Surrogate & IVF Pregnancy & Birth Stories

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Surrogate Pregnancy and Birth

When surrogate, Ashley, measured large at her 38 week check, the decision was made to induce her at 39 weeks. Intended parents Nancy and Justin flew from Chicago to Utah, where their surrogate Ashley was set to deliver. Only three days later, they were all together in a labor and delivery room as Ashley was induced with a drip of Pitocin. While labor progressed uneventfully in the beginning, pushing lasted hours as baby Audrey’s head was very large and stuck. Following nearly four hours of pushing, and close to being prepared for a c-section, baby Audrey was born on a strong push at 10:21 pm. Nancy, her intended mother, cut Audrey’s cord and immediately took her into her arms for skin-to-skin bonding as feelings of gratefulness and awe washed over her.

Nancy Rohde Bio

surrogate birth story
Over three years of infertility treatments and three different doctors told Nancy that she would never be able to conceive a child. Heartbroken, she and her husband turned to surrogacy. Quickly matched with a surrogate, they were further crushed when she experienced a chemical pregnancy and lost the baby before a heartbeat could be detected. Finding it too difficult to move forward, the surrogate abruptly exited their agreement to attempt another transfer.

Feeling hopeless, Nancy and her husband decided to try more IVF attempts on Nancy while searching for another surrogate. Two further IVF transfers resulted in negative pregnancy tests while they were matched with their second surrogate, Ashley. While proceeding with legal and medical clearance for Ashley, Nancy tried one final IVF cycle. To her complete shock, it resulted in her first positive pregnancy test ever. Scared about losing the baby after so many struggles, and thrilled to have finally been matched with Ashley as their surrogate, Nancy and her husband decided to proceed with the surrogate pregnancy as well. Exactly five weeks after Nancy became pregnant, her surrogate Ashley became pregnant as well. Both babies were carried to 39 weeks and were born healthy and happy.

Today Nancy lives in Chicago with her husband and two precious daughters. Lilly is 11 months old, and Audrey is 10 months old. Nancy works in the investment management industry as an equity manager researcher when she isn’t at home doting on her miracle babies. Nancy also blogs under the name “Mrs. Starfish” on the pregnancy and parenting blog Hellobee.com. She has written extensively there about her infertility journey, her amazing surrogacy experience, and her current crazy and wonderful life with multiples! Read more from Nancy at Hellobee.

Ashley Brown Bio

gestational carrier birth
Growing up a Navy brat, Ashley lived several different places; but she calls Washington home. It is there she met and married her husband, Josh. After marrying, they moved to Hawaii to continue their college educations. Ashley graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a Bachelors of Social Work. Just a few months before graduation, Josh and Ashley happily welcomed their first child. Upon completion of her internship and after much discussion they settled in Utah, where they had two more children. During the time after graduation and growing their family, Ashley went back and forth between being a stay-at-home Mom and a working Mom. Once she felt they were done having children of their own, Ashley turned to surrogacy with the support of her husband. Ashley currently works as a teaching assistant at a local elementary school.

Resources

Pink & Blue Surrogacy

Surrogacy: Carrying My Brother’s Babies

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A Surrogacy Journey

When Tiffany’s sister-in-law had to have a hysterectomy after a postpartum hemorrhage with her first birth, Tiffany almost immediately offered to be their surrogate for a future child. After some time passed and lots of planning and discussion, they decided to go down the path of surrogacy with Tiffany carrying her brother and sister-in-laws next child. It turned out to be two babies instead of one and soon Tiffany was pregnant with their twin boys! In this episode Tiffany talks about the process of planning for this pregnancy, actually getting pregnant and finally giving birth to her brother’s babies! It’s a story of unconditional love and such a great listen!intended-parents-surrogacy
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Tiffany Burke Bio

Tiffany Burke is a full time photographer, and a mother of two boys, Holland who is 11 years old and Blakey who is 7 years old. She is married to her husband Sean, who works in the film industry. They live in Tacoma, Washington. Read more about her story on her Surrogacy Blog or connect with Tiffany on Instagram and Facebook.

Resources

Surrogacy Website Recommended by Tiffany

Successful Surrogacy: An Intended Parents’ Guide to a Rewarding Relationship With Their Surrogate Mother

Surrogacy Was the Way: Twenty Intended Mothers Tell Their Stories

The Very Kind Koala: A Surrogacy Story for Children

BabyMoon Retreat – October 25-30, 2016

The Babymoon Retreat exists to bring joy and adventure back to preparing for baby. In this 5-day retreat, expecting couples get their last big hurrah together before baby arrives while also completing comprehensive preparation classes for birth, breastfeeding and baby care. Each day is balanced between classroom time as a group and unstructured evenings for couples to explore and enjoy Enchantment Resort on their own. It’s two birds with one very fabulous stone.

BabyMoon Retreat Giveaway

One VERY LUCKY listener of The Birth Hour will win the full BabyMoon Retreat package valued at $4990—enter the giveaway here before Sept. 5! There is also a special offer code for anyone interested in signing up for the retreat use code: birthhour to get $1000 off the price of the entire retreat! Hope to see some of you in Sedona!

babymoon retreat

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