The Surrogacy Podcast celebrates 100 episodes!

When I was pregnant with surro-bub, I had daily questions from friends, family and passers-by about the pregnancy, the dads, how surrogacy works, and how I would feel giving away the baby. I always loved talking about the surrogacy, but did wonder if it might be more efficient if I just played a pre-recorded message answering all the usual questions! Episode 1 is an obvious starting point to hear me answer those questions, and Episode 99 is reflection on the past 3 years.

When I gave birth, I was overwhelmed with amazing feelings that surrogacy birth brings, but also with the curiosity and questions from people around me. It was these seeds of inspiration that sprouted the Surrogacy Podcast, and I recorded episodes 1, 2 and 3 in the first weeks after the birth. I was nervous to hear my own voice, nervous that people wouldn’t listen and worried that it would all fail and I would give it up within a few months.

I didn’t expect to reach 100 episodes and still be recording three years later. It has been such a joy to share stories with surrogates and intended parents, donors, and experts in the field, and to talk about donor conception and surrogacy with such a diverse group of people.

I also didn’t count on the Podcast meaning so much to the surrogacy community. So often I hear from surrogates and  intended parents, as well as surrogacy counsellors and lawyers, how helpful the Podcast has been, and how validating it has been to hear from other people in the community. I hadn’t expected the Podcast to be such a powerful resource, but I am so glad it is.

There have been some highlights. My husband, Troy, might have been a little apprehensive being interviewed by his wife for a new Podcast, but was not-so-secretly chuffed to hear the comments I received – quite often, listeners reported that their favourite episode was his. My eyes hurt from rolling too much.

I was really grateful to be able to demystify some aspects of commercial surrogacy, particularly with an interview with Felicity, where we talked about her journey to have a baby in the USA. Since then, other intended parents who have been overseas have been gracious enough to share their stories and knowledge, including Hillary, Rob and Costa (Canadian journeys) and Kim (Ukraine) and Liz (Georgia).

The Khale Series has been an absolute highlight – Katrina Hale is a surrogacy counsellor, and our discussions about all the stages of surrogacy have been such a wonderful resource for the community. We covered relationships, intentions, the third and fourth trimesters, birth planning and celebrating milestones – such valuable insights for anyone considering surrogacy.

There were some epic tales – Rachel, Marian and Simon were all part of the same team and all took turns to share their stories with me. Renee’s story was also epic, and a valuable resource for anyone who expects all surrogacy journeys to end with a babe in arms.

Of course the Podcast would be nothing were it not for my surro-sisters, who have generously shared their experiences, and paid it forward to all the other surrogates who come after them. I know that many of the surrogate’s episodes were helpful to surrogates planning and experiencing the third and fourth trimesters, and navigating the complex relationships with their intended parents. Some excellent episodes include Marnie’s fourth trimester reflections, traditional surrogate Amanda, the story of Michelle’s post-birth challenges, and Shannon’s experience as a two-time surrogate.

And what about Episode 100? You can now listen to Episode 100, with me, Mike and Nate, reflecting on the past three years.

I hope the Podcast continues to be a valuable resource for the surrogacy community, well into the future. As for what happens next – well, that’s anyone’s guess. I expect to be recording for sometime yet, and will take some time over Christmas to reflect, and prepare for Season 4. If you are interested in telling your story on the Podcast, or would like to nominate someone else, or have an idea for a topic area to be covered, you are welcome to get in touch.

While we may not be able to celebrate the 100th Podcast episode in person just yet, I hope to have a proper celebration in the new year.

If you are new to surrogacy, you can read about how to find a surrogate, or how to become a surrogate yourself. You can also download the free Surrogacy Handbook which explains the processes and options.

Sarah has published a book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, the only guide to surrogacy in Australia.

You can find more information in the free Surrogacy Handbook, reading articles in the Blog, by listening to more episodes of the Podcast. You can also book in for a consult with me below.