Q: What led you to become a Surrogate?
I have wanted to be a surrogate for as long as I can remember. I am a child that came from infertility for my parents. They had a really hard time getting pregnant and had many losses prior to starting IVF to become pregnant with me. I would say that I also love being pregnant and find it an amazing experience to know that if it weren’t for my body the child within me would not be here. I also would not trade being a mom for anything in the world and cannot imagine not being able to have children.
Q. Who was your largest support person/s throughout your journey?
My largest support system throughout all 4 of my journey’s has been my husband, daughter, sister and friends. I like to say that my husband was put in my life to be my biggest cheerleader and fan. He understands me and is always willing to go the extra mile to help me achieve my goal of becoming a surrogate. My daughter and sister were there to take me to appointments, even to just sit and visit me when I was bored; my friends would be by my side as well. Their encouragement throughout each of my journey lead me to the decision to help more than one family.
Q. What made you decide to choose your Intended Parents?
I fell in love with their story and how they met. Knowing that without surrogacy they would never be able to have their own biological children pulled at my heart. I know how much harder it is for same sex couples to have the dream of parenthood without the assistance of surrogates and it was my pleasure to make their dreams a reality.
Q. What are some of the highlights of your journey?
Having carried triplets for my Intended Fathers, I think the entire pregnancy journey was one huge highlight. To be the ones to tell them that in 8 short months or so they would be welcoming not two babies as they had hoped for but THREE little ones was exciting. To hear the joy in both of their voices after the initial shock brings a smile to me every time I think about it. After every doctors’ visit being able to let them know all babies were thriving and doing quite well was also great. But I have to say the very best part of this amazing once in a lifetime experience was seeing both dads hold their three precious babies and the smiles on their faces at that time. I am so humbled to be able to say I helped make these men get the best title in the world, DAD.
Q. Do you have advice for women who are interested in becoming a gestational surrogate?
My advice to anyone wanting to become a surrogate is to make sure you do your research and understand what all surrogacy entails. Yes, there are lots of hurdles and hoops to get through, but being able to help a couple become a family is the greatest gift of all. Also, make sure you have true support from everyone surrounding you and communicate throughout the journey with your Intended Parents.
As I was looking into completing my final journey in surrogacy, I decided to look into agencies that I had been speaking with prior. I came across an email from one of the directors from FSC and remembered that they were my number 1 choice if I did another surrogacy. I had heard nothing but good things said about how they treated their surrogates and intended parents. My one request for this journey was that I wanted to end my surrogacy helping a same sex couple and FSC had just the right match for me. Everything in this journey went very smooth and the communication between my Coordinator and I have been spot on. I could not have asked for a better experience with an agency. Everyone at FSC has been amazing and very supportive throughout. No question has gone unanswered nor a phone call been ignored. I love the one on one feeling that I get from them. They treat you as if you are their only surrogate when I know that is not true. I would recommend FSC to both surrogates and Intended Parents if they are needing help with matching or any of the surrogacy process.
Would you like to share your story with us? We would love to hear it! Contact your program coordinator to submit your story.
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.
