Family Inceptions

There's a version of this story that doesn't get told enough: two dads, building their family through surrogacy, standing shoulder to shoulder with the woman who made it possible. Same-sex couples have been finding parenthood through surrogacy for years now, and it looks like this, showing up together, appointment after appointment, as a team from the very start. Surrogacy isn't just a path to parenthood for some families. For many, it's the only path, and it's one worth celebrating.

After an embryo transfer, the outcome isn't something you can control, if it doesn't work, that's biology, not anything you did. But there are real ways to support your body during this window. Prioritize rest and sleep for recovery and hormone regulation. Keep movement gentle, walking is fine, skip the heavy lifting and intense workouts. Limit substances that could interfere with pregnancy, including capping coffee at one cup a day. Eat well, protein, fiber, healthy fats, and water. And don't underestimate real emotional support, having someone to talk to changes how manageable this stretch feels. 🤎

"Sometimes we need to help others when they're not able to do things themselves." One surrogate's why, in her own words. Does this sound like your why too?

It's easy to think of a surrogacy journey as building toward one big day. In reality, it's made up of a lot of smaller wins along the way, a positive test, a healthy ultrasound, a shower like this one, each one worth pausing to celebrate together, not just waiting for the finish line.

Her why didn't need to be complicated. She just wanted to help grow a family, and that was enough. What would yours be?

Trust is the foundation of every surrogacy journey, and it's built long before the baby ever arrives. Intended parents and their surrogate spend months getting to know each other, showing up for each other, and leaning on one another through every milestone along the way. This is what that trust looks like in practice.

If you're considering surrogacy, "transfer day" is a phrase you'll hear a lot before you ever go through it. So what does it actually involve? It's the medical procedure where a lab-created embryo is placed into the surrogate's uterus, guided by ultrasound, using a soft catheter, no anesthesia required. The whole thing takes just 5 to 10 minutes, and most people describe it as painless or mildly crampy. What follows is the "two-week wait" before a blood test can confirm whether it worked. 🤎

The question surrogates hear most is some version of "won't you be sad giving up the baby?" Taylor's answer cuts right through it: she could never give up her own baby, but this was never her baby to begin with. That's not what surrogacy is. Once you understand that going in, the whole question stops making sense the way people expect it to.

What does surrogate screening actually involve? It breaks down into four stages: prescreen and application, medical records review, clinic medical screening, and a psychosocial evaluation. Prescreen checks the basics right away, so you're not waiting weeks to learn whether something rules you out. Medical records review takes one to two months, mostly waiting on your OB's office, not anyone deliberating over your file. Clinic screening happens after matching, at the intended parents' fertility clinic. The psychosocial evaluation isn't a test you pass with the right answers, it confirms you're prepared and entering freely. Full guide: https://hubs.ly/Q04v_TZS0