Family Source was great for our surrogacy journeys. We felt very supported, particularly from the experienced coordinators, and would recommend Family Source to others.
As part of our 15th Anniversary celebration, we are following up with some of our wonderful FSC Families.
We first met A&P in early 2016, when they began a search for a new agency to help their family grow. A&P were already familiar with the surrogacy process and had boy/girl twins with a previous surrogate. By summer 2017, they were holding their baby boy in their arms! Their family was finally completed in 2020 when they welcomed their second daughter with the help of their fantastic surrogate. We’re so grateful to have been a part of their family-building journey!
1. How did you first hear about surrogacy?
We first heard about surrogacy through friends who now, like us, have four children through their surrogacy journeys! It is now fun to hang out with these friends, as the 8 kids have a blast together!
2. How did you tell friends and family and how did they react?
Our friends and family were 100% supportive of our surrogacy journeys. Although not everyone always understood how the process worked, we always felt supported and loved.
3. What was your relationship like with your surrogate? What is it like now?
We had two different surrogates and good (but different!) relationships with each.
For our first surrogate, we were fortunate to be close in proximity and, as a result, we were able to attend every medical appointment, including each ultrasound. We still maintain a good relationship with her, maintain contact through social media, and get together once a year.
Our second surrogate lived halfway across the country from us, so although we were able to see each other less frequently throughout our journeys (and due to extenuating circumstances, like deaths in the family and the pandemic), we were able to stay in touch with regular FaceTime calls. We have a great relationship today, with regular calls, texts, and video calls.
We were fortunate to have two such selfless and loving people as our surrogates through our journeys and think that the trust we had in our surrogates from day one was key.
4. What was your favorite memory of your surrogacy journey?
The birth! The births of our four children have to be the best memories. This included some pretty cool experiences in addition, including cutting the cord and being the first to hold the baby.
5. Do you have any advice for intended parents who are just starting out?
Trust your gut and have patience in the process. Be sure to find a surrogate who you think you can trust, and who you can be honest and open with. And from there, trust the process!
Staci Swiderski, CEO and owner of Family Source Consultants has been involved in the field of reproductive medicine since 2002. Staci has vigorously grown the comprehensive egg donation and gestational surrogacy agency to become a worldwide leader in the third-party reproduction field. Staci is a former intended parent herself. She and her husband welcomed their son via gestational surrogacy in 2005. Additionally, Staci had the experience of assisting an infertile couple (AKA Recipient Parents) build their family through her efforts as an egg donor, with her donation resulting in the births of their son and daughter.
