Episode 88: Hayley

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

#Kids And Families #Australia #Australian Surrogacy #Sarah Jefford

30:55

A secret field that summons lightning. A massive spiral that disappears into a salt lake. A celestial observatory carved into a volcano. Meet the wild—and sometimes explosive—world of land art, where artists craft masterpieces with dynamite and bulldozers. In our Season 2 premiere, guest Dylan Thuras, cofounder of Atlas Obscura, takes us off road and into the minds of the artists who literally reshaped parts of the Southwest. These works aren’t meant to be easy to reach—or to explain—but they just might change how you see the world. Land art you’ll visit in this episode: - Double Negative and City by Michael Heizer (Garden Valley, Nevada) - Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson (Great Salt Lake, Utah) - Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt (Great Basin Desert, Utah) - Lightning Field by Walter De Maria (Catron County, New Mexico) - Roden Crater by James Turrell (Painted Desert, Arizona) Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.…

5 years ago 52:47

MP3•Episode home

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 88: Hayley. Hayley is a donor conceived person in Victoria, and her parents shared with her that she was donor conceived when she was 12 years old. When she was older, Hayley did a DNA test with consumer-DNA sites (like Ancestry and 23andme), and worked out who her biological father was, and connected with several donor-conceived siblings. Hayley later connected with her biological father through the Central Register which is managed by VARTA.

103 episodes

Episode 88: Hayley

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

published 5 years ago

MP3•Episode home

103 episodes

#Kids And Families #Australia #Australian Surrogacy #Sarah Jefford

All episodes

1
Mike, Nate & Sarah 39:51

5 years ago39:51

39:51

The Surrogacy Podcast Episode 100: Mike, Nate and Sarah. We made it to 100 episodes of the Podcast! And it seems only fitting that we revisit the earlier episodes, and in particular my interview with my intended parents, Mike and Nate. When we recorded those first episodes, we were very early in the fourth trimester and and finding our feet as new parents and (old) surrogate. Almost three years later, with a toddler running around and the benefit of hindsight and reflection, we got to chat about our relationships with each other, with Darcey and my children, and what we've learned in the past three years. We also got to chat about Mike and Nate's experience of parenting post-surrogacy, in a two-dad family.…

1
Episode 99: Sarah Jefford 46:34

5 years ago46:34

46:34

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 99: Reflections on surrogacy with Sarah Jefford. I was lucky enough to sit down with Miranda Crowther-Jones, writer, and mother through egg donation and surrogacy, and talk about the last 3 years and my book, More Than Just a Baby. You might remember Miranda from her own episode on the Podcast, and also from her guest blog post she wrote about parenting with a chronic illness. We are celebrating 100 episodes of the Podcast in the coming weeks! This episode reflects on the last 98 episodes, and on the perpetual journey of surrogacy.…

1
Yvette & Cam 7:58

5 years ago7:58

7:58

The Surrogacy Podcast Episode 98: Yvette and Cam. Yvette and Cameron are intended parents in South Australia and have shared their story for the Surrogacy Podcast. Yvette is a primary school teacher, and teaches drama and dance in French. She can speak four languages! Cameron considers himself the family chauffeur and chef. Yvette's son Xavier is a gamer kid, and Cameron's sous-chef. Cameron can speak Japanese and has worked as a garbologist! Yvette has a long history of infertility and pregnancy losses, and has adenomyosis. Their specialist has recommended that they consider surrogacy in South Australia to grow their family.…

1
Katie 31:28

5 years ago31:28

31:28

The Surrogacy Podcast Episode 97: Katie. Katie is a surrogate in New Zealand, who carried for her sister and birthed a few months ago. Katie is originally from Ireland, and so is her sister - so their surrogacy journey crossed Irish and New Zealand borders and two different legal frameworks. Add in a global pandemic part-way through a pregnancy, and a mad-dash across the world before borders shut, and then two families in lockdown before a baby arrives - and we've got quite the epic tale of surrogacy!…

1
Kirsty & Angela 35:07

5 years ago35:07

35:07

The Surrogacy Podcast Episode 96: Angela and Kirsty: surrogacy pregnancy during COVID. Ange is an intended mother in Queensland, and Kirsty is her surrogate. Kirsty is pregnant and due in just under two months. They met through the Australian Surrogacy Community on Facebook, and had an embryo transfer in February - just weeks before the COVID pandemic led to lockdowns and restrictions in hospitals. As the pregnancy has progressed, they've had difficulties planning the birth, attending hospital together for appointments, and negotiating with the hospital. Their hospital is a COVID hotspot, with several staff diagnosed with the virus. And Kirsty is a fast-birther, so choosing another hospital further away from home is out of the question. Unfortunately, Kirsty and Ange have had to deal with 'one size fits all' hospital policies that were going to prevent either of the intended parents attend hospital, leave Kirsty to birth without them, and require Kirsty to care for the baby in the hours and days after the birth. But, with a bit of pushing by them, advocating for themselves, and some advocating by their surrogacy lawyer (!) they've been able to get a better response from the hospital. Hospitals and healthcare providers who are supporting a surrogacy pregnancy and birth need to develop a surrogacy policy, and need to recognise that the birthing person is not the parent, and does not generally wish to care for the baby once it is born. And the parents do want to provide care, and neither of them have given birth. It is in a child's interests that they be cared for by their parents, and a surrogate cannot be forced to care for a child she birthed.…

1
Cherie & Alex 9:46

5 years ago9:46

9:46

The Surrogacy Podcast Episode 95: Cherie and Alex. Cherie is a cancer survivor, and she and her partner Alex live with their gorgeous pups in Melbourne. They've recently managed to freeze embryos, and Cherie is taking time out to concentrate on her health after the cancer diagnosis. Cherie is an accomplished pianist and violinist, and Alex is heavily involved in car clubs. Cherie is into trashy reality television (I reckon she should be ON Gogglebox!). Cherie has recently started her own cooking blog on Instagram, cooking up a storm of recipes from her family and Alex's family. You can follow her on Instagram @cookingwith_cherie. Cherie and Alex are both on Facebook and happy to connect with the surrogacy community, and have been on the community Zoom calls. Hopefully social distancing restrictions will lift so we can have some face to face catch ups in Melbourne.…

1
Susan 38:17

5 years ago38:17

38:17

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 94: Susan. Susan was a Brisbane surrogate, not once but twice, for two different couples. Susan's partner, Loz, was on the Podcast in Episode 47. Susan and Loz have three adult children of their own and live in Brisbane. Susan decided to become a surrogate after having her own children, and met intended parents in Brisbane. We talked about her first journey, and how quickly she made the decision to carry a baby for people she had met online. Having learned some valuable lessons from her first journey, Susan was a surrogate again for another Brisbane couple and gave birth earlier this year to Arlo. The birth was just on the cusp of the COVID restrictions, and at the time of our conversation Susan was still dealing with some health challenges arising from Arlo's birth. We also talked about the frustrating symptoms of pregnancy, including post-partum hair loss, which can feel more challenging when we don't have a baby to show for it!…

1
Scott And Sean 9:58

5 years ago9:58

9:58

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 93: Scott and Sean. This is a Stories Series episode with Scott and Sean, sharing their surrogacy story for the Podcast. Scott and Sean live in Melbourne and are a gay couple with a menagerie of animals named after famous people and food. Sean is a psychiatric nurse, and Scott works as a retail manager. They're favourite holiday destination country is England, although they have to be careful with their language when they're abroad. You can find Scott in the Australian Surrogacy Community on Facebook. That's also where you'll find details of the ASC Zoom meet ups which Scott and Phillipa have been running to keep us socially connected since COVID kept us all physically distant. You can also follow Scott and Sean's Instagram account @two_bears2014.…

1
Hannah 24:56

5 years ago24:56

24:56

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 92: Hannah. Hannah lives in South Australia was diagnosed with MRKH in her early 20's. she's long-known that she would need a surrogate to carry a baby for her. MRKH, or Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, is a disorder that often results in an absent or underdeveloped uterus. Hannah is a single mum and she became a mum when her cousin delivered her baby girl, Imara, in 2019. Her cousin's offer was on standby for 8 years before they decided to go ahead. Hannah had a few legal hurdles stood in their way because surrogacy was not an option for single parents in South Australia at the time.…

1
Rob 27:00

5 years ago27:00

27:00

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 91: Rob. Rob and his husband Mark recently returned to Australia with their son Louis, who was born through altruistic surrogacy in Canada. They explored egg donation and surrogacy within Australia before considering options overseas. They created embryos with a donor in the USA, and finally landed on surrogacy in Canada and met their surrogate Toya in record time. Baby Louis arrived earlier this year at the cusp of the pandemic and airport shutdowns, but they were able to return to Australia before things got too hairy.…

1
Francine And Ian 10:26

5 years ago10:26

10:26

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 90: Francine and Ian. Francine came to Australia for a 'gap year' - and is still here, many years later! Francine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 31, and is lucky enough to now be cancer-free, 5 years on. They've had a lovely offer of an egg donor and are hoping to create embryos in the coming months. Francine recommends Brene Brown books and podcasts, and in particular her book Daring Greatly. She's also been trying her hand at sourdough bread! Ian is from Canberra and enjoys gardening - and he should probably have shares in Bunnings! Francine calls him her Macgyver and he's quite handy around the house.…

1
Emma and Alex 12:50

5 years ago12:50

12:50

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 89: Emma and Alex. Emma and Alex are intended parents in Canberra, hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. They have one child, Felix, and after Emma was treated for cervical cancer they are hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. Emma has been doing IVF (and more IVF) with ovarian grafting treatment in Melbourne. Emma is a teacher, but she would love to be a pastry chef! Alex's hobby is painting tiny wartime figurines!…

1
Episode 88: Hayley 52:47

5 years ago52:47

52:47

1
Anthony And Patrick 1:00:36

5 years ago1:00:36

1:00:36

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 87: Anthony and Patrick. Anthony and Patrick are gay dads in Sydney, and they became dads through surrogacy when their daughter was born in 2017. Their surrogate, Bree, was on Episode 42 of the Podcast, and she and her family live in Victoria. The team progressed with a gestational surrogacy arrangement to have Haesel, and later entered a traditional surrogacy arrangement to try and have a a sibling for Haesel. They are now putting themselves out there for the possibility of meeting new friends who might help them grow their family.…

1
Adelle 36:03

5 years ago36:03

36:03

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 86: Adelle. Adelle became a mother almost two years ago when she gave birth to her son, Lincoln. The birth was smooth, but the aftermath was anything but. Adelle suffered a significant injury arising from the birth, which resulted in her having an ileostomy, which ultimately saved her life. Part of her journey of recovery and healing from her birth trauma including setting up her personal Instagram page at Overnight Ostomate where she found support and solidarity from other people with ileostomies. Adelle now runs Haven Legal Co, (also on Instagram @Haven_Legal_Co) where you can get your wills and estate planning sorted. Whether you are an intended parent or surrogate, you should make sure your will is up to date to reflect your intentions for where you want your estate to go if you or your partner die.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Emma Lee 41:50

5 years ago41:50

41:50

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 85: Emma-Lee. Emma-Lee is an egg donor, and is also a genetic genealogist - she researches genetic histories as a hobby. This means she can find out all sorts of information about someone, based on them, or their genetic relatives, having uploaded their DNA to a consumer site, such as Ancestry.com.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Crystal 41:07

5 years ago41:07

41:07

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 84: Crystal. Crystal was a surrogate for friends Martin and Paul, whom she met through the online surrogacy community. You might like to listen to Martin and Paul's episode 73 as well, as this team has some great advice from all their perspectives. Crystal and I recorded this interview during the COVID pandemic, when she was about six months' post birth. The pandemic meant that the Parentage Order was made in the Judge's chambers, and that Crystal couldn't travel to see Martin, Paul and Zac for the planned hearing and celebration. Crystal reflects on the hormonal roller-coaster post-birth and the fourth trimester, and her experiences of maintaining the relationship and connections when they can't be in each other's company.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Sarah - Jayne 24:31

5 years ago24:31

24:31

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 83: Sarah-Jayne. Sarah-Jayne is a Perinatal and Family Psychologist, who provides counselling for surrogacy and fertility and parenting. We talked about the importance of managing our mental health and accessing support on the way to parenthood (and when we get there!) and how the team can support each other during the surrogacy as well. Sarah-Jayne has some great tips for recognising the different stages of the surrogacy and infertility journey and what you can do to build resilience, ask for help and hold on to hope along the way.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Ben and Matt 10:22

5 years ago10:22

10:22

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 82: Ben and Matt are intended parents and are sharing their story as part of the Stories Series of the Podcast. What we know about Ben is that he’s a magician and entertainer! And Matt likes Paul Jennings books! They live in Point Cook, Victoria, and are the Fun Uncles in their family. They’re well-travelled and love beach holidays and New York city. My favourite part of this episode is hearing about Matt’s favourite book, and Ben’s favourite movie – but you’ll have to listen to find out the details. You can follow Ben and Matt’s journey as intended parents on Instagram @2dadsandalittlebaby and see Ben’s magical Instagram account @benmurphymagician…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Helder And Mark 26:44

5 years ago26:44

26:44

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 81: Helder and Mark. Helder and Mark live in NSW and love travelling and experiencing other cultures.They're now settled in Sydney, NSW and hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. Helder is an agriculturalist, originally from Portugal, and he speaks three languages. He can dream in Spanish, English and Portuguese! Mark is a project manager and is originally from the UK, and he once held up an international airport! I won't tell you what Mark's favourite books are - but you might be shocked! Helder and Mark have an egg donor and have enjoyed building a relationship with her and her family.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Ashlee & Chris 8:17

5 years ago8:17

8:17

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 80: Ashlee and Chris are intended parents living in Brisbane, Queensland and they’re sharing their story as part of the Stories Series of the Surrogacy Podcast. Ashlee and Chris consider themselves ‘crazy cat people’ and have a cat, Tigger who is 19! They’re home bodies interested in human rights and the environment and they love travelling, and their favourite destination is Japan. Ashlee has a chronic health condition that makes long-distance travel or carrying a baby risky for her. You can find out more about them in the Podcast!…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Stories Series: Pat 23:17

5 years ago23:17

23:17

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 79: Pat. This episode of the Podcast is part of the Stories Series, which recognises the power of storytelling and sharing our experiences that brought us to surrogacy. Pat recorded this self-interview for the Podcast, to share her story of trying to grow her family. Pat experienced infertility and was able to conceive with the help of a generous egg donor, but sadly endured a pregnancy loss and gave birth to her beloved son. She's since been advised that surrogacy is her best option for growing her family. Pat is an active member of the Australian Surrogacy Community Facebook Group, as well as Egg Donation Australia where she found her egg donor. She is an excellent example of what commitment and energy that you put into the community is what you can hope to receive in return.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Anne 23:44

5 years ago23:44

23:44

Anne (not her real name) became a mother through an unconventional arrangement with her neighbours. It was similar to surrogacy - and similar to adoption. The team didn't know anything about surrogacy laws and processes before the baby was on the way. Unfortunately, as they came to discover, the child protection system and the legal system had some different ideas about the arrangement. It was almost two years after the birth that the legal process was finalised, granting Anne parental responsibility for her daughter. Anne and I shared this story in the hope that we could educate intended parents and surrogates about the consequences of entering 'off-grid' arrangements, and the importance of following the processes so as to get the Parentage Order for the child. Anne was granted a court order, but it was not a Parentage Order, it was a Parenting Order. And the order she was granted came at great legal expense and a huge emotional toll for her and the birth parents.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Madeline 50:22

5 years ago50:22

50:22

Madeline was a gestational surrogate in NSW, for intended dads who lived a few hours away. Madeline had a rollercoaster journey - including a false start with different intended parents, new intended parents, positive pregnancy tests, surprise twin pregnancy, then subsequent pregnancy loss. The team recovered and went on to have baby Micah. When we recorded this interview, Madeline was at the end of the fourth trimester, so it was all fresh in her mind and she was able to talk candidly about her experiences of the pregnancy, birth and beyond.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Liz 26:10

5 years ago26:10

26:10

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 76: Liz. Liz and her partner have been wanting and trying to grow their family for many years, and eventually it led them down the surrogacy path. They researched many options, and finally landed on surrogacy in Tbilisi, Georgia. It's been a long and hard journey to get where they are, but now they're quietly excited to be expecting twins later this year. COVID-19 has thrown in some extra challenges, but Liz is the ultimate planner and organiser and if anyone's able to manage it, it's her.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Elyse 43:41

5 years ago43:41

43:41

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 75: Elyse. Elyse and her partner went through many years and many rounds of fertility treatment before researching donor conception and international surrogacy. They eventually created embryos with an Australian donor with a Thai clinic, and went on to have twins via surrogacy in Thailand. The babies were born not long after the surrogacy situation in Thailand changed dramatically, with the Baby Gammy saga. Several years later, when they were preparing for the twins to graduate from childcare to school, Elyse discovered she was pregnant - naturally! She went on to deliver her daughter in 2019. She's now one of 'those women' who conceived naturally after infertility - a unique and rather special place to be. Elyse and I talked about her journey in Thailand, and returning to Australia with the babies, and parenting after surrogacy. As Elyse says, 'if you’re gonna go through all of that, you definitely want a baby. These kids are going to be the most loved children in the entire world because their parents fought so hard to have them."…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Tim 37:01

5 years ago37:01

37:01

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 74: Tim. Tim is an intended parent, and with his husband Jason is pursuing surrogacy in Melbourne. In this episode, we talked about the challenges and pitfalls of looking for a surrogate in Australia, using social media and local meet-ups. Not everyone likes social media, so when that is the primary medium for finding a surrogate or intended parents, it can be a daunting prospect. In this episode, we talked about: How to find a surrogate in Australia The Australian Surrogacy Community Facebook group The Surrogacy Handbook, which is free and downloadable - and Tim's favourite resource Our mutual friend Amanda, who appeared on the Podcast in episode 18 The fun and support you can get at a local surrogacy catch-up Why it's important to follow the rules of social media engagement. Tim's advice, for surrogates and intended parents: "You can't leave a footprint if you don't step in the mud." But just as important, you have a responsibility to yourself and to the surrogacy community, to make sure that others have a positive experience of surrogacy. You can find more information reading articles in the Blog, by listening to more episodes of the Podcast. You can also book in for a consult with me below.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Martin and Paul 1:09:41

5 years ago1:09:41

1:09:41

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 73: Martin and Paul. Martin and Paul are gay dads in Victoria and recently welcomed their son Zac through a surrogacy arrangement with a surrogate, Crystal, in Queensland. They found their egg donor and surrogate via online forums, notwithstanding the daunting prospect of pursuing surrogacy in Australia. We talked about heaps of things in this episode, including: The importance of Setting Expectations for our surrogacy journey and the document that Martin, Paul and Crystal used to get them on the same page. . Their connection with other gay dads, including Carla's intended parents and gay dads Andrew and Simon, and the importance of community support. . The wonder and importance of surrogacy birth photography. . How they found an egg donor, and how they found a surrogate. . The ways to support a surrogate, including practical ways to help when you don't live nearby.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Amber Jake and Aaron 24:10

5 years ago24:10

24:10

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 72: Amber, Jake and Aaron. This team broke new ground, becoming the first team to proceed with a surrogacy arrangement for gay intended dads in South Australia. You might be surprised that this was a new thing, but laws in South Australia only changed recently to allow same-sex male couples to engage in surrogacy in their own state. To make it more interesting, Amber was a traditional surrogate for Jake and Aaron, and the team was told by IVF clinics and lawyers that it was not legal in South Australia. Why is that? Well, many people believe that traditional surrogacy is illegal - the only place where it is not legal is in the ACT. They also think that traditional surrogates WON'T GIVE UP THE BABY (guess what? they do!) Amber, Jake and Aaron met on the Australian Surrogacy Community and now have a lifelong friendship. As they reach the end of the fourth trimester, they're experiencing the perpetual journey that is a surrogacy relationship.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Ric 26:50

5 years ago26:50

26:50

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 71: Ric. Ric is a West Australian single man pursuing surrogacy to grow his family. Unfortunately, the surrogacy laws in Western Australia prohibit single men and same sex male couples from pursuing surrogacy within their own State, forcing people to move interstate or pursuing international surrogacy. Whilst there are changes afoot, they're taking too long, and in the meantime Ric is looking at other avenues. We also talked about the legacy left behind by his loving and very much loved wife Susannah, and the work he's been doing to effect law reform in WA.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Michelle F 17:29

5 years ago17:29

17:29

Michelle is an egg donor and surrogate in New South Wales, and delivered a baby for two dads in 2019. She's married and has two teenage children, and is gearing up to conceive another baby for the same intended parents in 2020. Michelle and I talked about her egg donations, her relationships with her donor recipients and their children, the surrogacy and the challenges and highlights of her journey.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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Henry & Lisa - where are they now? 34:35

5 years ago34:35

34:35

Henry and Lisa appeared in Episode 14 of the Podcast, and are now back for a retrospective, to tell us what's happened over the last 18 months. They welcomed baby Harry through surrogacy, and have some insights for intended parents for what to expect in the months after the baby arrives. What's it like parenting after surrogacy? How do the relationships change, in a surrogacy team? What are their plans for the future?…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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Jess 40:36

5 years ago40:36

40:36

Jessica was a gestational surrogate for friends living nearby in regional Victoria, and delivered a baby in November. She's right at the end of the fourth trimester, so it was great to check in with her and find out how the last few months have been for her, her family and her relationship with the baby and the intended parents. We talked about so much in this episode, and Jessica's reflections were so invaluable. I just know that surrogates and intended parents in the future will be listening to this episode and taking notes and nodding along with her advice. Here's some things we talked about: the importance of having discussions as a team about what to expect from the process, and IVF treatment and specialist care; planning a surrogacy birth and the importance of having amazing supports, including continuity of care; what to expect in the fourth trimester; the importance of surrogacy counselling and having support from someone amazing like Katrina Hale; how you can plan for what happens after the surrogacy is over, to help you get back to a normal life. We also talked about the Surrogacy Sisterhood, and how having the support of women who have been surrogates is so invaluable to get you through the unique experience of being a surrogate.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Lara 17:49

5 years ago17:49

17:49

Lara gave birth only three weeks before this interview, so she was in the thick of birth recovery and the fourth trimester. We talked about what it feels like to give away a baby, even when you are giving it to family and know that you'll be part of their lives forever. We haven't had many stories of sisters carrying for siblings, so it is really nice to hear from someone who chose to do so. This is such a heartwarming and lovely episode, and Lara was generous to give me her time only three weeks post-partum. But, as you'll hear, she's doing really well and even surprised herself with how smoothly the post-birth period has been going for her.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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The Fourth Trimester with Katrina Hale 42:15

5 years ago42:15

42:15

In this episode, Katrina and I talked about the fourth trimester in a surrogacy arrangement. Katrina has a formula for how to plan for the fourth trimester, which includes: the intended parents and surrogate being within a doorway of each other for the first 3-5 days; the intended parents and surrogate being within 10 minutes of each other for the first 2 weeks; and the intended parents and surrogate being within a phone call of each other for the first 3 months. Whilst the distances are figurative (you might not be within a doorway physically, but should expect to be able to knock on each others' doors at any time for those days), the idea is that the parties gradually wean from each other. Intended parents who live interstate from their surrogate, should expect to be nearby for at least the first two weeks. Katrina also acknowledges that the fourth trimester can be difficult for the intended parents. Like other parents, they are likely to be completely consumed with their new baby, and suffering with sleep deprivation. But on top of that, they also have the responsibility of making sure their surrogate is well and supported, and that she feels loved and appreciated. They can show this with messages and photos (of them with their baby, not just the baby).…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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Birth education and support with Sheridon Byrne 38:04

5 years ago38:04

38:04

Sheridon is a Birth Doula and Educator in Melbourne, supporting birthing people, birth partners and community members in the lead up, during and after birth. Sheridon and I covered a lot in this interview, including: The importance of birthing people, their partners and intended parents being educated about labour and birth before entering the birthing space. Why having a Doula is so important in any birth including a surrogacy birth. The importance of birth photography, to capture the processes and moments so that you can focus on witnessing the baby being born and meeting their parents and tell the story of the birth to the child as they grow older.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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Birth Planning with Katrina Hale 46:47

5 years ago46:47

46:47

In this episode, Katrina and I spoke about the importance of planning ahead with your surrogacy birth. You might think it's a matter of deciding if the surrogate will have pain relief and who will cut the cord, but surrogacy births are a little more complex. You should plan early and enquire with the hospitals where you might birth about their surrogacy policies and practices. Some things to ask about include: Whether the hospital has managed a surrogacy birth recently; Whether the hospital has a surrogacy policy that you can read. If not, you can give them this free hospital surrogacy policy. Whether the intended parents will be provided with birth education and parent craft support; How they will support the team with decisions about milk and feeding a surrogacy baby; Whether both intended parents will be present in theatre in case of a c-section; Will the intended parents be able to stay in a separate room with the baby; and Whether the hospital will be able to support the surrogate and baby being discharged from hospital separately if necessary.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Raya 24:55

5 years ago24:55

24:55

Raya is an intended mother in Melbourne and is due to meet her new baby in the next week! Her lovely sister-in-law, her husband's sister, Lara, is due to give birth any day now. I'll be interviewing Lara in a later episode. Raya and I talked about her journey of trying to conceive with her husband, and suffering with infertility and then going through IVF to try and have a baby. Sadly, Raya developed Ashmeran's Syndrome, which left her unable to carry a child. Lara and her partner offered to carry a baby for Raya long before they knew that surrogacy was going to be their only option.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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The Third Trimester with Katrina Hale 28:29

5 years ago28:29

28:29

The third trimester, or 'the pointy end' of pregnancy, is hormone-fuelled and can be raw, emotional, challenging and overwhelming. When you throw in surrogacy, the third trimester becomes even more complex. Surrogates, who have often been a leader within the team, become vulnerable and turn inward, wanting to close the doors and spend private time with their family, preparing herself for birth. Their partner may need to step up and become the conduit and communicator between the surrogate and the intended parents, to express her needs and support the team as a whole. Intended parents will want to spend some energy preparing for their new baby. It's a time of bonding, high emotions and a lot of waiting.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Kate 28:57

6 years ago28:57

28:57

Kate is an intended parent from WA, who is now the parent of Jack, who was born through surrogacy earlier this year. You may recall hearing from Kate's surrogate, Michelle, in Episode 51. Kate was born with MRKH, meaning she knew for many years that her only option for having a biological child was through surrogacy. She did her research, developed a friendship with Michelle and her family, and they progressed through the WA surrogacy process. Whilst Michelle's pregnancy with Jack was pretty smooth, the moments after the birth were pretty hairy. Kate now tells that story, from her perspective. What's it like being an intended parent, watching your surrogate face birth complications that risk her wellbeing and life? And how are Kate and Kris going now, 4 months after becoming parents?…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

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Ella 43:29

6 years ago43:29

43:29

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 55: Ella. Ella is an IVF mum with a background in the pharmaceutical industry and has worked in the Australian surrogacy industry for a number of years. Ella now works for the Fertility Center of Las Vegas - all the way from her home in Sydney. Have you got questions about US surrogacy options and processes? How do agencies and clinics work together? What are the screening processes for surrogates and intended parents? Should you create embryos here in Australia or in your destination country? What are the donor options overseas? Is surrogacy an option if you are single or gay, or do you have to be married? Ella provides a really good overview of how surrogacy works in the US so that half the research has been done for you. In the interests of transparency, Ella is obviously working in the industry and her organisation is in the business of IVF and surrogacy services. The Fertility Center of Las Vegas has also provided financial sponsorship toward the Surrogate's Sisterhood Day in 2019. I do not receive commissions or 'kickbacks' from FCLV (nor do they from me!). If you are researching your options overseas and in Australia, you should seek independent and individual advice about your particular circumstances, and consider information from various resources. What I like about the information that Ella provides is that she is also transparent about who her employer is, and she provides information to intended parents that allows them to make an informed decision that suits their needs. My advice, when considering overseas options, is to ask whether the person providing the advice has any conflicts of interest and whether they are being paid for referrals.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Cass and Claire 22:26

6 years ago22:26

22:26

Claire is my sister, and Cass is her wife, and they grew their family with the help of a donor, and egg-sharing, and their daughter Aria arrived earlier this year. You'll hear from Cass about her journey as a single intended parent, and then finding a donor in her friend and his family, and then partnering with Claire and journeying together to Aria's creation.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Dr Lynn 23:49

6 years ago23:49

23:49

Dr Lynn Burmeister of No. 1 Fertility. Dr Lynn was gracious enough to talk to me about fertility and infertility, and what we can expect from surrogacy fertility treatments. She also gave a few pointers for people trying to conceive, about the sorts of lifestyle changes we can make to improve our fertility health, and what a surrogate can expect from a treatment cycle.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Marian 28:31

6 years ago28:31

28:31

Marian became a mother through surrogacy when her son Hugo was born. You might remember Hugo's story from episode 23, when I interviewed his surrogate, Rachel. The team welcomed Hugo's sister, Matilda, in 2018. Marian threw herself into the surrogacy journey and she and Rachel have a very special, one-of-a-kind surrogacy relationship.…

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

1
Costa 27:10

6 years ago27:10