In this episode, I speak with Bec, a gestational surrogate for a Canberra family, who gave birth to Holly in 2016. Bec speaks with candour and humour about her journey and has lots of insights for intended parents and surrogates alike. Bec has children of her own, and lives in Victoria with her partner and family, and her intended parents live in Canberra. Bec and her intended parents found each other on social media, before proceeding with the arrangement through their clinic. Having a long-distant surrogacy had its challenges, including in the weeks around the birth and in the fourth trimester.

Bec’s intended father, Steve, later spoke to me for the Podcast in Episode 22.

Some things we talked about in this episode:

• How to find a surrogate in Australia.
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• Surrogacy laws and what to expect from the legal requirements..
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• The importance of setting expectations and being on the same page with your surrogate or intended parents, before entering the arrangement.
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• Birth planning and having a positive fourth trimester.
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• If you’re considering becoming a surrogate, you can read more about it and book in for a free consult with me.
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If you are new to surrogacy as an intended parent, you might like to start with this post. If you are a potential future surrogate, this post provides some information.

I’ve written a book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, the only guide to surrogacy in Australia.