My Surrogacy Experience: The Journey Continues By: Haley Casillas

Recently I wrote about events that led to my becoming a surrogate. It was a dream that started in my early childhood which came to fruition after having my own child and moving back home to be close to my family.

After deciding to work with my surrogacy agency, Pathways To Parenthood, and completing their screening process, I quickly started the matching process.  After writing a letter to prospective intended parents, I waited patiently for the next steps. I didn’t have to wait long! I received a letter from my future family. They had already read my letter to them.  I was in my car when I received the letter in an email from my surrogacy agency, so I pulled over to read it. I was so excited to read about them and their story. Their letter brought me to tears.  They had so many struggles that lead them to surrogacy. Instantly I felt connected to them and wanted to help them.

Soon after, Pathways To Parenthood introduced me to the intended parents, and we got to know each other a bit before having our match meeting. We spent hours talking and emailing with each other before our match meeting, so I felt like I already knew them well enough to know for certain I wanted to help them. We did have an official “match meeting” and we were all able to meet in person at Pathways To Parenthood’s office. I knew when I sat down that they were the right family for me.  I was hopeful they felt the same way about me. Fortunately, they did! And so off we went together to have a baby!

We had many steps in the process before we got to the day, we had all been waiting for-embryo transfer! I am sure everyone that has gone through what we were going through has experienced nervousness and stress.  But I was really nervous and stressed!  I so wanted my body to cooperate with the process and not let everyone down.  Especially since we only had one embryo!  One beautiful baby boy embryo!

Luckily that is all we needed.  I got pregnant! It was exciting and surreal! And then COVID hit! So, the surrogacy journey became a little complicated after that. But we all made it through, and Baby D came into the world. The feelings I had waiting for the intended parents to come to the hospital before he was born, and then to see his loving family take him in their arms after leaving my body, are truly indescribable!!  My heart is full.  I just love happy endings!  That was the end of my surrogacy journey, but the beginning of a beautiful life for Baby D and his family.  My dream of becoming a surrogate, being a surrogate, and helping complete a family had finally come true.