Meet Nicole!

“FSC was so amazing to work with. The staff they have is top notch and so supportive. Everyone is so caring. I went through a scary time during my surrogacy where we thought I had a rare complication (vasa previa) and FSC even reached out to me and put me in touch with another surrogate that had the same complication. I talked to that surrogate about her experience and it put my mind at ease so much. It turned out that I didn’t have the rare complication but I kept being monitored just in case.”

Q: What led you to become a Surrogate?

I always wanted to be a surrogate for as long as I can remember. I always thought it was something I had to use my own egg for so when an old college friend finished a surrogacy journey and told me you don’t use your own egg, I was intrigued. I reached out to FSC and the rest is history!

Q. Who was your greatest support person throughout your journey?

My twin sister. My entire family really was so great about it. They were skeptical at first but once they saw my passion for this and that I wasn’t scared, they were excited for me. Also, I met my now boyfriend the month before embryo transfer. He asked me out on a date and I had to tell him I was getting pregnant the next month. His reaction to this journey and the fact that he still wanted to date me shows a lot about him. He was one of my biggest supporters and still is.

Q. What made you decide to choose your Intended Parents?

During our first Zoom meeting I just felt drawn to them. I related to them and their story and just really wanted to be able to have a baby for them. We became closer throughout the journey and we still remain friends.

Q. What are some of the highlights of your journey?

The IPs traveled to ND to attend the 20-week appt with me. They got to meet my boyfriend and my mom.

The last few days of this journey were also so special. We got to spend a couple of days together, they got to meet my family and my kids, and then two days after they arrived I went into labor and delivered their beautiful baby boy. It was all so surreal, the moment we had been waiting for!

Q. Do you have advice for women who are interested in becoming a gestational surrogate?

My advice is to ask questions! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I would have never found myself doing this amazing journey if I hadn’t reached out to my college friend to ask her about her surrogacy journey. I asked a ton of questions, even ones I thought were silly and she totally put my mind at ease and I went for it!

Q. What did you find was the biggest misconception about surrogacy?

That people do it just for the money and also that you are using your own biologic material (egg).

Q. What would you like other people to know about surrogacy?

It isn’t just about the money! People do this to help make families. I had this as a bucket list item for a long time, not knowing if I’d ever actually complete a journey or not. I reached out to FSC, not even knowing that surrogates get paid or what they get paid. I was so naïve.

Q. How was this pregnancy different from your other pregnancies?

This pregnancy was actually quite different. I never got sick in the first trimester! I was nauseous a lot but never threw up. I was so sick with my keepers up until at least 14 weeks. I also only gained 17 pounds this pregnancy which is at least 10 pounds less than what I gained with my keepers (and back to my prepregnancy weight 1.5 weeks after delivery!)

Q. What did you do to prepare yourself for separating from the baby after it was born?

I guess I just always knew this baby isn’t mine and I was completely okay with that. I wanted to help grow him and nurture him, but after the birth, I was always prepared to hand him over to his parents. I also bought a musical baby toy that I would play for him every night so he had something familiar he would hear when he went home. The IPs said he loves it.

Learn more about becoming a surrogate by submitting a request for information, or start your surrogate application today!