Many parents- to- be wish to document their pregnancy experience for years to come through taking photographs. Likewise, it is not uncommon for Intended Parents to share the desire to capture memories during their experience with gestational surrogacy. While it is only natural to want to remember a joyous and exciting experience such as pregnancy, many IPs find they are unsure of how to approach the topic of maternity photos with their surrogate. Is this a family moment that should be captured?
The one and only true answer is: it depends. Each relationship between a surrogate, her partner, and the Intended Parents is unique and entered into with different comfort levels and expectations of what the relationship should be like. The majority of these comfort level topics should be addressed while you are being matched with your surrogate; however, many topics, such as maternity photos, are bound to pop up throughout the course of surrogacy, which is why it is so vital to have open and honest communication with your surrogate. In a nutshell, if you are curious about what your surrogate thinks of taking maternity photos during your surrogacy, ask her!
Pictures can come into play and provide several great roles throughout surrogacy. Whether it is an ultrasound photo, or a quick cell phone picture of a growing baby bump, baby progress photos can help make the idea of the baby seem more real for IPs. Many surrogates who do not live nearby their IPs express the joy they find in sending photo updates to their IPs as a way of involving them in the pregnancy, even if they are unable to attend doctor appointments or meet face to face as often as they would like. Again, it all comes down to comfort level, but sharing photos is often mutually enjoyable for both IPs and surrogates alike.
Whether it is a quick family picture at home or professional portraits in a studio, maternity photos have become increasingly popular over the last decade and surrogates are no exceptions! Today, it is not uncommon to see beautiful photographs of a pregnant surrogate, her family, and the IPs all together. Not only does this provide a wonderful first picture for a baby book, it also documents a beautiful experience for both families to cherish forever.
No two surrogate/IP relationships are identical, which is why there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to taking maternity photos with your surrogate. If maternity photographs are something you are interested in, discuss it with your surrogate to find common ground in your levels of comfort. Surrogate Solutions believes in matching Intended Parents with surrogates who will be an ideal fit for values, beliefs, and expectations to ensure a happy, healthy, and memorable surrogacy experience for everyone involved. If you are considering gestational surrogacy and are in need of additional surrogacy resources, do not hesitate to contact Surrogate Solutions today!
