Allison's Story
“We live in Minnesota and our first IPs were from Los Angeles and our current family lives in Seattle. You just build such a strong, trusting relationship that you feel instantly at home with each other through the process!”
I first heard about surrogacy through long-time family friends. I grew up close with a family of four daughters, and when one of them wasn’t able to get pregnant, the other three sisters and I talked about carrying for her. Although that never ended up happening, as she chose to adopt, it was the first time I truly thought about and considered surrogacy.
Around the same time, my cousin was a surrogate twice, carrying two sets of twins for the same dads. I remember being in awe of what an incredible gift she gave that family. Both of these experiences stayed with me over the years in the back of my mind as I grew older and raised my own daughter.
My husband and I have one daughter, who is 21 years old. She is our stubborn, beautiful, and BRILLIANT pride and joy! We’ve been married for almost 18 years this summer and were together for five years before we tied the knot.
When I first shared that I was considering surrogacy, the initial reactions were so supportive and excited. A few friends thought I was joking at first, but quickly realized we were completely serious and all in. I waited a bit before telling my family, but when I did, they were SO excited. My mom and some of our closest friends even came to the hospital after delivery to meet the dads and the baby, which made the whole experience even more special.
I found NWSC while driving home from dinner with friends one night. I saw an ad on my Facebook and I immediately, I mean IMMEDIATELY, signed up to do an interview/intake questionnaire. It just felt “kismet” and like this thing that had been on the back burner for so long was finally happening at the right time!
Once I went through my initial interviews and completed my screening, matching was so easy. We made our profile, explaining who we were and what was important to us, and received an IP profile not long after. For our second journey, we updated our family profile, and the matching process was just as easy! NWSC does such a great job matching families that we said yes to both families instantly. We were immediately excited to welcome these families into our own!
The match meetings were so fun. I have been matched twice, and I vividly remember both meetings feeling a little quiet at first but as time went on, I got more comfortable answering the questions and both of us started to open up more. By the end of both meetings, we were all laughing and joking around and talking like we had been friends forever!
Do I qualify as a
surrogate?
Ready to become a parent?
Both of my matches have been with gay male couples. We live in Minnesota and the first couple is from Los Angeles, CA and our current family lives in Seattle, Washington. Our relationships with the IPs have become so close so fast. Because we live far away from both couples, most appointments are done over Facetime, with a lot of texting, and sending pictures and updates in between. We didn’t meet our first IPs until the day baby came (he came early!) and the nurses all thought that we had been friends for a long time. They were surprised to find out it was the first time we met in person. You just build such a strong, trusting relationship that you feel instantly at home with each other through the process.
After our first surrobabe was born, we spent the entire time in the hospital together. They went home shortly after baby was discharged but before they left, we went out to dinner, and they met some more of our friends. Since, we have gone to visit them in LA and we talk regularly. They send pictures and updates of the little guy we all love so much!
We’ve already spent a lot of time with our current IPs—playing pickleball, going out to eat, and exploring their city—and it felt easy and natural once again. They are coming for our 20-week appointment, and we plan to meet some of each other’s family members and spend as much time together as we can while they are here.
I chose to do a second surrogacy journey for 3 reasons. The first is because of the moment the little guy came out and cried for the first time. I will never forget the feeling of love that washed over all of us in the room. Here was this happy, healthy baby that we all had been so excited to meet. It was magical to be a part of! Second, seeing the dads hold their son that they had waited for and dreamed of for so long. They were meant to be his parents, and they are the most loving, doting dads. This made my heart so full! Lastly, knowing how much love these babies are surrounded by. These babies are so wanted and longed for, not just by their own parents, but by all their extended family as well. Getting to meet the grandparents of surrobabe and watching my husband meet and love surrobabe was transformative. I knew before I left the hospital that I wanted to do this for another family.
NWSC is there for every single twist and turn. They help navigate the paperwork and remind you of everything that needs to be done so you can stay on track. But even more than the legal side, or the paperwork, is the emotional support they provide. Every call I made to my case manager, or anyone else at NWSC, I felt so uplifted and like I had so many people behind me to cheer me on. They seriously make you feel so heard and cared for. We had a difficult journey the first surrogacy, and NWSC was there for me. My case manager checked in on me frequently to make sure I was okay, and I will never forget the kindness that I so needed at that moment.
Seeing the IPs hold their baby boy in their arms was pure magic. I will never forget the tears and the sound of their voice breaking as they cried happy tears over their son. To be a part of their story meant more to me than I can even describe. If this is one of the only good things I can do on this planet, that’s all I need! If you are considering being a surrogate, do it already! It is one of the most selfless and wonderful things you can do, and if you’re considering it, your heart is in the right place already. Surrogacy made me a better person in so many ways and brought a gift to me and my family that we cherish deeply. We can’t WAIT to meet our second surrobabe and watch his or her dads’ lives be changed too!