Although Ed and Anthony’s surrogacy journey led to a joyous ending with a happy and healthy baby girl, no path is without its own unique set of challenges. Being a nontraditional couple, Ed and Anthony experienced unique situations that are not always present for traditional couples.  They needed to find a gestational surrogate as well as an egg donor, thus, incurring the costs of fertility medication for two women. Looking back on the experience, they both say,

“While the cost of working with a gestational carrier is expensive, what you receive in return is absolutely priceless. No amount of money would prevent us from doing it again. The birth of our daughter is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in our lives.”

Securing their egg donor and surrogate was just the beginning of Ed and Anthony’s journey. Both men, along with their surrogate, Vicki, and her husband were required to submit to a routine psychological examination. The two couples first met with the therapist together, then separately, discussing the big “what if” questions to determine if all parties were on the same page. Once the psychological assessment and legal agreement were complete, it was time to prepare for Vicki’s embryo transfer.

Distance was also a challenge for the couple as Vicki resides in San Antonio while Ed and Anthony lived in Houston. Because Vicki was required to be immobile for 72 hours following her embryo transfer, Ed and Anthony made hotel arrangements for Vicki and her family, checked in regularly, and brought them many meals. Once the first 72 hours had passed, Vicki and her family returned to San Antonio, and just ten days later, Ed and Anthony received the wonderful news that Vicki was pregnant.

Although Ed and Anthony had hoped and planned to be involved with Vicki’s pregnancy every step of the way, they realized that this wasn’t something they were able to do due to the distance between the two cities. The many doctor visits and monitoring the pregnancy via a remote fertility clinic in San Antonio proved to be more difficult than they anticipated; however, thanks to modern technology, the couple was able to communicate with Vicki almost every day.  Vicki did her best to keep Ed and Anthony in the loop as much as possible, updating them on everything from baby movements, cravings, emotional changes, and morning sickness.

Despite the distance challenges they faced, Surrogate Solutions and Gayle East helped the couple overcome challenges and support them throughout the pregnancy. They said,

“Gayle made the process so much easier by providing input and support every step where we needed it. This is so much more to Gayle than merely a business transaction. Gayle adds the human element that we believe is so important in this process.”

Towards the end of her pregnancy, Vicki was informed during a routine doctor’s visit that her labor would need to be induced the following morning. Ed and Anthony quickly packed their bags and traveled to San Antonio that night to spend time with Vicki and her family before the birth of their daughter.  In their words,

“It was an opportunity to feel the baby move, to reflect on the journey we all shared, and to look to the future with great expectation and optimism.  I don’t think any of us got very much sleep that night.”

Ed and Anthony met Vicki and her husband at the hospital first thing the next morning. The couple had feared encountering a number of issues due to being a same sex couple, but were delightfully surprised to experience none. The hospital staff was already waiting for them when they arrived and had the gestational agreement and all other legal documents on file. Ed and Anthony checked in and followed Vicki to her room, where labor was induced at 7:00 a.m.

Today, Ed and Anthony are the proud parents of 15-month-old, Sofia. Although being parents to a 15-month old is extremely time consuming in the best way possible, the couple still speaks with Vicki at least once per week. As Ed and Anthony explain,

“Without Vicki, we could have never realized our dream of having a child. Vicki helped us fulfill that dream. We can never repay Vicki for what she has done for us. She’s a very special and unique human being who is genuine in her desire to help others. Vicki will always be in our lives. We consider her part of our family.”

Each surrogacy journey is unique and no path is completely exempt from obstacles along the way. Working with an agency is the best ways to ensure you receive the proper information and help you’re looking for, along with the care and compassion you need. If you are looking for further resources on surrogacy, do not hesitate to contact Gayle at Surrogate Solutions today!

 

 

 

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