. Assisting others create their own family via surrogacy is an amazing act, one that surrogate mothers tend to do repeatedly, usually for the benefit of different recipient parents, but sometimes for the same one. Yet repeated pregnancies, combined with multiple C-Sections, eventually yields life-threatening risks for both surrogate mother and the baby she carries.

In this episode, Dawn discusses why surrogate mothers should limit the number of surrogacy journeys they take, and not compete with one another to see who can carry for the most number of recipients. While being a surrogate mother is noble, making sure your body is not placed in undue stress -- which can happen unexpectedly during any subsequent pregnancy and result in serious bodily injury to both surrogate mother and the baby she carries -- requires former surrogate mothers to serious assess the number of pregnancies and C-Sections she has had prior to embarking on any surrogacy journey. Without these considerations, your goal of giving birth to a healthy surrogate baby may be completely thwarted, and the end result could be fatal to both you and the reciient parent's baby you are carrying.

Stages of Labor: Overview and Stage 1

Renea Capozzi Cotto is a Bradley Doula, a childbirth and parent educator, and the resident Doula at Los Angeles Surrogacy Center. In the first of a brand new series Renea is going to talk about the four stages of labor in detail, providing you with some valuable information you may not have known.

*Correction: AAHCC not AAHC

Episode 37: Exploring International Surrogacy Options

With multiple options available for recipient parents considering a surrogacy journey, deciding which country is best for one's unique circumstances is often challenging. On today's ABCs Of Surrogacy, Eloise Drane, of Family Inceptions International, will be discussing the international surrogacy option available to recipient parents. International surrogacy has a much more reasonable overall cost than domestic surrogacy, and that factor has compelled many recipient parents to embark on their surrogacy journey in another country. Eloise will be discussing the numerous advantages of an international surrogacy journey. Don't miss this very informative episode of ABCs of Surrogacy!

Listen to the live broadcast Wednesday, May 21st at 7pm PST on BlogTalkRadio.com.

About Eloise Drane

Eloise Drane
Family Inceptions International 1911 Grayson Highway, Ste 8-156
Grayson, GA 30017
Ph: 678-473-4865
Email: eloise@familyinceptions.com 
http://www.familyinceptions.com

When Family Inceptions International was formed, our goal was simple, help people create families. We love what we do and believe that it shows in our work. We bring together “big agency” skills with “small agency” flexibility. We have built a reputation for efficiently and effectively delivering inspired solutions to our clients with full transparency.

Family Inceptions is unique as it is the only agency that offers surrogacy and egg donation services domestically and egg donation and client facilitator for surrogacy and IVF abroad cases internationally – India, Thailand, Mexico, Barbados, South Africa and Czech Republic.
Since 1999, Eloise Drane has been involved in egg donor and surrogacy in one way or another. She first experienced the incredible joy and fulfillment that accompanies helping others by donating eggs, then by being a gestational surrogate – three times. It was a life-changing experience. In addition, she worked with a surrogacy agency and developed their egg donation program before deciding to establish her own agency.

Eloise holds an MBA, which aligns with her expertise and years of direct experience in assisted third- party reproduction. She loves helping clients increase their knowledge and understanding of the family building journey, and shares the joy that comes from their success.
Family Inceptions International is a member of ASRM, SART, registered by the FDA, and holds a NY Tissue Bank license.

Resources

http://fertility.treatmentabroad.com
http://globalivf.com
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB120338119629575619



Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Episode 36: The Benefits of Pediatric Craniosacral Therapy

Pediatric Craniosacral Therapy can yield amazing results to infants and babies who are suffering from a variety of issues, including excessive crying, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and unusual fussiness. On this week's ABCs of Surrogacy, we are very pleased to welcome Jesse Tischler, a Los Angeles-based Pediatric Craniosacral Therapist. He will be explaining what this therapy involves, including its use for physical therapy and rehabilitation for newborns and infants. He will also describe how he envisions this therapy evolving in the world of western medicine. Don't miss this very interesting episode of ABCs of Surrogacy!

May 13th

We are currently in the process of updating individual episode pages for the past few episodes of The ABC's of Surrogacy so you can enjoy them on demand. Also, during our break we will be uploading and archiving episodes from season one of the ABC's for your listening pleasure.

Please be sure to tune in tomorrow night where we will be discussing the topic of pediatric craniosacral therapy! Should be an interesting topic and we hope you tune in at 7pm PST!

Episode 35: "Our Journey": One Couple's Guide To US Surrogacy - Author Richard Westoby

Richard Westoby and his partner, Steven, chose to build their family using surrogacy in the United States. That entire journey forms the basis for his book, "Our Journey: One Couple's Guide to U.S. Surrogacy", which chronicles their quest to parenthood via gestational surrogacy from the recipient parent perspective. They had a twin birth via surrogacy here in the United States. The book focuses on the multiple components of surrogacy, and provides an in-depth look at the behind the scenes aspects such as IVF, escrow accounts, choosing an agency, and how to plan for each stage of the surrogacy. Although written for an international recipeint parent, each chapter ends with a list of appropriate and timely questions a recipient parent should ask during each phase of the surrogacy. On this episode of "The ABCs of Surrogacy," Richard will be discussing his book, and his journey to parenthood as an international recipient who chose to build his family using surrogacy in the United States. Don't miss what is sure to be a very enlightening episode!

Episode 34: Exploring the Option of Home Birth with a Midwife and Doula, featuring guest hosts Renea Capozzi Cotto and Jennifer Stewart

Conventional hospital births often provide a stagnant experience for a mother. Although extraordinarily popular in most other countries, births either at home or at a birthing center using the services of a midwife and doula are gaining popularity here in the United States for a number of reasons. The cost for pre-natal care and birth is dramatically less expensive than care rendered by a OB and delivery at a hospital, and the outcomes for baby tend to be more favorable in a natural setting instead of one that promotes the use of medications. In this episode of ABCS of Surrogacy, we are pleased to welcome birth doula Renea Capozzi Cotto and midwife Jennifer Steward, who will both be discussing the option of giving birth at home or at a birth center. Both are practitioners who work in their respective fields in southern California, and each has expertise with preparing mothers to be for a natural delivery either at home or at a birth center. Don't miss this candid discussion on birthing at home or birth center, including the nitty gritty of what it takes to successfully use this option.

About Renea Capozzi Cotto, BA, AAHCC, Bradley Doula (TM), DONA trained, PES, EO IPC

A certified educator and doula with the Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth since 2009, I entered into the DONA Birth Doula program for an international doula certification, while providing labor support to many clients.

 

As a natural birth educator, doula, placenta specialist and mother of three; I has gained understanding through my childbirth journies, and bring my knowledge, continual learning, and gentle touch to the families I serve. Being able to support families through their time of pregnancy, labor and birth and breastfeeding, continually renews my belief in the natural circle of life.

 

I am continually on a learning path to help enhance my ability to provide a wide spectrum of services and offer knowledge for all types of families and situations.Let me help empower you have the best empowered birth possible.

About Jennifer Stewart, IBCLC, CPM, LM

Jennifer Stewart is a California Licensed Midwife, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, dedicated to natural birth and successful breastfeeding. With 14 years of experience in the midwifery field, eight of those being in private practice, her background, as a non-nurse midwife, is focused exclusively on out-of-hospital birth. Throughout her career, many unique situations have presented themselves, including twin pregnancies, breeches, and Vaginal Births After Cesarean (VBACs).  In 2011, she obtained the national certification of Certified Professional Midwife with the North American Registry of Midwives. Until late 2011, her practice was based in the tri-state area of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. November 2011, she relocated to Southern California to assist the families of the west coast in their desire to have natural, out of hospital pregnancies and births. It is this midwife’s goal to help every woman have the birth of her dreams through personalized prenatal care, nutritional counseling, support during labor and birth, and continual assistance with breastfeeding and other postpartum issues.

Resources:

 

Lil' Seed of Life Wellness Center

(909) 468-5828

www.lilseedoflife.com

www.blumoonplacenta.com

www.bradleybirth.com/reneacapozzi

 

www.joyinbirthmidwifery.com

www.facebook.com/joyinbirth

@joyinbirth

www.stik.com/jsmidwife

April 30th

We hope you will join us for tonight's broadcast of The ABC's of Surrogacy. Dawn will be joined by Renea Capozzi Cotto and Jennifer Stewart to talk about why it's a good idea to have a midwife and a doula! Check out the episode show page for more information! Remember to tune in at 7pm PST.

Next week the ABC's of Surrogacy will broadcast at a special time: 12pm PST. Our guest will be Richard Westoby all the way from the United Kingdom! You can check out his show page for more information.

Two new articles from Adoption.net have been added to the blog. Why Adoptive Parents Should Consider Breastfeeding and How To Induce Lactation For Adoptive Mothers in 3 Steps are both full of helpful information for adoptive parents.

And as always be sure to check out the latest on HelloBaby! We have a new blog post on the amazing benefits of cloth diapering. Check it out!

Why Adoptive Parents Should Consider Breastfeeding

by Candace Wohl
Article republished with permission from Adoption.net
Original post written October 23, 2013
Posted to the ABC's of Surrogacy on April 30, 2014

Why Induced Lactation Should be Considered for Adoptive Parents

Frankly, there is nothing better than a piping hot chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven with a tall glass of milk. Drooling yet?  While I am enjoying the warm chocolaty bliss of my cookie and milk I am 100% certain I could care less what cow that milk came from. They have cow boobies (udders) and they produce milk. Same with human breasts, knockers, boobs, the big boppers, tatas whatever you want to call them. Now, don’t get me wrong here, if I run out of milk for my coffee I will probably not go to my neighbor who is breastfeeding and ask her for a couple of squirts in my coffee. Sorry, can’t do it. However, adoptive parents or those pursuing surrogacy should not think that breastfeeding through induced lactation is off the table for them.  Let’s take a quick quiz. Break out your trapper keeper and number 2 pencil, this one will challenge you.

--A mother who breast feeds her baby shortly after birth.
--A wet nurse who breast feeds a royal baby.
--An adopted mother who breastfeeds her newly adopted  baby.

I bet most of the general public would probably have found the first two scenarios not as off putting as the third. Why is that? I will admit, I have always wanted to breastfeed my child and after finding out I will never carry my own I thought this was no longer an option.  Just the idea of induced lactation to breastfeed my one day adopted/surrogate child made me feel mildly uncomfortable.  Really, it wasn’t the act that bothered me it was the societal view on breastfeeding. Especially in the US and Great Britain where the general population consider it taboo. What would others think? Would they think I was crazy or that this was unnatural?  This made it apparent to me that my own uneasiness was rooted in the superficial worry that society would consider my child less of my own because I adopted and that it was not natural since that child was not born from me.  I am a mother; that is my child. I have boobs and that is what they were made for, sorry fellas- big shocker they are not there for looks and just to paw at.

Surrogate or “intended” parents have lead time to work with in order to plan to nurse via inducing lactation however if you are an adoptive parent the time line is sometimes as clear as mud. They are unpredictable and in many cases adoptive parents are not given much time to prepare.  This does not count you out of the breastfeeding club.  Consider other options to help buy some time while you are waiting for your milk to come in. There are many resources available through linking up with your local La Leche League   and utilizing local milk banks and Supplemental Nursing Systems (SNS).

This will be a 3 part series so expect more scholarly info to come on induced lactation but for now let’s talk about the WHY.

Bonding

One of the most important processes when you have a baby through adoption or surrogacy is bonding with your baby. When you are nursing you have regular skin on skin contact which is a proven bonding method.  It also establishes trust and natural mother-baby intimacy that your baby needs in those beginning stages.

It is Like Couponing, but with Boobs

Now, some lucky adoptive or intended  parents may be well off so that this is not an issue, but for those who have to have bake sales, car washes, and cash out 401ks to pay for their adoption or surrogacy would like to hold on to what IOUs and spare change they have remaining from their baby pursuits.  No brainer, so sorry if I insult intelligence here but breastfeeding is $free.99. Well, there’s a pump, some vitamins, and some medications involved, but aside from that it is cheaper than formula. Baby formula can be pretty expensive and it’s estimated that one year of formula can range between $1,500 to $3,000. $free.99 verses 3k, you can put those savings back to help replenish your adoption/surrogacy drained account.

Health-tastic Milk

It is safe to say this baby was loved and prayed for before they were even created. So why not give your baby the best.  Babies who have been breastfeed have been proven to have stronger immune systems as breast milk carries positive antibodies that boosts that immune system. Possible baby Einstein? Another health benefit from breast feeding your baby is that new studies show that breastfeeding increases your baby’s IQ levels. Studies showed that cognitive abilities of preschoolers who were breast-fed scored significantly higher than bottle-fed infants, and IQ score was directly relative to how long the infants had been breastfed: IQs were 2.1 points higher in children who were breastfed for three months; 2.6 points higher when babies were breast-fed for four to six months; 3.8 points higher in children breastfed longer than six months. These specific results were published in the May 2011 issue of the European Journal of Pediatrics. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=surety-bond-breast-feeding

How to Induce Lactation for Adoptive Mothers in 3 Steps

by Candace Wohl

Article republished with permission from Adoption.net

Original post written November 21, 2013

Posted to the ABC's of Surrogacy on April 30, 2014

 

Do you want to know who I have a small chick-crush on? If I was into that kind of thing…Selma Hayek. Yes, she is in movies, sickeningly beautiful blah blah blah. It has absolutely nothing to do with what has made her a star. The reason Selma is so incredible is she has huevos. Hard boiled, not over-easy. She made headlines a few years back when she made a good will trip to Sierra Leone. She rocked the Western World newspapers and media of all sorts because she breastfed a starving, malnourished baby that was not her own. GASP!

 

Sierra Leone is a country where they have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. Partly due to malnutrition and poverty. Hold on, wait a second isn’t breast milk free? Why, yes it is. In some areas of this country it is traditionally unacceptable to have any sexual interactions with a woman who is breastfeeding. (Personally, I know when I hold out on my husband for more than a few days, he is a whiny baby and acts as if the world is going to spin off axis and implode, or maybe that is just what he thinks his man-parts will do.) Either way this sexual pressure from the woman’s partner is persuading the mothers to stop nursing and their milk reserve is drying up as a result. Perhaps it is poor education of anatomy or the inability to abstain. Whichever reason you feel stronger about, babies are perishing in the name of an uneducated tradition. Selma, we could all learn something from your left boob. That one small act of kindness made waves.

 

I shared that story because it inspired me. I do not plan on going to Sierra Leone to breastfeed, but I do have a much different view on nursing. Specifically as it relates to an adoptive baby or one born through surrogacy.

 

So now what? How do I produce milk if my body is not physically going through that specific change? During a pregnancy, lactation is naturally triggered by the “trifecta” of 3 key hormones: estrogen, progesterone, prolactin. In a pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone hormones are elevated and if you have ever gone through fertility procedures you know your RE loves prescribing those specific hormones. When a woman gives birth the estrogen and progesterone levels drop significantly and prolactin increases. The result, lactation. To induce lactation you have to essentially trick your body into replicating the biological process of pregnancy.

 

Step 1.

 

It is important that if you do decide to induce lactation for your adopted child or baby through surrogacy, you have to have your army of resources lined up and contacted.  First on the contact list is your baby’s doctor or your OBGYN about your plans to induce lactation. You may need a script for medication and they will also need to be in the loop to help monitor your production as it relates to your baby getting enough nutrition. Try also considering to reaching out to your local La Leche League Leader and local groups. They have a well-connected support network to help aid you throughout your nursing process and a vast collection of resources for any questions you may come across.  Finally, it could also be beneficial checking with a Lactation Consultant or Nursing Mothers Counselor.

 

Step 2.

 

Decide on whether you want to naturally induce lactation or opt for hormone therapy to help stimulate your lovely lady lumps. It is a personal decision. Naturally inducing lactation requires techniques such as massaging, nipple stimulation and suckling. The first two are fairly straight forward but, suckling? You can use a pump to help with this method or use your partner. Not sure how I feel about my partner “suckling” on my breast to help with natural stimulation, however if my milk did decide to come in during the group effort act it will be interesting to see what the surprised reaction from the male half would be. Hormonally inducting lactation requires guidance from your doctor since they will need to write you a few prescriptions to help trick your body into pregnancy mode. There are different protocols depending on the individual’s health history and provider but some of the regularly prescribed medications doctors use include: birth control pills, Metoclopramide (Reglan), Domperidone (Motilium), and sulpiride (Eglonyl, Dolmatil, Sulfite, Sulparex, and Equemote).  This is one of those situations where step 1 is a good starting point to ask these questions. Especially considering some drugs like Reglan can cause some side effects such as depression and anxiety.

 

Step 3.

 

Pump it up! I will admit when I finally worked up the gall to walk into Baby’s R Us without simultaneously busting out in tears, I was lost. Personally I have spent 7 years trying to build my family, but did not know the first thing about babies, parenting or any of the gadgets that came along with the stroller coaster. If you decided that inducing lactation is for you, picking out the right breast pump is critical. This is definitely one of the situations where you get what you pay for so don’t skimp on it.  Yeah, that other breast pump may be $50 cheaper, but if it doesn’t work right, then it is just a big hunk of useless irritation. What separates each type of pump is:

 

·       Suction power of the pump

 

·       Release and suction cycle control options

 

·       The amount of release and suction cycles in a minute the pump produces

 

There are hand pumps, where you manually pump and electronic pumps which is where you set it and forget it. Generally, the more suction and release cycles per minute the more effective the pump is. Slower cycling can be hard on your nipples, no pun intended. Some of the higher end pumps can cycle around 60 times a minute. Don’t have that kind of money to spend on a higher end pump? Problem solved, you can rent them! Many hospitals, baby stores, and pharmacies offer rental options. No need to get the heebie jeebies now, they are sterilized and are replaced with new tubing, attachments and filters. One other thing to look into if you are looking to save money is that your insurance may now have coverage for breast pumps and supplies. Isn’t that the breast news you have heard all day?

Episode 33: Candace and Chris: Bloggers of "Our Misconception"

This week, we are pleased to have return guests Candace and Chris Wohl, whose popular "Our Misconception" blog is now focusing on their current surrogacy journey with their gestational carrier. On this episode, they will be sharing the latest chapter of their journey to achieve parenthood. After enduring countless unsuccessful IVF procedures, they turned to surrogacy, and now have a gestational surrogate now pregnant with their baby girl! Her due date is in June, so both are excited that their dream of becoming parents will soon be true. Candace and Chris were featured on MTV's "True Life - I'm Desparate To Have A Baby," and their ongoing quest to become parents is the focus of their blog, "My Misconception." Don't miss this very exciting episode on this week's "ABCs of Surrogacy.”

Get More: True Life, Full Episodes

April 17th

Next Wednesday we will welcome back Candace and Chris, guests last year, whom you may recognize from MTV's True Life. Read about Candace and Chris in their own words on our blog, and the head over to their show page to find out what we'll be chatting about. You can also watch their episode of True Life directly. We are so looking forward to touching base with this couple and finding out how life has been for them since we last chatted!

Candace and Chris: Our Misconception

How exciting that we can share our story with Dawn on The ABC’s of Surrogacy! Thank you Dawn for helping spread awareness of family building options and mostly for helping create families.

Our first misconception was having a baby would be easy peasy. The real stress would come 9 months later after the baby arrives right? Like many couples that face life’s challenges we were very much blind sighted as to what was in store for us. Shortly after Chris and I said our vows, we were thrown into a challenge we never thought we would have to face. He had a brain tumor. One that was very sneaky and great at hiding from the neurosurgeons. We even named it Phil, why Phil? No clue but none the less we fought him and won the battle two craniotomies later. Life events like that change perspectives; they alter your priorities and way of thinking. After staring down the risk of losing each other, the need to start a family sharpened in our focus. We both knew and understood all too well that life is a gift we receive every new morning we awake.

We have an all too familiar infertile rap sheet though. I’ll spare the history but it involved 7 years of procedures, surgeries, sharp pointy needles, an empty bank account and a trash can filled with disappointment from negative pregnancy tests. It wasn’t until 3 years ago we came out to our families and really to the world about our broken plumbing. I started a blog and shared our story from both perspectives, his and hers. That is when a MTV casting producer came across our story. They followed us for almost a year. They captured our 6th failed IVF round, followed us through our adoption pursuits and then ended the show where we met our surrogate.  Surrogacy was on our neva-gonna-happen list. Another misconception we had. We whole heartedly thought that it was only for the rich and powerful or for those who have someone willing to do it free of charge.

We are neither rich nor powerful and our surrogacy is for the most part commercial. Personally, I hate that term (commercial surrogacy) because I truly believe that it takes someone with an altruistic heart and intention to carry for a childless couple. So we took a risk and put all of our eggs in one basket. Literally, because I had been seeing an oncologist over the years. My risk for uterine cancer was so great that I needed to have a hysterectomy shortly after we transferred our remaining two embryos to our surrogate. I had no womb and heart filled with hope. We fundraised and did everything possible to make it happen. That hope, risk, craziness, drive or whatever you want to call it paid off. We are now expecting a little girl in June via gestational carrier. Surrogacy has given us the chance at parenthood. That one selfless act will change our lives forever.

Candace and Chris from MTV’s True Life documentary, “I’m Desperate to Have a Baby” and Our Misconception Blog

April 14th

If you haven't yet had an opportunity to listen to last week's 1-hour special, Expanding Reproductive Health Options for HIV-Affected Individuals: It's Time, then you can do so now on demand! This week we'll be taking a break from The ABC's of Surrogacy, and next will week be back with return guests Chris and Candace, bloggers of Our Misconception and from MTV's True Life. Check out their show page for more info.

We are proud to premiere contributing blogger to HelloBaby Patricia Gerschler, in her brand new monthly series here on the HelloBaby blog. Patricia will be guiding us through her experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and parenting while dealing Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and Diabetes. Patricia is a talented writer with a unique voice whom you will just love! You can check out here blog at HelloBaby!

Episode 32: Expanding Reproductive Health Options for HIV-Affected Individuals: It's Time

More than 1.1 million people are infected with HIV, and there are about 50,000 new cases each year annually in the United States, according to the CDC. In this episode of "ABCs of Surrogacy," we are pleased to have several experts discussing options now available for HIV-Affected individuals. Shannon Weber, MSW, the coordinator of the Bay Area Perinatal Aids Center (BPAC) at the University of California, San Francisco Division of HIV/AIDS, Department of Medicine and Director of the National Perinatal HIV Hoteline, and Dr. Pat Garcia, MD/MPH, Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology-Maternal Field Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and whose interest is in HIV and AIDS, will be joined by two HIV+ patients, who will be discussing the barriers they encountered during their quest for fertility services and parenthood. Due to revolutionary technology family building options, parenting is now a viable option for everyone, including those who are HIV+, without any transmission to either baby or carrier of the pregnancy. Don't miss this very informative 1-hour episode on this week's "ABCs of Surrogacy!”

About Shannon Weber
Shannon Weber, MSW is the Director of UCSF's National Perinatal HIV Hotline, a free 24/7, expert consultation service. She also coordinates the Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center (BAPAC), a San Francisco General Hospital program providing preconception and prenatal care to HIV-affected individuals. Shannon launched the PRO Men (Positive Reproductive Outcomes for HIV+ Men) initiative, an innovative collaboration between BAPAC and SFGH’s Ward 86 HIV Clinic integrating men’s reproductive and sexual health care into a primary care setting.

About Caroline Watson
Caroline Watson is an outreach volunteer for the Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center (BAPAC) which provides care to HIV-positive pregnant women and HIV-affected couples. She also works with the PRO Men (Positive Reproductive Outcomes for HIV+ Men) initiative which supports HIV+ men in their desires to date, have sex, & have families. She participated in & reviewed three professionally filmed PRO Men videos. She attended a postpartum doula workshop with DONA certified trainer Ann Grauer & is working on her certification. Caroline has shared her story of staying negative in a serodiscordant marriage & having a baby in a front-page San Francisco Chronicle story, on KQED (SF’s NPR affiliate), in front of hundreds at provider events, & at the Northern California Service League (a transition from incarceration program). She co-hosted the PRO Men HIV Virtual Townhall on Google Hangouts. She is also a member of the CDC’s Expert Panel On Reproductive Health and Preconception Care.

Resources:

Thinking About Having A Baby? [PDF]

For more information on PReP:
My PReP Experience [blog]
PRePwatch.org
CDC info on PReP

April 3rd

Last year we had an amazing show with Shanon Weber talking about HIV+ individuals and their parenting options. Next week we will be chatting with Shanon again and featuring some amazing guests who will talk about their parenting journey while being HIV+. Expanding Reproductive Health Options for HIV-Affected Individuals: It's Time will be a special ONE HOUR broadcast next Wednesday, 4/9/2014 at 7pm PST. Be sure to tune in!

March 26th

Just a reminder that there will NOT be a live show today! But the show will resume next week with a brand new episode! However, please enjoy a new blog post from contributor Jill Hancock Reeder, author of Once Upon A Surrogate: The Stork's Helpers and blogger at Mormon Surrogate: I'm not the mom. I'm just the stork. In this week's post she updates us on her surrogacy journey complete with lots of photos! Be sure to check it out!

March 21st

It's been another great week on the ABC's of Surrogacy! You can now listen to our show with guest host Dr. Said Daneshmand on demand, and be sure to visit www.fertilitycenterlv.com for more information on Dr. Daneshmand and his practice.

Richard Westoby has published a new segment in his blog series, Our Guide to Surrogacy in the U.S., which is available now on our blog.

The show will be on break next Wednesday but will return with a brand new episode and another amazing guest host (Kim Ormsby from Gro-Via) on Wednesday, April 2, 2014! We'll see you then!

Who to Choose First – the IVF Clinic or Surrogacy Agency?

by Richard Westoby
From the series, Our Guide to Surrogacy in the U.S.

Knowing what I now know, this is a super simple question to answer.  Without hesitation I recommend that you pick the Doctor first, then the clinic then the people that will help you with the rest of the process!

I very much doubt that you would go for heart surgery by choosing the hospital without researching the Doctor performing the surgery, so why create your family any differently?  Research your Doctor, check their pregnancy success rates, live birth rates, how many transfers they do, single or twin transfers and most importantly TALK TO THEM – you must follow your instinct.  If you like the Doctor that is wonderful, if not then find one that you do.

At the time we were making the choice of which route to go first we had no idea what we were supposed to be doing!  We naively believed that by getting in touch with an agency we would be guided by them to make the right choices.

Not necessarily so.  I might be tarring all agencies with the same brush but bear in mind that what is in the best interest of the agency is not necessarily in your best interest.  Two classic examples are where you are "guided" towards an IVF clinic that just happens to have a tie-in to the agency!  Or they guide you towards an insurance broker in which they just happen to have a minority stake.... Surrogacy is a business, and a profitable one, so make sure you know who does what, how they fit in to the picture and make decisions that are right for you.

At the same time, I have also heard that some IVF clinics are trying to get more involved in the whole puzzle and are starting to act like a surrogacy agency by matching patients and surrogates.  That is wrong too, but when money is talking it is amazing what ideas start cropping up.  I also think that agencies should not have egg donor banks as typically the egg donors have not been medically screened for their viability in producing suitable quality or quantity of eggs and you an get your heart set on a donor that ultimately doesn't work.

So, in a nutshell I think let the agency find you a surrogate, look after all the paperwork, manage your escrow account and basically handle all of the "case management" bureaucracy.  And let the IVF clinic medically screen and assess the suitability of the egg donors and evaluate them before you see them.  Let the clinic manage the IVF protocols (drug doses etc) and do the retrieval, fertilisation and transfer... after all that is why you are paying each of them a vast sum of money!

I believe that your Doctor is THE most important part of making your IVF family so maybe I'm missing something but I say let the Doctor do the medical stuff and let the agency do the legal stuff... After all that is what they should be good at doing.

About Richard
Richard and his partner Steven undertook surrogacy in the United States and learned everything about the process during the process.  Since the twins were born, Richard has become an advocate helping prospective parents (both gay and straight) learn more about surrogacy in general but predominantly about doing it in the US.  In doing so Richard aims to help parents make informed decisions from the outset which should hopefully save them not only a lot of hassle but also a lot of money.

Richard has always had a fascination with biology and on the back of his experiences and his advocacy work he now also helps US fertility clinics in the UK reach out to prospective parents.

Richard's basic step-by-step guide featured in the We are Family Magazine Winter 2013 edition.  Richard is also actively involved within the UK gay dads community in organisations such as GaySurrogacyUK and Families Thru Surrogacy.

Biography and photo courtesy of Richard Westoby and www.guidetosurrogacy.com

Follow Richard on Twitter @RW1602

Buy, "Our Journey: One Couple's Guide to U.S. Surrogacy" available now!

Episode 31: Dr. Said Daneshmand - Reproductive Endocrinologist with Fertility Center Las Vegas

The doctor is in! On this week's episode of "ABCs of Surrogacy," we are pleased to have Dr. Said Daneshmand, a Reproductive Endocrinologist and the Practice Director with Fertility Center  Las Vegas. Dr. Daneshmand will be discussing the various components of surrogacy from a medical perspective, including what makes a good surrogacy mother, preserving one's fertility, understanding the causes of infertility and other fertility-related issues. Dr. Daneshmand joined FCLV in 1999, and was instrumental in developing the region's first egg freezing program. As practice director, his special interest lies in developing protocols for patients undergoing IVF, especially those patients with previous unsuccessful cycles. Some of the questions which will be asked during this episode were written by fans of the show's Facebook page. Don't miss this very exciting show!

About Said Daneshmand, MD, FACOG
Dr. Said Daneshmand completed his residency and fellowship training at UCLA Medical Center and is Sub-specialty Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Always committed to research, at UCLA Dr. Daneshmand focused his studies on the effect of female age on ovarian reserve and contributed to the development of a blood test to determine the quality of eggs in the ovaries. Additionally, during his time at UCLA, he also authored “A Guide to Residency Application,” a text for medical students.

After joining The Fertility Center of Las Vegas in 1999, Dr. Daneshmand was integral in establishing the region’s first egg freezing program. He collaborated with his partner, Dr. Bruce Shapiro, to develop IVF protocols to improve pregnancy rates, including PTEC (post thaw extended culture), one of the most successful IVF regimens currently available. Their groundbreaking findings were published in the internationally respected medical journal, Fertility and Sterility, where Dr. Daneshmand has also served as a reviewer for the same publication. Additionally, Dr. Daneshmand and Dr. Shapiro’s voluminous research has been presented at both national and international conferences and IVFreports.org has recognized The Fertility Center of Las Vegas for their stellar pregnancy rates.

Dr. Daneshmand is the recipient of the Eileen Pike Medical School Valedictorian award, the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS) fellowship and the PCRS practicing physician research award. He was also the President of the Iota Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society. He is a member of the Decherney Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and ESHRE, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Currently, as the Practice Director at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas, Dr. Daneshmand’s special interest lies in developing protocols for patients undergoing IVF, especially those patients with previous unsuccessful cycles.

Dr. Daneshmand is a Reproductive Endocrinologist and the Practice Director at Fertility Center Las Vegas.
www.fertilitycenterlv.com

March 17th

The ABC's of Surrogacy is pleased to welcome Dr. Said Dandeshmand, MD, FACOG to the show! Dr. Daneshmand is a Reproductive Endocrinologist and the Practice Director at Fertility Center Las Vegas and will be discussing surrogacy from a medical perspective. You will definitely not want to miss out! Join in live at 7pm PST on BlogTalkRadio.com!

Episode 30: Common Legal Questions and Concerns Regarding Surrogacy, with Guest Host Michelle Keeyes, Esq.

Having a successful surrogacy journey requires making sure you have been properly advised on your legal obligations and responsibilities, and that your contract protects both recipient parent and surrogate mother alike. On this episode of "ABCS of Surrogacy," we are joined by Michelle Keeyes, Esq., a reproductive attorney from Reproductive Law Center in San Diego, CA. She will be discussing how to have a (relatively) seamless surrogacy journey from a legal perspective, and will offer advice regarding the pros and cons between using a surrogacy agency versus going independent, how to pick a surrogate mother, and how to protect the funds you have set aside for a surrogacy journey. Don't miss this very informative episode!

For more information about the Reproductive Law Center, please visit www.rlcsd.com.

March 10th

This week's show will be Common Legal Questions and Concerns Regarding Surrogacy and will feature guest guest Michelle Keeyes, Esq. Be sure to tune in for the live show Wednesday at 7pm on BlogTalkRadio.com, or any time on demand on BlogTalkRadio or here on the ABC's of Surrogacy!

Why We Chose Surrogacy in the U.S.

by Richard Westoby
From the series, Our Guide to Surrogacy in the U.S.

Surrogacy in the US is definitely the most expensive place to go through the process and I am regularly asked why chose it instead of doing it in a “cheaper” jurisdiction.  We had the choice of going to multiple countries namely the US, Thailand, the Ukraine, Georgia and India.  India is now not an option for same-sex couples (as the law is changing), but why the US?

 In all honesty the answer is very simple – we felt that the tried and tested legal framework in the US would offer us and our children the best protection.  The US is a country where surrogacy has been going for years and as such it is an “understood” concept.

We wanted our family to be created in a country where we would be recognised as the parents of the children immediately and have all of the associated rights.

 In the UK surrogacy contracts are unenforceable and the surrogate mother has rights for the first 6 weeks of the child’s life.  We felt that Eastern Europe and Thailand were not advanced enough for us to gain the level of comfort we wanted and that left the US.

About Richard
Richard and his partner Steven undertook surrogacy in the United States and learned everything about the process during the process.  Since the twins were born, Richard has become an advocate helping prospective parents (both gay and straight) learn more about surrogacy in general but predominantly about doing it in the US.  In doing so Richard aims to help parents make informed decisions from the outset which should hopefully save them not only a lot of hassle but also a lot of money.

Richard has always had a fascination with biology and on the back of his experiences and his advocacy work he now also helps US fertility clinics in the UK reach out to prospective parents.

Richard's basic step-by-step guide featured in the We are Family Magazine Winter 2013 edition.  Richard is also actively involved within the UK gay dads community in organisations such as GaySurrogacyUK and Families Thru Surrogacy.

Biography and photo courtesy of Richard Westoby and www.guidetosurrogacy.com

Follow Richard on Twitter @RW1602

Buy, "Our Journey: One Couple's Guide to U.S. Surrogacy" available now!

Los Angeles Surrogacy Center Founder Dawn Marmorstein's “ABCs of Surrogacy” BlogTalkRadio.com Program Hits 10,000 Listens since First Airing in July 2013

LOS ANGELES, CA (PRWEB) March 09, 2014

“The ABCs of Surrogacy,” a weekly online radio program on blogtalkradio.com that provides a comprehensive overview on every aspect of surrogacy, pregnancy and baby related topics using the expertise of industry professionals, has had 10,000 listens since the show’s debut in July 2013.

The ongoing series, created and hosted by Dawn Marmorstein, founder of Los Angeles Surrogacy Center, is designed to educate future recipient parents, surrogate mothers, and anyone interested in the surrogacy process on the multiple components, which comprise a surrogate journey. Marmorstein explained, “I created ABCs Of Surrogacy because the Internet really lacks good solid information on surrogacy. Most of the message boards and websites, which are supposed to educate those who are interested in surrogacy, are not written or moderated by anyone who is an actual industry professional, and often contain a lot of misinformation on how the surrogacy process works, which puts recipient parents and surrogates at risk – medically, legally and financially – when they receive inaccurate information about the surrogacy process."

She said that the “ABCs Of Surrogacy” has also successfully bridged the gap between pregnancy and baby experts, who often distance themselves from third party reproduction by having them as guests on her show to give advice on pregnancy and baby related topics. Her program attracts listeners who are both interested in surrogacy, as well as topics which are of interest to any parent or parent to be. And her large listener base has grown completely organically. “We haven’t done any advertising for the show. Its all been through word of mouth and social media, so I am beyond excited by numbers and the future of the show. Our new “ABCs Of Surrogacy” website, http://www.abcsofsurrogacy.com, is also seeing an increased, steady flow of traffic from those seeking accurate information about surrogacy, pregnancy and baby,” she added.

The “ABCs of Surrogacy” radio show has a Facebook page with more than 900 likes, she said, which is growing weekly.

Upcoming episodes include legal professionals, cloth diapering experts, home birthing using midwives and doulas, fertility issues, egg freezing, and other topics.

“The ABCS of Surrogacy” blogtalkradio.com program can be heard live on Wednesdays at 10:00 pm EDT (7:00 pm PDT) or via podcast anytime on http://www.blogtalkradio.com. There are nearly 30 episodes of previous broadcasts available on demand.

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Los Angeles Surrogacy Center
9107 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Telephone: (424)653-6341

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/03/prweb11650247.htm

March 6th

It's been a busy week on The ABC's of Surrogacy! Did you have a chance to listen to our TWO (yes, two!) shows this week? On Monday we spoke with Sam Everingam and Jason Howe from Families Through Surrogacy about their many conferences held around the world to educate about surrogacy worldwide! Watch/listen to it here. Then on Wednesday we spoke with Cory Silverberg, author of "What Makes A Baby", a fantastic book for children and families which explains where babies come from without specifying gender. You can watch/listen to that episode here!

Episode 29: "What Makes A Baby", featuring guest host Cory Silverberg

Cory Silverberg is a sexuality educator and author who recently published "What Makes A Baby," a gender inclusive book written for children on that ubiquitous all-too-uncomfortable subject of how babies are made. Cory's book and its colorful illustrations (by Fiona Smyth) provide an excellent introductory overview on the basic questions all kids ask during childhood. On this week, we are very privileged to have Cory, who will be discussing this book, as well as his fascinating career which is focused on sexual awareness and health. He has been a consultant for both the media and industry, and spent ten years supervising research for SexTV, an award winning, internationally syndicated documentary that covers human sexuality. Don't miss this very exciting episode featuring Cory Silverberg discussing his newest children's book!

About Cory
Raised by a children’s librarian and a sex therapist, Cory grew up to be a sexuality educator and writer.

He received his Masters of Education from the University of Toronto, and was a founding member of the Come As You Are Co-operative. He is currently chair of educator certification for the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), and teaches across North America on topics including sexuality and disability, technology, access, and inclusion.   Cory is the Sexuality Guide for About.com and the co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability with Miriam Kaufman and Fran Odette.

What Makes a Baby is the first book in a series of kid’s books Cory is working on about sexuality and gender.  It was released in 2013.

Follow on Twitter @aboutsexuality
"What Makes A Baby" on Facebook
www.corysilverberg.com

Cory has eight nephews and nieces, all of whom know where babies come from.

Episode 28: Families Through Surrogacy

"Families Through Surrogacy" sponsors conferences in a variety of international locations which focus on how recipient parents from around the world can embark on their own surrogacy journey. The organization's next seminar takes place on March 15 in San Francisco. On this week, we are pleased to have San Everingham, Family Through Surrogacy's Director of Events & Content, and Jason Howe, who is responsible for the organization's Marketing & Sponsorship. Sam and Jason will be discussing their upcoming conference in San Francisco, which features a lineup of experts in the subjects of surrogacy, infertility, egg donation, and assisted reproduction. This program, which is open to the general public, is designed to educate intended parents about the various facets of surrogacy at one forum. Don't miss this very timely episode on this special Monday edition of the "ABCs of Surrogacy.”

February 24th

Did you enjoy our show last week with guest host and parent educator Danielle Brooks? Danielle had so many wonderful tips to offer new parents - tips for surviving becoming a new parent! If you haven't heard it yet or would like to for the first time, click here.

There will be no live show this week as we prepare to have TWO amazing live shows next week. On Monday at 7pm we'll be chatting about Families Through Surrogacy with a whole panel of amazing guests! And then on our regularly scheduled show on Wednesday at 7pm Dawn will be chatting with Cory Silverberg. Stay tuned to the Episodes page for even more info, and be sure to Like us on Facebook for all the latest show info!

Episode 27: Surviving Becoming A New Parent, with Parent Educator Danielle Brooks

Becoming a new parent can be extraordinarily overwhelming. Between the sudden shift of lifestyle which includes sleepless nights, a crying baby, and learning the cues to ascertain when baby is hungry or needs a diaper change, the impact to one's normal and usual routine is typically abrupt. We are pleased to welcome Danielle Brooks, a Los Angeles-based parent educator, who will be providing invaluable insight on how to make this transition a bit easier and less stressful.  She will be discussing survival tips on becoming a first time parent, and will give listeners some priceless advice regarding parenthood. Don't miss this very informative discussion on this week's "ABCs of Surrogacy.”

February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day! It's been a great week on the ABC's of Surrogacy. If you haven't had a chance to listen to our show this week, you can do so now on demand. Be sure to leave your thoughts in a comment (each show page is connected to Facebook so you can leave a comment without having to sign in or register with our site).

Next week Dawn will be speaking with Parent Educator Danielle Brooks about how to survive becoming a new parent. We can't wait for you to hear what tips Danielle has to offer!

Episode 26: Tips For Infertile Partners, featuring Kristen Magnacca, author of "Love and Infertility"

On this week's episode, we are pleased to welcome Kristen Magnacca, author of "Love and Infertility". Kristen will be giving us her insight and expertise on infertility, and how couples can overcome the hardships and obstacles associated with it. Her book won the inauguarl award for the category "Best Book, Coping" from RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. The book contains strategies on advice on bringing couples together, taking care of the self or property communicating with friends and loved ones. Kristen will be guide listeners on practical approaches to help ease the stress of being infertile, and to ultimately bring partners even closer together. Don't miss this fascinating discussion on this week's episode of the "ABCs of Surrogacy!"

February 10th

Happy Monday! This week the ABC's is pleased to speak with guest host Kristen Darcy (Magnacca), author of "Love and Infertility". Be sure to tune in Wednesday at 7pm PST on BlogTalkRadio for the live event, or you can catch the show anytime on demand via BlogTalkRadio or this very website.

Read Kristen's bio on our blog, follow her on Twitter @KristenMagnacca, and Like her on Facebook!

Episode 25: Amy Demma, Reproductive Law Attorney, Discusses Egg Donation and Surrogacy

This week, we are pleased to have Amy Demma, Esq., a reproductive law attorney with her own firm, the Law Offices of Amy Demma. She will be discussing the complex and challenging legal issues which can often arise in egg donation, surrogacy, and infertility. She will bring her expertise in reproductive law and will address critical issues such as what happens if the parties in a surrogacy fail to have a a fully-binding comprehensive legal agreement in place. Please join us to learn some critical information about how to ensure your surrogacy journey avoids common legal pitfalls.

February 4th

Our first live show of the 2014 season will feature guest host, Amy Demma, Esq., from The Law Offices of Amy Demma to talk about egg donation and legal issues pertaining to egg donation. The show will air live Wednesday, February  5th at 7pm (PST) on BlogTalkRadio. The episode will be available shortly thereafter for on demand access via BlogTalkRadio and on the LA Surro Center YouTube channel.

For more information on Amy Demma, please Like and Follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And don't forget to tune in this Wednesday!

Episode 24: "Breeders: A Sublass of Women" A Documentary Which Knows Nothing About Surrogacy

A new documentary was just released  by the Center for Bioethics and Culture called "Breeders: A Subclass of Women?" In this season premiere of ABC's of Surrogacy, Dawn critiques this dramatic account detailing the journey of three independent surrogate mothers and someone who opted to co-parent a baby with someone else. Dawn explains very specifically why this documentary is an outstanding example demonstrating why independent surrogacy without any oversight is a recipe for failure. She emphasizes why recipient parents and surrogate mothers should rely upon the expertise of professionals such as lawyers and psychologists as well as surrogacy agencies prior to embarking on a surrogacy journey. In fact, in each of the surrogacy journeys exposed, each failed to utilize these experts in any capacity, resulting in the predictable catastrophe in one form or another with each recipient parent or surrogate mother.

"Breeders: A Subclass of Women"

This "documentary" with a controversial title is the focus of the premiere episode of the 2014 season of the ABC's of Surrogacy, and the subject of this week's blog. Listen and read along as Dawn relays her thoughts on the film and highlights the most dangerous aspects of the film in general: it's misinformation.

"Breeders: A Subclass Of Women", A Documentary Which Knows Nothing About Surrogacy

by Dawn Marmorstein

When I hear the term “Breeders,” I automatically think of that friend or relative that looks at you and announces she is pregnant again for the third, fourth or fifth time. The documentary “Breeders: A Subclass of Women” takes a cheap, unresearched shot at the surrogacy industry and globally refers to surrogate mothers as “Breeders.” This newly-released documentary, created by the Center for Bioethics and Culture, takes the most extreme three cases of surrogacy and one case of co-parenting gone wrong, and attempts to make a gross generalization that the experiences of these four surrogate’s is identical to those of every surrogate mother.  But the unfortunate reality of this mischaracterization is that this documentary would be more appropriately titled “I Attempted Surrogacy Independently Without Any Formal Oversight By Professionals, and This Is What Happens If You Make The Same Mistakes I Did.”

Agencies, other professionals and everyone else in surrogacy industry should use this documentary to encourage recipient parents and surrogate moms to hire agencies and the necessary professionals to have a successful surrogacy journey because if they don’t, these are the types of situations which can arise. In two of the stories depicted, one surrogate carried for her brother, and the other involved some undefined adult relationship, with the surrogate carrier never having given birth previously.  Both of them were well over 40 years of age, and one of them was clearly obese and had some type of relationship with the recipient parent, with discussions of her being a stay at home mom of the child while the recipient parent worked. If there was legitimate surrogacy agency oversight or other oversight by professionals who knew what makes a women suitable to be a surrogate mother, neither of these women would have come close to passing any of the psychological or medical screenings a surrogate mother routinely undergoes. Of course, due to both of the women’s advance age during pregnancy, they were each high risk, resulting in both suffering pregnancy complications. But this is completely irrelevant to them being surrogates. Any woman who becomes pregnant runs the risk of developing complications during pregnancy. This is a known fact. One of the female surrogate mothers even said quote, “We thought everything would go well, but the babies were born two weeks premature.”

Huh? Most doctors agree baby can be born at anytime between 37 and 40 weeks. The above statement clearly shows that the producers of this documentary were looking for sensational soundbites merely to irk those who aren’t familiar with childbirth. Anybody familiar with pregnancy duration know that statement, in itself, is ignorant.

Of the other two surrogates targeted in this documentary, one did gestational surrogacy independently -- but without a contract numerous times, without any psychological evaluation, and without any discussion on how the surrogate or parents would feel if the child had genetic issues. This last omission was critical, as an issue arose when an ultrasound determined that the baby the surrogate was carrying had significant genetic abnormalities. This happened not once but several times with two different set of recipient parents.  If the recipient parents had hired proper professionals to screen the surrogate mother, and if she had the proper medical and psychological screenings, these issues would have been addressed long before she was matched and becoming pregnant.

Again another appropriate title for documentary would be I was surrogate without proper legal, psychological or medical screening and I had a bad experiences multiple times. The other case was Traditional Surrogacy where the surrogate mother is also the child’s biological mother. Most states have a legal ban on traditional surrogacy and very few agencies or other professionals will take a traditional surrogacy case. The main reason is since the surrogate mother is the child’s biological mother she automatically has legal rights to the child because shes its birth mother just like she is in adoption. If a women is going to be a traditional surrogate it’s important that a woman understand she is going to be that child’s biological mother and she will not be raising the child prior to her becoming pregnant. Its also very important that the necessary psychological testing be completed to makes sure she understands what she is agreeing too this was clearly a step which was missing from this story in the movie it was very clear that the women had not had proper psychological counseling or testing and clearly didn’t understand what she was agreeing too prior to becoming pregnant.

After seeing this documentary, it is very clear that the people who created this documentary utterly failed to do their research on the surrogacy industry. There was not a single professional who worked for an agency, not a reproductive lawyer, no one who could properly explain the surrogacy process, and shed light on why each step is an essential component of that process which should never be skipped. After all, surrogacy creates babies, and good parenting starts prior to conception.  if you're going to become a parent through surrogacy, you can not afford to take any shortcuts or skip critical legal contracts or screening procedures. Doing so results in the outrageous outcomes portrayed in this documentary. If you choose not to do your own due diligence and follow an established protocol using the requisite professional, your story will be leaked to the world via pseudo-documentary films like “Breeders” which present a very one-dimensional and inaccurate view of the world of surrogacy. Remember, the media’s job is to attract viewership, readership, and attention from the masses,  and the typical, successful and squishy surrogacy stories which unfold each day don’t sell.

Thats why all the positive surrogacy stories are typically and routinely omitted from the media.  What the media feeds on are stories like those showcased in documentaries like “Breeders.” But these nightmarish scenarios only play out when a recipient parent chooses to go online to find a surrogate mother, and then chooses to skip all of the steps necessary to determine whether or not that surrogate mother is the right choice. Whether its skipping the legal contracts where the surrogate mother and recipient parents are advised individually of their respective legal rights under a surrogacy agreement, or whether the recipient parents don’t require the surrogate to undergo a formal psychological evaluation, the end result is precisely what ultimately transpires in this documentary: Disputes arise that could have been resolved prior to the surrogacy even commencing, but too late because a baby has already been born. That’s the newsworthy event that is highlighted on the evening news. But rarely does any of the good that often comes from a surrogacy journey make headlines.