Z&K first heard about surrogacy through friends who had done IVF and/or surrogacy in their network. They talked to them about the process and researched through Men Having Babies for additional information. They welcomed the arrival of their twin miracles in 2024. 

What were your top qualities you wanted in a surrogate?

Good communication, being close to her family, would be willing to stay in touch after the babies were born.

How did you know that your surrogate was the one for you?

Throughout the search process, we kept hearing that “the right match will feel natural”. We were skeptical but that’s exactly what happened. The first time we video-chatted her and her husband, the chemistry was just right. There was an easy flow to the conversation and she, like us, was a Type A notetaker!

How did you tell friends and family and how did they react?

Our friends and family have been a part of the journey since the beginning. The whole process took about 3.5 years and we shared our highs/low with our trusted circle every step of the way. It’s great to have cheerleaders in your corner to celebrate the milestones.

What was your relationship like with your surrogate? Was it different than you expected? What is it like now?

Since we were living in a different country throughout most of the pregnancy, we texted back and forth mostly. At first it was just about the “belly buddies”, but eventually we messaged each other about our families, holiday plans and random thinking of you moments. We attended one ultrasound appointment in person which was wonderful. I wish we had done it sooner rather than waiting until the sixth month… meeting in person just gave us the opportunity to become closer and have more open conversations.

Do you have any advice for intended parents who are just starting out?

It’s so worth it. Don’t rush it because so much is out of your hands. What helped us was writing down the major milestones (ie. egg donor appointments, surrogate matching checklists, legal reviews etc.) ,and estimated costs in advance. This way we had a “tracker” of sorts to stay organized and always had something to look forward to.

How did you find FSC?

Men Having Babies.

What made FSC stand out from other agencies?

We interviewed three agencies and settled on FSC. The three things that stood out were 1) clear communication early on and transparency of the process 2) match times for surrogates were notably better 3) being a national organization it had more reach/resources than some of the smaller, local ones we spoke to.

Aside from the birth, tell us a wonderful memory from your journey.

Meeting each others families before the babies were born was such a treat. It was truly a special moment to meet her husband and kids since they also were a part of all of this. We introduced her to some of our family members as well which made it feel even more connected and a deeper bond.

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a parent through surrogacy or egg donation, request a no-cost consultation with one of our Client Relations Managers today!

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.