Being a surrogate – what is it really like? Part 2
Part 2: Meeting our intended parents
How did you feel during the surrogate screening process and waiting to be matched?
Anna: “We felt very comfortable with Helen right from the start, as though we could talk to her about anything.”
When you were matched with Michael and Jerome, how did you feel?
Anna: “Helen (from BB) came along to our first meeting, and it was helpful to have someone who knew all of us there to give us the initial confidence to meet for the first time, although she quickly became a spare part because we clicked instantly! We felt that we had been matched perfectly which is so important. We also felt it was important to have the support and guidance from someone who knew both Daniel and I and the intended parents.”
How did you feel during the process of getting to know Michael and Jerome and building the foundations of friendship and trust?
Anna: “When we first went to visit Michael and Jerome at their home, it was obvious they wanted everything to be perfect – they even bought Polish food to make us feel at home! Our relationship developed through visiting each others’ homes and being in regular contact. We always had something to talk about and always felt relaxed. The only slightly awkward part was talking about expenses, but as we got to know each other we all felt more comfortable talking about it and realised that once it had been brought up the first time, it was actually very easy to be upfront about it for everyone. You obviously have to get used to different personalities, but we felt that trust was established very early on and it was actually really interesting to share our lives with people who were essentially strangers at the beginning. Overall it was an amazing experience.”