There have been multiple studies in recent years highlighting the importance of immediate and continued skin-to-skin contact in newborns. Skin-to-skin contact is your first opportunity to embrace your new child, and doctors say these first cuddles are as enjoyable as they are beneficial. Doctors note both physical and emotional benefits from the contact.

WHAT IS SKIN-T0-SKIN CONTACT?

Skin to skin contact is defined as placing a naked baby, not one wrapped in a blanket, to your bared chest.

Most researchers recommend that this be done as soon as possibly following delivery. Many hospitals will now even clean the newborn and cut the cord while skin-to-skin contact is happening.

Physically, the contact often allows the newborn to transition from fetal phase to newborn with less observed stress. The contact can equalize their temperature more quickly and with less effort as well as help the newborn manage respiratory transitions and glucose stability. Also, if you and your surrogte comfortable allowing her some skin-to-skin time, research shows that the newborn will be able to colonize the same bacteria as the surrogate. If a newborn is placed into an incubator, colonization will still occur, but it will differ from the bacteria present in the surrogate. Bacteria colonization is one of the key elements shown to reduce instances of allergic diseases forming.

EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT

There are noted emotional benefits to skin-to-skin interaction as well. Often these newborns display less violent crying, suggesting that they are under less stress and anxiety during their first moments of life. As the days and weeks move forward, your newborn will learn to mirror your steady breathing during skin-to-skin contact, promoting calm and content behavior. Additionally, prolonged skin-to-skin interaction has been shown to lead to babies and toddlers with less separation anxiety and better self-regulation over time.

Research shows most benefits come from skin-to-skin contact during the first hour and continue for the first 24 hours. Unless medical restrictions cause you to need to be separated, this is a great time to begin bonding with and cuddling your newborn.

SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT FOR SURROGATES

Having a surrogate birth does not need to complicate your desires to engage in immediate and prolonged skin-to-skin contact following birth. However, it does mean you need to be more deliberate with your planning. If you plan to do skin-to-skin, make sure you wear clothing that enables ease of contact. Plan to wear (or pack) button up shirts, and intended mothers can also bring additional blankets or sweaters to provide any desired modesty.

It is a good idea to share your plan with your nurse well in advance of the birth so they can make arrangements to encourage skin-to-skin interaction during the first moments of life. Things like not automatically swaddling the newborn after initial weighing & measuring and doing initial cleaning and cord cutting on the surrogate’s chest may be contrary to the hospital’s typical routine, but should not be considered impossible.

Contact us if you want more information about becoming a surrogate.

During surrogate pregnancy, some women are advised to receive an Rh-immune globulin injection. This medication, more commonly known as Rhogam, is often given to women who carry a “negative” blood type.

All people have two elements to their blood type. There is first the actual type, represented by a letter (A, B, AB, or O), and then a positive or a negative designation. This designation refers to the presence or absence of Rhesus in the blood.

Rhesus is an antigen that rests on the surface of red blood cells and occurs in most people. An Rh+ designation denotes that your blood carries this antigen.

For women whose blood type is Rh-, issues can arise in pregnancy if there is any chance that the fetus you are carrying may inherit an Rh+ status. In the case of surrogacy, if either the egg donor or sperm contributor is Rh+, there will be a chance of the baby inheriting this antigen.

It may be entirely possible that, through the use of an egg donor, the child will have a blood type that differs from you or the intended parents.

This presents a problem if the Rh- carrier’s blood were to mix with the Rh+ fetus’ blood. In that situation, the Rh- carrier would begin to develop antibodies to the Rh+ blood. These antibodies could cause problems in the current pregnancy, and would be very likely to attack and kill the red blood cells of a future Rh+ fetus.

For this reason, many surrogates may be asked to accept the Rhogam injection. The injection is very common and considered standard care. It is administered in office by your OBGYN typically in during the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy. A second booster shot is often given immediately following the birth. In some cases, specifically if you experience bleeding early in your pregnancy, the Rhogam injection may be given earlier in the pregnancy.

You should note that previous administration of a Rhogam injection does not safeguard you for a future pregnancy. In that way, even if you’ve had the injection several times before, you’ll still need to be immunized again for each new pregnancy.

Throughout your surrogacy medical cycle, you will be asked to keep multiple appointments at a clinic near your home. During these visits, you will typically have blood taken and have a transvaginal ultrasound. The purpose of the blood sample is to monitor and evaluate hormone levels in your blood. The ultrasound's purpose is a bit more involved. Typically, the ultrasound will check for just two things: the thickness of your endometrial lining and the presence of the “triple stripe” or pattern of your uterus. Sometimes, however, the ultrasound will highlight the presence of fluid in the uterus or other potential abnormalities. 

WHAT CAUSES BLOOD IN THE UTERUS?

Everything from leftover menstrual blood to normal bodily secretions can cause fluid to appear on an ultrasound. Many women will have some amount of fluid in the uterus, and this is not always a cause for concern.

WHEN IS FLUID IN THE UTERUS A CONCERN?

Fluid in the uterus is a concern when it remains there or when the amount increases as it can be a complication in IVF procedures. Excess fluid in the uterus can interfere with the implantation of a transferred embryo in the uterine lining. Additional fluids in the uterus generally lead to the current cycle's cancellation.

WHAT IS 'FREE FLUID' IN THE UTERUS?

Free fluid that shows in the uterus early in the pregnancy refers to any fluid that is not enclosed within a structure.

The clinical significance of free fluid depends on its volume, appearance, and the patient's symptoms. It is often a critical clue in diagnosing conditions such as ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or ruptured ovarian cysts.

HOW TO REDUCE FLUID IN THE UTERUS SO IVF CAN CONTINUE

In some cases, the IVF doctor can drain fluid from the uterus in an effort to salvage the cycle. Your IVF doctor will work to determine the cause of the additional fluid in your uterus and take corrective measures to avoid having it occur in a future medical cycle. Sometimes a slight adjustment of your fertility or hormone medications can resolve the fluid retention in a subsequent cycle. There is nothing that you can, or should, attempt to do on your own to correct the fluid retention within your uterus. 

Rarely, doctors may be unable to determine the cause of the fluid, or unable to stop it from recurring. If this is the case, it may be recommended that you not proceed as a surrogate. Your nurse and IVF doctor can also speak with you about any medical questions you may have. 

Growing Generations is honored to support surrogates every step of the way. Contact Growing Generations to learn more about the surrogacy journey.

Packing your bag for the hospital can be just as stressful for intended parents as it can be for surrogates. In many cases, this is the intended parent’s first trip to the hospital for childbirth. It is important to feel comfortable and prepared on your big day, but packing your hospital bag can leave you feeling a bit perplexed over what items are most important to take.

It may make things easier if you break your packing down into two subgroups: labor & delivery, and recovery.

Labor & Delivery:

• Paperwork: While it is generally the surrogate’s responsibility to bring all of her medical and legal paperwork with her to the hospital, she may be incredibly distracted during labor and forget to grab it. For this reason, it is often a good idea to have copies of your birth plan, parentage order, and surrogacy agreement (contract) packed in your bag. While most hospitals will not ask to see these documents, knowing that you have them at your fingertips can provide you a great deal of peace.

• Entertainment: This part of the process can be very quick, or incredibly slow. It is impossible to predict how much time you will spend waiting for delivery. For this reason, you may want to pack items that will help you pass the time. Many intended parents pack a book, a laptop for movie viewing or work, a small craft project, or crossword puzzle. Also, if your surrogate is OK with being photographed or filmed, make sure to pack a camera as well.

• Snacks: Because the labor & delivery timeframe is so uncertain, it might be a good idea to pack snacks in your bag so that you don’t have to step away. However, if you’re in the laboring room with your surrogate, do consider asking her permission before enjoying a snack. Laboring women can be extremely sensitive to smells, and they are not permitted to eat during the labor process. Asking permission is a courtesy that will be very appreciated.

• Attire: Skin-to-skin contact is becoming a more regularly encouraged practice in the moments to hours following delivery of your child. Science shows that it can help the child regulate both temperature and breathing patterns while also allowing you some immediate bonding. For this reason, we encourage you to wear, or pack, a front-buttoning shirt and perhaps a blanket for modesty. This allows you to expose your chest for those first cuddles as quickly as possible.

Recovery:

• Most hospitals require at least a 24-hour stay for your child following the birth. Do note that, because this is a surrogacy arrangement, your surrogate may be discharged before or after your child. This is completely normal and is no cause for concern.

• Comfort Items: Growing Generations will work with your delivering hospital as closely as possible to try and secure separate recovery rooms for your surrogate and yourself. This not only allows you the ability to bond with the baby more closely, it allows her peace and quiet so she can rest. However, in the event that the hospital is crowded or this is not possible, you should plan on bringing items with you that could make you more comfortable with sharing a recovery room with your surrogate. Slippers, pillows, socks, and comfortable clothing will help.

• Toiletries: In most cases, you will need to stay at least one additional night in the hospital. For this reason, it is important to pack your overnight toiletries. Items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, contact lens solution, and glasses will help make your stay a comfortable one.

• Camera: Finally, don’t forget to pack your camera! You’ve waited a long time for this moment, and it’s one you’re going to want to remember! Enjoy your first few days with your new baby and don’t forget to take a lot of pictures!

If you're considering becoming an egg donor, you may be wondering about the number of eggs needed for donation. Are you born with all your eggs, or does your body make more eggs over your lifetime?

HOW MANY EGGS ARE IN YOUR OVARIES?

Females have around 300,000 eggs in their ovaries when they reach puberty, even though they are born with one to two million immature eggs. Many of those eggs are lost before puberty through a natural process called ovarian follicle atresia.

Of those eggs left at puberty, it is estimated that a woman may lose as many as a thousand eggs per month over her fertile years. Of the roughly 400 follicles that will reach ovulation over the course of a woman’s fertility, a woman can expect 20 follicles to mature each month with just one egg being released.

DOES THE QUALITY OF EGGS IN YOUR OVARIES DECREASE OVER TIME?

Science goes on to tell us that only the best quality eggs will be released and that, over time, the overall quality of these eggs begins to diminish as menopause approaches. This is commonly believed to be the reason women of an advanced maternal age may have difficulty achieving pregnancy with their own eggs. 

DO WOMEN PRODUCE MORE EGGS OVER TIME?

Women may be able to produce new eggs during their lifetimes, according to research. The theory is based around the existence of stem cells found within the ovaries of female mice in a 2004 study. In 2012, a study conducted by scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Edinburgh and published in PLOS Genetics  found that stem cells inside of a human female’s ovaries are capable of dividing and generating new oocytes, which then become new eggs.

While the research is still in its infancy and has only been conducted on mice at this point, it suggests that fertility and egg development may continue long after birth.

HOW MANY EGGS ARE DONATED AT ONCE?

Whether or not your body produces more eggs, only 10 to 20 eggs are donated during egg retrieval. Donors usually have ample eggs to donate and use for their own family building. Learn more about what to expect during your egg donation journey on our Egg Donation Process page.

GET STARTED

If you're considering becoming an egg donor, but you haven't taken that next step, we're here to help. To learn more about becoming an egg donor with Growing Generations contact us online or apply today.  

When a surrogate learns she is being considered to carry for a VIP client, she generally has a lot of questions. More often than not, she also may have a few assumptions about these potential intended parents. Considering VIP or celebrity surrogacy can be exciting and challenging, and we're here to provide helpful information about what to expect.

WHO ARE VIP INTENDED PARENTS?

Perhaps the most common first thought is, “Is it someone famous?” While it can be true that you are about to be asked to carry for a celebrity, it could also be the case that the profile you’re about to receive is that of an everyday person. Not all VIP profiles are of celebrities, and not all famous intended parents will wind up as VIP clients.

The one thing that all VIP cases have in common is that they are all a bit outside of the box. Every VIP is different and has different requirements.

HOW TO BE A SURROGATE FOR A VIP OR CELEBRITY

Be open to additional privacy concerns.

In general, a VIP client will be one with needs that fall beyond standard protocol. These clients are often leaders in their fields. While you may not recognize their faces, others in their industries would. To protect their privacy, they’re often seeking additional confidentiality requirements in their surrogacy agreement.

Desired constraints of VIP clients can range from very strict to nonexistent. Some VIP clients will request that no photos be taken and that no names or identifying information be shared with anyone (sometimes including your own family members).

Be prepared for a different birth experience.

Many clients from Asia, specifically China, will seek out a VIP relationship and journey. In these situations they may ask a Client Service Coordinator to attend the birth in order to translate between the intended parents and the surrogate.

Expect less personal information.

Finally, if you choose to consider a VIP client, know that you may not receive a traditional profile of the couple. These clients are not required to fill out our typical intake profile. In place of the traditional questionnaire with photos, you may receive a simple letter from the IPs instead. This letter is like a profile, containing a few photos of the intended parents and introducing you to their lives in their own words.

Be prepared for additional, specific surrogate requirements.

Many VIP clients seek a surrogate with a clean pregnancy history, a low BMI, healthy lifestyle, and a clean personal, legal, and medical background. Often these clients are looking for women who have college degrees, are established in their fields, or are active in their communities.

Carrying for a VIP couple can be challenging, but it can also be exciting. If you have additional questions about what it means to carry for a VIP client, do not hesitate to reach out to your Surrogate Specialist at any time. If you or someone you know is considering becoming a surrogate, use our online application to get started.