Surrogacy is a special experience that requires proper preparation, adequate planning, and sound decision making. Like any other pregnancy, you’ll have your good days and the bad ones are also there. Besides being physically demanding, pregnancies can also be emotionally draining considering the hormonal imbalance, body changes, and other stressors you might be dealing with.
To become a surrogate you need to realize the significance of a cooperative support system. Although most people consider the surrogate, doctor, biological parents, the donor, and such parties, the families, friends, and partners of the surrogate often go unnoticed.
As a surrogate, you want to develop a strong support system during surrogacy to ensure you get all the help you want when you want it.
The Benefits of a Support System During Surrogacy
To become a surrogate takes the heart to do such a selfless and life-changing act that is filled with multiple physical and emotional challenges. As such, you need a strong support system to help you get through the difficult moments and share this beautiful experience with you.
A solid support system during surrogacy should provide a positive experience for everyone involved to attain the goal. The advantages of a strong surrogacy support system are:
- To offer practical help
Pregnancy is often a challenging experience filled with mixed emotions as sometimes you may feel frustration, be doubtful, or just be stressed. These feelings may leave you tired and mentally exhausted to do anything constructive.
A solid support system will provide the practical assistance you may need during this time. You can ask your family or friends to help with daily tasks such as washing the utensils and running errands.
During medical appointments, you can ask one of your family members to babysit or take your spouse along for the doctor’s visit. Also, if you’re craving some type of food and are not in the mood to prepare it, you can get one of your friends to cook the meal for you.
All this help will go a long way in ensuring the surrogate stays happy and comfy all the time while maintaining the health of the baby. Involving your support system in your journey to become a surrogate will give you a positive force to meet your daily responsibilities.
The right support system will also help you get through the pregnancy while overcoming the demands of surrogacy.
- To provide emotional support
The pregnancy stage is a turmoil of emotions as one goes through hormonal irregularities and body transformations. In addition, to become a surrogate requires selflessness, something that is not found in many.
To effectively deal with these fluctuating emotions during surrogacy, seek support for your close friends and relatives. You can talk about your experience pregnancy and surrogacy experience as these are two different concepts.
A great support system is also crucial in dealing with personal issues that are not directly related to the surrogacy. Sometimes you just want to talk about what’s going on in other people’s lives. Also, your friends and family are not directly involved in the surrogacy process, so you can vent out to them without worrying about judgment.
How to successfully develop a strong support system during surrogacy
You don’t just wake up and decide you to become a surrogate. Surrogacy is a delicate but selfless act that involves a lot of sacrifices. To become a surrogate, you want to conduct all the background research you can about surrogacy. Understanding the concept will help you learn more about it and know the basics.
You should also prepare to talk to your friends and family about your plan to become a surrogate. Your spouse, parents, extended family, and close friends are some of the important people you go through life with. Talking to your support system about your surrogacy decision and what to expect out of it will go a long way in solidifying your relationship while making the experience positive.
Who you should include in your support system
There’s no right or wrong suggestion to who should be part of your support system as people have varying choices. If you want to become a surrogate, you have to decide who you should tell about your decision and whether or not you want everyone to know.
Some people may opt for a close family such as spouses, parents, and siblings to keep the surrogacy experience private. Since surrogacy is life-changing, other people may decide to bring all their family and friends on-board.
Regardless of the individuals you include in your support system, always keep your peace mind and wellbeing at the forefront. Choose a support system that will invite positivity during your surrogacy to ensure everything is flawless. These are the people who will take up their responsibility in your life even without you asking.
The friends and family you involve in your surrogacy journey should be fully supportive of the decision, so they are emotional and physically reliable. Your support system should always respect your emotional differences and understand what you’re going through.
Remember that surrogacy is a journey like any other that comes with its ups and downs. However, what matters is the presence of the right support system to help you get through the challenges and perform your daily tasks effectively.
If you identify the right support system as you decide to become a surrogate, you’ll ease your journey since you can ask for assistance whenever you need it. What’s more, your friends and family will enthusiastically take up your problems and try to find efficient solutions for them.
