Match – “to be equal to (something or someone) in quality or
strength; to make or to be harmonious.” What perfect definitions to
describe how the  staff at our surrogacy
agency matches our intended parents and surrogate mothers! We want to ensure
that the surrogate and the intended parents are certainly equal in inner
strength and that the surrogate has a harmonious pregnancy.

                                         

Shared Conception’s objective is that the surrogate and intended
parents interact in an extraordinarily comfortable environment and that both
parties build a good, solid rapport and partnership. That said, we strive to
pinpoint your core beliefs and innate desires so that everyone is
mentally comfortable and relaxed throughout the pregnancy.

If you are comfortable with the surrogate we present to you, we
will immediately contact them. If they, too, are interested in moving forward,
Shared Conception will coordinate a three-way phone conversation between you,
the intended parents, the surrogate and a member of our team. If all parties
agree to move forward, then the next step is to arrange a face-to-face meeting
so everyone can discuss the partnership and expectations.

This is such an exciting time in the life of you all and the
surrogate. Imagine all the hopes, dreams, expectations and anticipation all
wrapped up into the actual match between two families? Simply amazing!

Becoming a surrogate mother is an amazing and unforgettable journey that is a gift to yourself and to the Intended Parents. In order to erase any mystery or fear of the process, our surrogacy agency, Shared Conception, has created a timeline overview.

-The Surrogate Mother Process

– Application and Evaluation

-The Matching Process

-Psychological Screening and Evaluation

-Medical Screening

-Legal Process

-The Embryo Transfer

-Pregnancy and Delivery

                                                                

The Initial Surrogate Mother Process

-Start by completing the online Information Request or call Shared Conception (713-622-1144) to schedule an initial phone consultation.

-If we both decide to proceed, we will email or mail you our application packet, which also requests 2-4 pictures of yourself, as well as inquire about your medical history, psychological history, lifestyle, and preferences related to surrogacy.

-If your application is accepted, Shared Conception will contact you to gather more information about you and your family. Upon review, you will be contacted about your potential participation in Shared Conception’s Surrogacy Program. We will then start a series of meetings via phone, Skype or in-person so we can get to know each other better.

-If all goes well, and we are mutually pleased with each other, Shared Conception will present you with our Agency agreement which spells out both parties rights and responsibilities and gives us permission to present your profile to prospective intended parents.

-Next, we will start gathering medical records from your previous pregnancies.
-If you have medical insurance, we will also ask that you send your insurance benefits information to us. We will help you review your health insurance policy to ensure, we will assist you in finding a policy. The intended parents will be responsible for the premium.

-While your insurance and medical records are being gathered, Shared Conception will simultaneously conduct a thorough criminal and residential background check.

A few notables:

-Try not to miss any of your medical appointments.

-Call us immediately when you go into labor. This will be a very special day for you and your Intended Parents!

-Each match is very different, thus we promise to consistently and clearly communicate with you throughout the entire experience.
Surrogacy is a very rewarding experience for you and your family and our staff will do everything possible to make sure you are completely satisfied with this unforgettable process!

To be honest, the real question is not whether Shared Conception
will  accept you into our program, but
whether being a surrogate mother is the right choice for you. We thoughtfully
spend time helping each potential surrogate  decide if becoming a surrogate mother is the
right choice for her and her family and whether this is a good time in their
lives to begin this journey.

Based on our years of experience, we, at Shared Conception, have
identified three  requirements which are
just the foundation to begin the screening phase as we journey towards a woman
becoming a surrogate mom.

                                  

1. Age factor–  a
woman between  the ages of 21-38 years
old is a good the maturity to deal with and understand the intricacies of surrogate
parenting and the effect her decision may have on her own children. The upper
age limit is based solely on medical considerations, and the link between age
and high risk pregnancies.

2. Have a child of her own. Shared Conception believes
that only someone who has gone through a pregnancy, felt a child move, and
given birth can understand “bonding” and know if she can become a
surrogate mother and relinquish the child to the Intended Parents. In addition
to having given birth, we require that she must be actively raising her child.
We believe that only a woman who has experience in parenting a child and
understands what it takes to be a parent, can be a surrogate mother.

3. Financially secure. Since money should not be the major
motivating factor in deciding to become a surrogate mother, anyone on welfare
or receiving state assistance, is excluded from our program.

In a nutshell, we need to ensure this potential surrogate mom has
the support of her family and that her children understand that she is not
“giving away” a sibling.  At
our surrogacy agency, we thoroughly screen our candidates to determine their
psychological health and are confident with our choices.  Contact us for more information on becoming a
surrogate mom through Shared Conception!

You’ve waited all year for those moments. And now that the gifts have been unwrapped, the relatives have left and the tree has been taken down , the time has come to pack up the holiday mementos and move on.
Whether it’s caused by feelings of guilt from overindulgence, unmet expectations, or a return to loneliness, depression after the holidays is a common condition. So common, in fact, that there is even a name for it – the “post-holiday blues.”
As surrogate mothers or Intended Parents, symptoms of depression can include mild unhappiness to more troublesome symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, inability to eat or overeating, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and anxiety. These symptoms are common when you are a surrogate mother and pregnant or when you are an Intended Parent and riddled with anxiety AND anticipation. It’s a lot to deal with and your surrogacy agency will be right beside you throughout the pregnancy and delivery.

Here’s how to survive the blues and get back on track for 2014.

1)Expect some letdown. One day you are laughing with friends, eating your mom’s famous cheesecake, and snuggling in front of the fireplace; the next day you are back to work. It’s normal to feel a little bummed that the holidays are over, but you don’t have to let those feelings consume you. That’s why you need to…

2)Make plans. As a surrogate mother, pamper yourself at home or at a spa. As an Intended Parent, book a mid-winter adult weekend getaway while you can! Give yourself something to look forward to so that you feel better about leaving the holidays behind.

3)Make healthy choices. Even if you feel like you are just going through the motions, make a conscious effort to eat well and get a little exercise during this period. It will do your body and your mind a world of good and keep you from spiraling downward.

4)Go public. After all of the socializing of the holidays, it’s common to want to hideout when you feel the holiday blues approaching. But staying connected with family and friends will help you move on from the holidays and once again enjoy your day-to-day life.
The post-holiday blues are temporary and fleeting. Your surrogacy agency is always happy to refer you to a licensed professional as needed.

 Keep on moving forward as we enjoy January and get ready to launch into the new year!

As we start off this new year filled with all of our hopes and dreams, our surrogacy agency wanted to share this current news story with our Intended Parents and surrogate mothers. There are so many ways to make your dreams come true!

Utah mom serves as gestational surrogate, hopes to give birth to her own granddaughter
Associated Press
Thursday, January 9, 2014

A 58-year-old Utah woman is set to give birth in a few weeks — to her first grandchild.
Julia Navarro is serving as a gestational surrogate for her daughter and son-in-law after the couple struggled with fertility problems.
Navarro’s daughter Lorena McKinnon said she began trying to have a baby with her husband, Micah McKinnon, three years ago.
The 32-year-old Provo woman said she’s had about a dozen miscarriages, with the longest pregnancy lasting 10 weeks.
After several tries, the couple began looking for a surrogate. McKinnon said a friend and sister both considered carrying her baby, but ultimately decided against it.
That’s when her mother offered to step in.
“As a family, we have to help each other,” Navarro told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Navarro had to undergo hormone shots for three months before an embryo fertilized by her daughter and son-in-law could be implanted.

Because of her age, doctors had warned there was only a 45 percent chance the implantation would be successful.
But the procedure was a success, and Navarro said she’s had a smooth pregnancy carrying a developing baby girl.
As with other surrogacy arrangements, the couple and Navarro needed three months of counseling.
“The psychologists wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting into — that we were mentally prepared,” McKinnon said. “Mostly, surrogacy contracts are with people you don’t know. It was weird to have a contract with my mom.”

It’s unclear how rare it is for a woman to carry her own grandchild, but recent news reports have detailed similar relationships.
Last year, a 53-year-old Iowa woman gave birth to her twin granddaughters. And in 2012, a 49-year-old woman in Maine gave birth to her grandson.
McKinnon said she was grateful and overwhelmed by her mother’s offer, which eases some of the obstacles and financial burdens for parents using a gestational surrogate.
Both she and her daughter said they’ve bonded over the experience.
The baby girl is due in early February.

What are your thoughts on this topic and article? Shared Conception wants to hear from you.

Happy 2014 to you and yours!

Here at Shared Conception, we wish you all things good as we turn yet another chapter in our journey of life, and keep living to our fullest potential.

Our surrogacy agency researched and found the “Top 10 New Years Resolutions for 2014.” Do they match up with any of your personal New Years resolutions?

1. Lose Weight

2. Getting Organized

3. Spend Less, Save More

4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest

5. Staying Fit and Healthy

6. Learn Something Exciting

7. Quit Smoking

8. Help Others in Their Dreams

9. Fall in Love

10. Spend More Time with Family

At our surrogacy agency, our chief goal is #8, “help others in their dreams.” As an Intended Parent or someone thinking of becoming an Intended Parent, now is a great time to finally make your dream of becoming a parent come true. Now, is the time to research what it means to use a surrogacy agency and how to successfully navigate the role of being an Intended Parent. Making the first step can lead to you, hopefully, cradling your newborn soon!

As an surrogate or a surrogate mother, you also have the opportunity to literally “help others in their dreams.” Imagine being able to give the gift of a baby, the gift of life to a family who so yearns to parent and lovingly raise a child. Now is the time for you to start researching what it means to have a baby for another family. Now is the time to start prepping your body (through a healthy diet and exercise) to carry a baby. Now is the time to call a surrogacy agency and start the screening process.

It’s such a treat to start the new year with a clean slate, let’s intentionally write the words to our own life story. Peruse the above-mentioned resolutions (pay close attention to #8!), and determine how this new year will unfold for you and your family. Happy new year!

*Source: University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology
Published: 12.13.2013

Making an annual list of New Year’s resolutions is an enduring tradition. It dates back to the ancient Romans, who customarily made a show of promising the god Janus that they would behave better over the next 12 months than they had in the past year. But while Janus was the patron deity of new beginnings, he also provided a convenient excuse. If a citizen of Rome didn’t actually follow through with his various self-improvement vows, he could always shrug it off by explaining that it was Janus’ will. Then, presumably, he could just go on gorging himself at banquets or betting excessively on gladiator fights.

Sounds familiar? A couple of millennia later, we’re pretty much doing the same thing that the Romans did. We may finally decide to research becoming an Intended Parent yet procrastinate. You may come to the realization that you need to partner with a surrogacy agency, make the phone call yet hesitate to completely follow through. As a potential surrogate mother, you may decide to start the surrogacy process by eating healthy and exercising yet consistently overindulge and delay working out. For one reason or the other, these resolutions sometimes do not come to pass, no matter how well-intentioned.

But with all the practice we get at making resolutions year after year, why aren’t we doing better at keeping them? We suspect that one reason is that while losing weight or quitting smoking (two of the top resolutions) are worthy endeavors, they sound rather boring and involve a lot of self-denial. This year, why not make some positive and creative New Year’s resolutions? Here are a few that you might actually be able to keep.
1)Trust your instincts-if your heart tells you to become an Intended Parent, research it and act on it.
2)Stop procrastinating-you know how much you yearn for your baby. Call a surrogacy agency such as Shared Conception and make it happen.
3)Learn to take risks-becoming a surrogate mother is a risk. Taking on the role as an Intended Parent is a risk. They are both ultimately rewarding!
These are just a few resolutions that are realistic and fulfilling. These are resolutions that can possibly have a long-term impact on your life. Let’s get started on our personal success in 2014!

The holiday season is a difficult time for many people. Dark weather brings depression, shorter days cause fatigue, finances triggers strife, and relationship tensions can reach a breaking point at this time of year. Throw in trying to determine if you should be a surrogate or awaiting your baby as an Intended Parent, and all these factors can sometimes lead to great loneliness and sadness leaving Christmas a time to be dreaded rather than celebrated.

So, how can we combat those holiday blues?

1. Cry it out.
How can crying help a bout of holiday depression? Tears are cleansing, and crying is a good catharsis that will release pent-up stress. It’s relieving, ultimately, even though it hurts in the moment. As you happily yet anxiously enter the surrogacy process and it happens to be around the holidays, cry a bit and release your stress and fears.

2. Don’t isolate yourself.
Sadness makes a person feel alone, and they tend to isolate themselves out of shame, guilt, frustration or sadness. As you thoughtfully agree to become a surrogate mother or decide to engage in the surrogacy process, surround yourself with people who love and care about you. It’s okay to need each other.

3. Get outside yourself.
It’s a known fact that helping those who are less fortunate will help to ease feelings of depression. Showing kindness to those who aren’t used to kindness being shown to them will help you count your blessings, and realize that there truly is joy and goodness in the world. Additionally, Shared Conception is here to talk through any part of using a surrogacy agency, the process of surrogacy or other related topics as needed.

4. Get outside.
If it’s frozen and snowing where you are, simply do what you can. Bring some of the outdoors inside. Take a deep breath of brisk air–it’ll make you feel alive. If you live in a warmer climate, go for a hike. Additionally, getting a bit of exercise releases feel-good endorphins, and is a great natural way to fight sadness. Plus, moderate exercise boosts your immune system, so you’re less likely to get sick.

There are many other ways to help fight holiday sadness. If needed, what are some things you do to help you find joy during the holidays?

Are friends celebrating the New Year with steaks cooked rare? ‘Tis the season for your mother’s homemade eggnog, but are raw eggs off your Christmas list this year now that you’re pregnant and drinking for two?

Holidays, and their often less-than-healthy traditions, always pose a challenge when you’re trying to eat well and that goes double when you’re trying to eat well for two PLUS you are a surrogate mother having a baby for excited Intended Parents!

Here are a few adjustments you can make before heading out on the social circuit or going out for a holiday feast.

1)
Order a “mock-tail”: There’s no need to be a pregnant party pooper and a sad surrogate mommy just because your drink options are a bit more limited than they used to be. Just “belly up” to the bartender and order yourself a drink as sparkling as your personality. A glass of bubbly cider, a cranberry spritzer, a no-tequila sunrise, or a virgin anything are great substitutes for alcoholic drinks during pregnancy. Just nursing that mock cocktail will make you feel like you’re joining the party in spirit!

2)
Scan all the offerings at a buffet: Ready to make a beeline for the buffet? Go for it but try to continue eating well by balancing the savory treats with the healthier options.
Be an assertive guest: Ask the chef to completely cook your steak. Tell your host that one sliver of seven pies is just about all you can handle. Keep in mind that while the holidays are definitely a time to splurge, eating sensibly is a necessity. You are going through the surrogacy process, after all, and everything you eat matters.

3)
Don’t miss a meal: It’s tempting to skip a meal so you can just stuff yourself with stuffing later on — but the baby, as always, needs regular feedings around the clock. Your Intended Parents will sure appreciate you.

4)
Be merry: Soon, after you have delivered the baby to his/her Intended Parents, you’ll be able to toast with real champagne and eat everything in sight. For now, party like a pregnant rock star and enjoy the journey of being an amazing surrogate!

Ahhh, the holidays…they are HERE!
Parties and dinners with family, colleagues and friends.
Cocktails and fun holiday-inspired drinks.
Corralling your family to take those annual holiday pictures.
Decking the halls with…..well, you know the rest.

Alas, as Intended Parents and surrogate moms, our realities are way different than the traditional idea of holiday perfection. For the majority of us, the holidays represent a very stressful time filled with hustle and bustle, rushing from one holiday event to the next plus determining the right gifts for your family, friends and coworkers.
The holidays can also mean spending time with THAT relative who doesn’t always understand why you are working with a surrogacy agency or how the surrogacy process works. It’s okay, their questions will eventually slow down!

So in the midst of all this organized chaos, where, oh where, is the holiday peace?
Here at Shared Conception, our advice is simple: Find it. Your peace and happiness can only be achieved by you and your internal boundaries. It’s ironic that we have to seek peace during a very and sadly not-so-peaceful time!

Here are a few tips on retaining your sanity while enjoying this season of joy.

1)
Keep the holiday parties and dinners to a minimum. You and your family aren’t obligated to attend and do everything available each holiday. You have permission to do your own thing!

2)
Everything doesn’t have to perfect, after all, your real life isn’t perfect, is it? At Shared Conception, we work hard to achieve perfection for you through explaining the surrogacy pregnancy process, detailing the cost of surrogacy and expertly outlining the plan for finding a surrogate mother. However, in this holiday season, do not try and achieve perfection for yourself and your social gatherings — you will stress yourself out.

3)Recognize that all your events are about the people and not about how many lighted candles you have around the house.
Rest. Savor. Enjoy. It’s the most wonderful time of the year but it’s also a time to reflect and enjoy your friends and loved ones. So do that. Easier said than done, we know-but try.
Be thankful.

Even if your family holidays don’t always look like a Hallmark commercial, it’s your family. Embrace them all.
What additional tips do you have for achieving peace in this fast-approaching holiday season?