Do you have what it takes?
The journey to becoming a surrogate is one paved with compassion, resilience, and a profound desire to bring joy to others. It’s a path chosen not just by anyone, but by extraordinary women who embody certain distinctive traits.
If you’re contemplating this life-changing role, here are seven signs you might just make a great “gestational carrier”, the other name for surrogate. There may be more, of course, but there are reliable.
1. Great Surrogates Have the Heart of Family Champions
At the core of a great surrogate is a deep, unwavering family orientation. You are someone who finds joy in the chaos and laughter of family life, from diapers and spit-ups to tantrums and bedtime stories.
Your role extends beyond mere caretaking; you are the temporary guardian of the most precious gift intended parents could wish for. Your ability to nurture and love unconditionally makes you the ideal person to support and carry a child for someone else.
2. Are You A Beacon of Organization?
Surrogacy is a journey dotted with appointments, paperwork, and all-important milestones. Being a gestational carrier requires meticulous organization—a skill you’ve likely mastered in your own life. Whether through a finely-tuned calendar or a knack for juggling family schedules, your ability to stay on top of things ensures that the surrogacy process moves smoothly for everyone involved.
Naturally, you would be able to count on the support of your surrogacy agency. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we know how important it is for surrogate mothers to feel they can lean on at any time on their surrogacy team. Even if you are a top-notch organizer, there will be things that life throws at you haphazardly, that we will be more than happy to resolve and take care of.
3. Being a Surrogate is Being Open-minded
Surrogacy, like life, is unpredictable. Great surrogates embrace this uncertainty with open arms and an open heart. Your adaptability and willingness to accept the twists and turns of the surrogacy journey—not only for yourself but for the intended parents and your surrogacy agency—demonstrate a level of open-mindedness that is key to succeeding in this role.
As an example, some intended parents have religious convictions preventing them to eat certain foods. As their surrogate mother of choice, you may be asked to abstain from these foods during your pregnancy. Some parents will discuss with you about avoiding violent sports from the very beginning of your pregnancy —even if you would do otherwise if the fetus was your own child. If you were to accept being their surrogate, you would have to approach these requests with an open mind. If you are naturally of this disposition, adapting your life for a few months to these desires would not be a major issue.
4. Healthy Surrogates Deliver Healthy Babies
A surrogate’s health is to the safe development and later health of the child she carries. A healthy BMI, a smoke-free lifestyle, and a history of successful pregnancies are non-negotiables. Your willingness to pass undergo medical and psychological screenings not only shows your fitness for the role but also your commitment to a healthy pregnancy.
As a surrogacy agency, we can tell you that your health is at the very core of our preoccupations and those of our intended parents. We endeavor to support your health throughout your pregnancy to give the baby the best chances to be born in great health and to stay so along the years. So much happens in the womb that no one wants to take chances with the life you carry. So everyone is on your side, at your beck-and-call, to help you all along.
5. Surrogate and Motherhood
To be a viable candidate for surrogate motherhood, a woman must already have given birth to a healthy child. Why? Because being a mother is a quasi guarantee that you have invaluable experience and insight. Having the experience of a pregnancy, of childbirth, and of motherhood creates a solid foundation for the journey you are about to embark on as a surrogate. It helps ensuring you are well prepared for the physical and emotional experiences that lie ahead.
As a surrogacy agency in Los Angeles, we have met and talked over the years with hundreds of surrogacy candidates. We also have discussed with many doctors and counselors about the make-up of the surrogate’s mind and emotions, and the complex issues we face together in the endeavor that is ours. First-time mothers were not ready for their first pregnancy. Very young women have a much harder time than more experienced ones. Very few surrogacy agencies accept candidates with no pregnancy and no delivery experience. No well-advised counselor will want to “play” with two lives.
6. Surrounded by Love and Support
You will need a great support system during surrogacy. Whether it’s your partner, your family, close friends, or a circle of advisors, having people to lean on, share joys, and navigate challenges with makes a significant difference in the quality of the journey and its outcome. This network will sustain you throughout the experience and provides a loving environment necessary for the baby’s normal development.
7. Belief in Universal Parenthood
At the heart of surrogacy is a belief that everyone deserves the chance to be a parent, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. If you share this conviction, you are likely to approach surrogacy with the empathy, respect, and commitment it deserves. Your willingness to help others achieve their dreams of parenthood is what makes you an exceptional candidate.
This is not to denigrate anyone with strong moral or religious convictions. All manner of people have all manners of perspective on life. We, at Los Angeles Surrogacy, do believe though that sexual orientation or marital status should not be exclusionary qualifiers.
The Path Forward
If you find these qualities resonate with you, surrogacy might just be your calling. It is a path of profound impact, offering the unparalleled opportunity to help others achieve what they have dreamed of for so long: a family of their own. As you contemplate this journey, remember that surrogacy is not just about meeting criteria; it is about heart, resilience, and the powerful human connection that comes from helping someone’s dream come true.
Whether you are thinking of becoming a surrogate or an intend parent, Los Angeles Surrogacy will walk you through the whole qualification process, and then the whole journey. Contact us today!