Meet Hayley!
“They were very engaged with every part of the process, quick to answer questions, and easy to reach.
They made my first journey a very special experience for both me & the parents.”
Hayley is an amazing surrogate who delivered an adorable baby boy for a loving family.
Q: What led you to become a Surrogate?
I became a surrogate because I felt like I could make a massive positive difference in a family’s life, forever. What fills my soul-cup is helping others, whether that be with my time, energy, love, compassion, empathy, etc. And being a surrogate was another way to do that.
Q. Who was the most significant support person throughout your journey?
My partner, but having the baby’s parents be so supportive was incredible.
Q. What made you decide to choose your Intended Parents?
I wanted to help couples in the LGBTQ+ community because they are near and dear to my heart. When I saw my IP’s profile. I immediately fell in love with them and knew I wanted to help expand their family. Their profile showed how adventurous, intelligent, and loving they were and I immediately knew they were who I wanted! After meeting them in person, I realized they are better than I could have ever expected.
Q. What are some of the highlights of your journey?
-meeting the IP’s on zoom for the first time
-going to beautiful California for medical clearance and embryo transfer
-all the conversations with the parents over the years
-finding out we were pregnant!!
-finding out the baby’s sex and name the parents wanted
-ultrasound pictures
-seeing baby’s bigger sister shine when she talked about him
-baby’s birth & first cry. So relieving!
-watching the parents hold their baby for the first time
Q. Do you have advice for women who are interested in becoming a gestational surrogate?
I would say do your research!! Surrogacy journeys can be a long process with many different people and steps involved. Learning about those things before diving into surrogacy will be vital for having a successful journey.
Q. How do you feel about your experience working with Family Source Consultants?
It was great! They were very engaged with every part of the process, quick to answer questions, and easy to reach. They made my first journey a very special experience for both me & the parents.
Q: What did you find was the biggest misconception people had about surrogacy?
I have a few!
-That surrogates get paid way more than they should (this is typically false)
-Surrogates only do it for the money (ha!)
-That gestational carriers are related to the baby
-That is it hard to “give up your baby” (It’s not my baby, never was mine, and baby going home with parents is the actually the preferred course of action)
-That surrogates will be sad when baby goes to parents (Nope!!! Happy and relieved baby is where they are supposed to be.)
Q: What would you like other people to know about surrogacy?
Its a long process that involves psychological clearances, medical clearances, legal clearances, etc. It is not a simple or easy process and is highly regulated when done correctly.
Q: What was the funniest/strangest/most common question you were asked as a surrogate? How did you answer?
If I would be sad when baby goes to parents after birth. I never once felt sad, I only felt happiness for the parents and relief we made it to that point after so much effort from so many parties! (you heal much quicker after birth when you get adequate sleep)
Q: How has becoming a surrogate impacted your life?
It has impacted it greatly. I have grown SO much and grown to love the other family as well. It all around has made me a more fulfilled and better person.
Q: Was this pregnancy different than your other pregnancies? If so, how?
Actual pregnancy was easier because I didn’t have to worry about buying baby things and preparing for baby. The labor was much longer than my keeper pregnancy.
Q: How did you prepare yourself for separating from the baby after birth?
I knew from the very beginning what I was getting into. I also don’t want anymore children so I was not interested in coming home with a baby. Throughout this whole journey when things would go well my first thought was “I must tell the parents! They will be so happy!!” My sole focus was on helping them build their family and fulfilling their dreams and seeing baby go home with them from the hospital achieved that!
Learn more about becoming a surrogate by submitting a request for information, or start your surrogate application today!
Staci Swiderski, CEO and owner of Family Source Consultants, has been a prominent leader in reproductive medicine for over two decades. Through her strategic vision and dedication, she has developed Family Source Consultants into a globally recognized agency specializing in comprehensive egg donation and gestational surrogacy services. Under Staci’s leadership, the agency has become a trusted partner for intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors worldwide, known for its rigorous standards, compassionate support, and commitment to excellence in third-party reproduction.
Her professional insight is uniquely informed by her own family-building experiences. As an intended parent, Staci welcomed her son via gestational surrogacy in 2005, and as a known egg donor, she assisted an infertile couple in expanding their family. These experiences lend a rare depth to her leadership and have fueled her ongoing dedication to ethical, empathetic, and professional support within the field of reproductive medicine.
