Let’s start with the basics: When were you first matched with your IPs, and how did you know you were the right fit for each other?

Getting the initial email was exciting but scary. Their story was heartbreaking and I just tried to imagine how they had been feeling going through so much. I just felt very drawn to them and we all seemed very alike. During the first meeting I was very nervous but as the meeting went on, I felt more and more comfortable. They were so easy to talk to and I just had an overall good feeling about it.

About how much time was there between matching and your embryo transfer? What did you do to bond with each other during that period?

I believe it was around 5-6 months. We started texting and getting to know each other and we met up for dinner.

How did you and your IPs stay connected during your pregnancy? Were they able/interested in coming to some of your OB appointments? 

We texted each other almost daily. I sent them a weekly bump photo and really enjoyed having that to look forward to every week. The IP’s were at every appointment and I was beyond thankful that they were willing to come to each one. I felt like that really made our bond stronger and we were all very open with each other.

Tell us all about your labor and delivery experience! How did you all decide who would be there, what your roles would be, etc.? 

We discussed different scenarios and how we pictured everything going. As most people know labor doesn’t always go as planned but we just went with the flow. The major things we talked about went perfectly and the moment that baby was born was such a magical moment!

Even though our brain logically knows the baby we carry is not ours, our hormones can affect us otherwise. How has it been recovering from delivery? 

I was definitely worried about this but throughout the whole journey you know it isn’t your baby to keep. I got asked this question so much and that is how I would respond “she isn’t mine to keep”. I could tell when my hormones started to change at the hospital and explained to the IP’s that I was crying a lot, but it was all happy tears. I did not regret anything and my hormones just needed to be released.

Thank you to Amy for your amazing gift – you helped make your IPs’ dream come true!