An Incredible Bond – Catching Up With Laura and Chad

At Hope Surrogacy we are surrounded by incredible people. The surrogates we work with at Hope are among the bravest people we know. What a surrogate goes through and what they give to the parents they work with is incredible. And it takes so much time, hope and generosity to make it through the journey. But many people don’t know how much the parents go through on their way to surrogacy, too. Laura and Chad are two parents who relied on love, bravery and a lot of hope to get through the obstacles they faced along the way. You can listen to their episode of Hope Works on our Podcast Page or on Apple Podcasts. While listening, you’ll hear how hard things really became for the couple. They held onto the dream of their family, and, with the help of a surrogate, that dream came true. Listen to their full episode here!

After the episode, our podcast host, Brent Love, caught up with Laura to see if she has any advice for future intended parents or surrogates. And he did a little checking in on her family’s holiday plans.

 

Does the hard stuff ever get easier?

Brent: You went through a lot to build your family, but you mentioned in the episode that sometimes you feel distant from all you went through, like it’s somehow in the past. Maybe that’s especially true during the excitement of the holidays. Does it get easier now that your son is here? Does time make the hard parts of your journey easier?

Laura: Time certainly helps. We think about our angel babies and the experience we went through on a daily basis, and as hard as those days were, the joy that is associated with our experience of bringing Briggs into this world and raising two sweet boys helps heal the pain and reminds us of what is important. We feel so fortunate.

What is your relationship with your surrogate now?

Brent: Now that you are so far out from your son’s birth, what is your relationship with your surrogate like?

Laura: We’ve been able to connect in person on a few occasions. And we always enjoy spending time with her and her family. When you go through an experience as intimate as surrogacy, you start to feel more like family and have a bond that is so special and hard to describe. We also keep in touch often via text and social media and love to hear updates about family and life. They are incredible people who have given us so much. We are forever grateful.

Advice for Surrogates – When Intended Parents Have Been Through Very Hard Times

Brent: Many surrogates aren’t sure what it will be like to work with parents who have been through a hard journey like the one you and Chad experienced. Some even worry about their relationship with a mom who’s been through something really difficult. Do you have any advice for surrogates who are beginning their journey?

Laura: I am guessing everyone is a little different. But anyone who is willing to carry a life for a complete stranger has the biggest heart and cares deeply. I would say that these things helped me (none of which I had to ask for) – showing compassion early on for our story, a positive and optimistic outlook that helped balance my constant worry, and good communication so we always felt informed and included. If you’re ever in doubt, I would also suggest asking what the other person needs as we are all different and sometimes hard to read

Advice for Moms Starting the Journey

Brent: Do you have any advice for mom’s like you who are starting the surrogacy process?

Laura: It felt very daunting for us at first. But take it one step at a time. I am Type A and like to have a plan so it was hard at times – not always knowing what’s next and feeling like you are jumping one hurdle after the next. Just be patient. And enjoy it – it’s an incredible process. And you’ll meet a ton of incredible people along the way who will change your life.

Here Come the Holidays

Brent: Now, you really are just a normal family with two kids. Are you looking forward to another holiday season with the boys? Any special plans?

Laura: True! We are in the full holiday spirit over here, and the boys are thrilled. Briggs is now able to understand a bit of what’s going on – mostly there’s an elf around (that he wants to touch!!) and a bearded grandpa whose lap he was put on but not by choice. We will be spending lots of time with family, enjoying downtime from work and hopefully some outdoor winter activities if the weather allows!

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We’re so grateful to Laura and Chad for sharing their story. And, more than that, it’s an honor to be part of this incredible community with them! If you are interested in learning more about surrogacy, chat with us here.

And if you think that becoming a surrogate might be right for you, send us a message! We’d love to tell you about the journey. Plus, on our podcast, you can hear about surrogacy from surrogates themselves, like Lauren or Amanda who shared their story on Hope Works.

Happy Holidays!