Baby 50! A Hope Surrogacy Surrogate’s Story

Baby 50! A Hope Surrogacy Surrogate’s Story: Erin’s Journey:

Surrogacy: it’s such a big word! It conjures up many thoughts and ideas and preconceived notions. I know I certainly held beliefs about what it all entailed. But what I didn’t know was the absolute depth of what becoming a surrogate would mean.

I wasn’t done being pregnant:

In 2014 I gave birth to our third and final child. I was fortunate to have three pregnancies and three rather uneventful (dare I say easy) births. We were content. Our family was complete.

But there became a nagging thought that would bubble up, indicating that perhaps I wasn’t done being pregnant yet.

My body was strong. I was good at carrying and growing life inside of me. But watching firsthand the struggles and heartache that come along with infertility, I knew there was more of a purpose for my body. And there was someone out there whom I would be able to help.

Thinking about becoming a surrogate:

So began my investigation into what really was required of a surrogate.

I Googled “surrogacy agencies in my area,” read reviews, and checked out websites. And that’s when I happened upon Hope Surrogacy. Their website, with this absolutely perfect baby on the homepage, drew me in. The stories shared, the genuine feel of the agency, and just that “I know what I’m feeling” aspect prompted me to reach out.

In January 2020, I made my first contact with the team. Mary, LeeAnn, and Amy were super friendly and prompt with their response. I knew right away that I wasn’t going to be seen as a “file” or a “number.” I was Erin. And they would remember me. That personal nature, the automatic friendship, is what solidified my choice to work with them.

I was given a checklist to go through for prepping for this adventure. There were doctor visits (for myself AND my husband), lab work, and an extensive psychologic exam. If, after all of that, I was still excited to continue, I knew this is where my heart belonged.

I was quickly matched with a couple from the Atlanta area. We met, via Zoom, (stupid Covid) and got the ball rolling. But, for reasons beyond our control, this pairing didn’t substantiate, and it was decided to break the match and look for someone else.

And can I just say that this Universe knows exactly what It’s doing?!

The Match:

A short while later, I received a phone call from Hope saying they thought they found us another match. With excitement and a little hesitation, James and I decided to move forward, and an in-person match meeting was scheduled. In November 2020, we walked into the lobby of a hotel here in our city of Duluth, MN. What we were met with was nothing short of perfection. Before us stood Christopher and Aaron. They were nervous, had fears, and were cautiously optimistic, but their heart’s longing for a child was absolutely apparent. Our personalities clicked, conversation flowed easily, and little life coincidences kept popping up. It was obvious from that moment that this was going to be an absolutely perfect match.

Try try again:

There was still some legwork that needed to be done, though. But a few months later, in April of 2021, we all gathered in the procedure room of the fertility clinic. We saw the magical “shooting star,” and it felt like everything was perfect. But it wasn’t. Ten days later, we received the crushing news that our transfer had failed. We all cried and felt horribly defeated. But not being prone to giving up, it was agreed upon to give it another go.

So on August 10, 2021, we attempted again. This time, I couldn’t wait ten days to get a result. Five days after transfer, I bought some home pregnancy tests. The first one was faint. Could it possibly be positive?! So I took one the next day. Slightly darker! And this trend continued until our joy was confirmed with a blood test ten days later. I was pregnant! The excitement was immediate and huge! But so was the worry that something MIGHT happen. So with a guarded heart, I proceeded through the next few months of pregnancy, just willing everything to work out right.

I gave birth!

And it did. On April 21, 2022, I gave birth to the most beautiful dream imaginable. I was surrounded by an amazing medical team and the most supportive husband and new dads. Everyone was in the room. While labor was long, delivery was short and easy. Our sweet boy entered this world and changed all our lives forever. While so many thanks were given to me for providing them with this gift, I couldn’t quite express how thankful I was to be given this opportunity to provide for them! This was the goal the entire time. This was the prize! I was able to turn a family of two into a family of three. How powerful is that?!

The relationship that I have gained through this extends beyond Aaron and Christopher. My family has been welcomed and embraced into a THEIR whole family. I am so thankful!

While this ends this portion of our surrogacy journey, I am certain that this is not the end of our story. Baby boy grew inside of me. I love him and cared for him with all my heart. He shared my space. My body nourished him. And that knowledge will feed my soul for the rest of my life.