Aaron & Jess

What advice would you give to someone who is just started to consider growing their family through surrogacy?

To anyone consider growing their family via a gestational carrier, I would recommend you go for it - with the help of a reputable agency like Surrogate Steps. Going it alone can be fraught with challenges, some of which intended parents might not be aware of. Surrogate Steps took care of much of the hard work: knowing the law, background checks, facilitating communication, helping arrange orders of parentage, and finding uniquely qualified potential carriers and matching them with our family. Our journey was made much more straightforward and painless by having experienced guidance, and we are now starting a second journey with Surrogate Steps to complete our growing family. We had (and continue to have, based on our shared wishes) a great relationship with our gestational carrier and her family.

What advice would you give to someone who is about to start their first surrogacy journey?

If you're thinking about it, I would do it as soon as possible. Finding a great match can take time, and we were excited to grow our family and ensure a smooth process.

Describe the type and frequency of communication you had with your surrogate during your surrogacy journey(s).

We spoke to our gestational carrier every week or more by phone or FaceTime, were present (cross-country) at key medical appointments such as the anatomic ultrasound, and for delivery after which we shared a double hospital room with our GC and her husband in the post-partum period.

Describe the moment you held your baby for the first time.

We had a unique culmination of our journey since, as a physician, Jess was uniquely qualified to deliver our own biological child (side-by-side with the GC's chosen obstetrician). What an opportunity! Words cannot express the sheer joy of holding our healthy baby boy in our arms for the first time.

Are you still in touch with the surrogate(s) who carried for you?

Yes

Please describe your current relationship and what sort of contact you have with the surrogate(s).

We talk to our gestational carrier and her husband several times a year, wish each other well at the holidays, share photos of everyone's growing kids, connect on social media, and have done some family events (water park, group picnic) with them since our baby was born.

Please describe your experience working with Surrogate Steps in a few sentences.

Working with Surrogate Steps was straightforward, easy, and professional. They facilitated key elements of the process, and, perhaps most importantly, connected us to an amazing GC with whom we remain good friends.

Please describe your family building journey(s) in as much detail as possible. We find the best stories start around the time they met/married their partner (if applicable) or decided they wanted to start growing their family.

My partner and I were keen to have a family but unable to conceive without IVF due to prior surgeries. She was able to carry our first child to delivery via elective C-section but advised never to carry again after that, due to medical risk. We connected with Surrogate Steps particularly because we required a Jewish gestational carrier and Yifat and her team are especially qualified in this area. We made a match on the other side of the country that felt like a great fit. Our amazing gestational carrier was able to carry our embryo to term and delivered a healthy baby boy! He's been a joy to watch grow up and has been a great younger brother. We still keep in touch with our GC and her family and they have also been able to see our son become a wonderful young man.