The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 33: Marnie is a surrogate in Australia and in this episode we discussed her reflections on the fourth trimester.
Marnie spoke to me back in Episode 21, when she was heading into the third trimester of her surrogate pregnancy with surro-bub. In our first interview, Marnie talked about all the preparation and relationship-building she and her partner did with their intended parents. Since then, Marnie has delivered a baby girl for the intended parents, and is now 5 months post-partum. In this interview, Marnie reflects on the third trimester, the birth, and the fourth trimester as a surrogate. Did all her preparation pay off? What were her emotions like post-partum? What’s her relationship with the parents and baby Sienna?
We also talked about the importance of having a birth photographer involved for a surrogacy birth.
The fourth trimester is a crucial time for the surrogate and the entire team. Now that she’s not a surrogate, what is her role in the child’s life, and what is the relationship with the intended parents now that they are parents? The fourth trimester needs a lot of preparation and planning before the birth.
You might also like to listen to my interview with surrogacy counsellor Katrina Hale when we talked about the fourth trimester.
If you are new to surrogacy, you might like to start with this post which takes you through the processes. If you are considering becoming a surrogate in Australia, you can start with this post. And if you are interested in reading more, you can check out the Blog, and listen to other episodes of the Australian Surrogacy Podcast.
I’ve written a book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, which you can purchase in paperback or electronic versions.
Hi! I’m Sarah Jefford (she/her). I’m a family creation lawyer, practising in surrogacy and donor conception arrangements. I’m an IVF mum, an egg donor and a traditional surrogate, and I delivered a baby for two dads in 2018
I advocate for positive, best practice surrogacy arrangements within Australia, and provide support and education to help intended parents make informed decisions when pursuing overseas surrogacy.
