The Life Changing Journey of Surrogacy: By Markay Mason
As a 28 year-old military wife and girl mom of two, my husband and I decided our family was complete. We were 100% sure we were not going to have more kids. But I still had a strong desire to be pregnant again. I had a great idea-SURROGACY!
I had considered becoming a surrogate many times before. But the timing was never right. Now that the timing was right, I had to get my husband on board! We sat down and had “the surrogacy talk”. He was supportive of me and fully on board. I was so excited!!
At the time, we were living overseas in Okinawa, Japan, soon to be heading to Whiteman Airforce Base in Missouri. I decided to do some research about surrogacy in Missouri, and surrogacy in Kansas, and found my surrogacy agency, Pathways To Parenthood. After talking with Kerry Christifano at Pathways To Parenthood, I knew her agency was where I belonged. She made me feel welcome, loved, and so at home. I did not know what was going to happen after talking with Kerry, but told myself if it was meant to be, then it would be.
Pathways To Parenthood helped me understand the steps in the surrogacy process, answered all of my questions, as well as my husband’s questions. They made the screening process seamless and stress-free. After the screening process, I was matched with intended parents that could not have been a better fit for me and my family. It all seemed too good to be true! But it wasn’t! The surrogacy journey continued. I will share more of my surrogacy journey very soon.
Before I go, if you are considering becoming a surrogate, especially if you live in Kansas or Missouri, Pathways To Parenthood is your go to for expertise in surrogacy. They will provide reliable information about all aspects of surrogacy. Plus, they care about their surrogates and it shows! Give Kerry a call at 913-469-5500 or email her at kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com.
Considering Surrogacy: Turning grief and loss into hope and optimism.
By Kerry Christifano M.A., LCPC
If you are considering becoming a parent through surrogacy, you are doing so most likely after many years of grief and loss. Recognizing and processing the many losses of your infertility and/or recurrent pregnancy loss is essential before embarking upon the surrogacy process.
Some of you reading this post may be considering surrogacy for different reasons other than infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss. It may be that you have a different health condition that prevents you from carrying a child. Or you may be a single person, or same sex couple that needs the help of others to build your family. Whatever your path to surrogacy may be, it most certainly has not been an easy one. Therefore, it is very beneficial to recognize and acknowledge your experience that brought you to this place in your journey. Having a child through surrogacy is an amazing opportunity to become a parent. To ensure the best experience possible, take the time to be sure you are ready emotionally.
One sign that you are emotionally ready to embark upon the surrogacy process to have a child, is if you have some amount of hope and optimism that surrogacy is a way for you to realize your dream of becoming a parent. It may be that the presence is not very large or frequent, but if it is there at all, you are on your way! You may need more time to educate yourself, understand the steps in the surrogacy process, or talk to a counselor about some of your struggles and concerns. All or some of these events can and hopefully will allow your hope and optimism to grow.
If you find that you don’t have any real hope that surrogacy is going to be the right path for you, then you need to consider that you may need more time to process your grief and loss. Of course, it is also a possibility that becoming a parent through surrogacy may not be the right option for you. The only way to know for sure is to take the time to be kind to yourself and/or your partner, and commit to figuring it out. If you find yourself in this place, talking to a counselor that is educated and experienced in grief and loss related to infertility and reproductive issues can be very helpful.
As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and the owner of Pathways To Parenthood, I have worked with many individuals and couples that have found themselves at the same fork in the road that you are. Contact Pathways To Parenthood today for a free consultation to help you figure out if becoming a parent through surrogacy is the right path for you. If you are considering becoming a surrogate, we would love to hear from you too! You can reach us at 913-469-550 or kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com.
Surrogacy Close To Home
If you live in Kansas or Missouri and have considered becoming a surrogate or working with a surrogate, contact Pathways To Parenthood today! We are located in the Kansas City area and offer you not only surrogacy expertise, but a safe surrogacy process with short-distance travel, or travel by car. With all of the risks in today’s world with coronavirus, our location is ideal to ensure safety during your surrogacy process that does not require flying or long-distance travel.
The majority of our surrogates and families live in the Midwest in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois. We have also helped surrogates and families with the surrogacy process that live in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. If you prefer to work with a surrogacy agency that offers matching with a surrogate or families that live in the Midwest, Pathways To Parenthood is the surrogacy agency for you!
We understand that location is not the only consideration that is important to consider when choosing your surrogacy agency. We also offer unparalleled service and experience. We value our surrogates and our families that trust us to join them in one of the most important events in their lives. We offer free consultations so contact us today to learn more! You can reach us at 913-469-5500, or
kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Becoming A Surrogate During Coronavirus
If you have considered becoming a surrogate and are ready to move forward in the surrogacy process, you are likely unsure if/how coronavirus will impact the process. The screening steps to become a surrogate will not be much different than they were before the COVID pandemic. However how the steps in the process will be implemented may be somewhat different.
As with other areas of your life, some of the screening steps to become a surrogate may be done virtually, rather than in person. Depending on where you live, and where your surrogacy agency is located, virtual meetings and email/phone calls may have been the primary form of communication regardless of coronavirus.
If you decide to move forward in the screening process to become a surrogate, then the medical treatment, pregnancy, and delivery will likely be impacted by coronavirus precautions. At the end of it all, a baby will be joining a family that would not have been possible without the help of you! And that amazing feeling is not likely to be impacted at all by coronavirus. In fact, it may be heightened due to the greater lengths and measures all parties may have to experience to make the dream a reality! Many intended parents had to delay or cancel plans in place to have a baby, and they waited months longer than they expected before they could move forward in the process. Their joy of being able to take steps to get closer to their dream of having a baby are wonderful to be a part of, in spite of all of the additional stressors that the presence of coronavirus may add to the surrogacy process.
When working with a surrogacy agency, you will have a built-in team in place to help you understand what to expect on your journey. You will also have the benefit of having professionals best prepare you and your intended parents for all steps in the surrogacy process. And although coronavirus will present some challenges, your agency will help you meet those challenges so the outcome remains the same!
For more information about becoming a surrogate or working with a surrogate, contact Pathways To Parenthood today. Give us a call at 913-469-5500, or email kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com.