Are you and your partner interested in building your family via surrogacy? There are plenty of things to prepare for as intended parents. Locating a reliable agency, establishing a financing plan, making home safety updates for the baby, hiring a trustworthy lawyer, and building a connection with your surrogate mother are all important aspects when preparing for your surrogacy journey.
Locate a Reliable Agency
When searching for the surrogacy agency that’s right for you, you want to make sure you are looking for experienced, unique, and dedicated professionals to assist you along the way. Building a family through surrogacy allows parents, in most cases, to have a genetic tie with the baby and an opportunity to build a bond with the gestational carrier that’ll last a lifetime. It’s noteworthy that there may be a few bumps and disappointments during your path to building a family. Surrogacy is a process that takes time and patience. This is why it’s significant to have an agency that’s committed to being your guide every step of the way.
Establish a Financial Plan
There’s no secret building a family can be costly. Whether you choose natural conception, gestational surrogacy, or other options such as adoption, the expenses will add up. Although building a family is priceless, it’s still responsible to understand the cost of gestational surrogacy. So, how much does it cost? The truth is, that the cost varies with every situation. Many factors go into the cost and compensation of surrogacy, such as gestational carrier fees, agency fees, non-medical surrogate screenings, surrogate insurance costs, legal fees, newborn insurance, and clinic medical fees. A rough estimate of what these costs and fees are is somewhere around $100,000 to $150,000.
Although the cost may feel overwhelming, there are different options to help. First, start by finding financing options in the healthcare industry. This is a 100% confidential option to help protect you and your partner throughout the process. You’ll also want to start establishing a budget as soon as possible. Contribute a certain amount to this fund every week to help build the amount up faster. If you’re eager to start the process sooner rather than later, you may want to lower your retirement contributions for the time being to contribute more money to your surrogacy budget.
Prepare Your Home for a New Family Member
With a baby on the way, you’ll want to child-proof your home. Although not necessary for the surrogacy process, it doesn’t hurt to have the peace of mind that your home is ready to welcome a new family member. Some safety features to look at are the smoke and carbon monoxide detector and the locks on all the doors and windows. Check for toxic paint on the walls and test the air quality as well. Air quality is important because you don’t want to worry about mold or dampness in your home, especially in the nursery. If you’re not sure what to look for, consider hiring a home inspector.
Balancing bills, budgeting for the surrogacy process, and now updating the safety features in your home, the costs may add up fast. But these expenses will be worth it when you have updates, such as a home equity loan. You’ll receive the funds in one lump sum, so you can allocate the money to the improvements right away. Don’t forget to ask for help from friends and family members with the updates if the project is not huge or requires a professional. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to a child.
Hire a Trustworthy Lawyer
A lawyer will make sure you acquire all the necessary documents the state you reside in requires and abide by all laws. Some surrogacy laws may differ from state to state, while some states may not have a surrogacy law at all. A reputable surrogacy agency will be able to offer referrals to surrogacy attorneys for the duration of your journey.
Build a Connection With Your Surrogate
Over the duration of your journey, you’ll have the opportunity to build a strong connection with your surrogate. Meeting your surrogate, and getting to know her and her family, is important because you’ll be coupled for an entire pregnancy. Being supportive of one another and creating a bond is encouraged and ideal, so you can rely on one another for help along the way and experience the pregnancy together. Surrogates are special and compassionate human beings that are willing to help a loving couple grow their family. The journey you’ll share with your surrogate will be one of the most amazing experiences of your life, and the relationship you forge can last a lifetime.
If you’re interested in becoming an Intended Parent today, we’ve got resources that include the requirements, costs, and more. Do you have questions or concerns? Reach out to All Families Surrogacy today at (503) 936-7960 or send us an email: info@allfamiliessurrogacy.com
