What Was it like to be a Surrogate Twice, Once for Twins?
Being a gestational carrier not only once but twice has been a beautiful adventure for myself and my family. My family and I have been able to help two different families grow their families. My first surrogacy journey resulted in twins. Most twin surrogacy pregnancies begin with a double embryo transfer with the expectation and hope that both embryos will take. The reality of the twin announcement at your first ultrasound is not as shocking. We had only transferred one embryo during our transfer, so the result of twins took our breath away.
It took myself, my family, and the intended parents weeks to digest the news, as exciting as it was. As the shock decreased, the excitement and reality of our situation set it. Our intended parents were over the moon with the news that they were welcoming two identical little boys instead of one child. Preparations for this type of pregnancy have begun.
Being pregnant with twins was both exciting and scary. I had never carried two babies before, was I going to be able to handle this pregnancy? What unexpected medical concerns may arise? How would my body change? Would I deliver early since I was carrying two babies? Would I have to have a c-section versus a natural delivery? So many questions ran through my mind. Having my amazing family as support made my twin pregnancy a blessing. My family constantly had my needs first a foremost, baths in the evening, helping me prep snacks, assisting with all the household chores without complaints, rubbing my growing belly and feet, and talking through all the emotional up and downs. Overall my twin pregnancy was much easier than my two other singleton pregnancies, as funny as that sounds. I did have a scheduled c-section because of the medical needs of the boys and it didn't take away from the delivery experience with my intended parents. I watched these parents each cradle a sweet baby as fast as I would have if I delivered naturally.
Our twin pregnancy and my singleton pregnancies were very different but equally as exciting. I was not expecting twins the first time around so that added a layer of surprise to the mix. With all my pregnancies the third trimester was exhausting because the lack of sleep was real. While pregnant with surrogate babies I did work full time while also caring for my family. Making sure I ate a healthy diet and enjoyed lots of rest was important to keep me healthy and to give me the energy to carry these pregnancies. Being a surrogate can be an emotional and unknown journey and I learned from each experience. The first pregnancy was a magical one and therefore my husband and I decided to do it a second time. It needs to be a family decision as it affects the entire family. Having great communication with your significant other and/or your support team is very important. They will be on this journey with you so their involvement and feelings are very important.