Surrogate: Tina

Tina is on her 3rd surrogacy journey

Why do you enjoy being a surrogate? 
My number one reason is seeing the intended parents' happiness. I always knew I wanted to be a parent but after having my son, there was an overwhelming feeling of love that I never expected to feel. You love your mother, your brother, your family but your own child is in its own realm.  It breaks my heart to think that some people can’t have this. 
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My aunt could not have children due to cancer so this hits close to home. My friend and her husband tried for a few years and another friend couldn’t have children due to endometriosis so it opened my eyes to what couples go through. I enjoy being pregnant so I wanted to help other people experience this love. 

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What advice would you give to women considering surrogacy? 
I did lots of research but to be honest, I ignored all the negative things about surrogacy. I am probably not a good candidate to answer this question [laughs].

What was the turning point for your decision to become a surrogate? 
I had a friend who had been a surrogate and it made me realize that it was something I wanted to do but I wanted to be done with my own family. When my daughter was two, my husband and I talked and decided our family was complete.  

I called Kim at Supportive Conceptions Surrogacy and she answered all my questions and asked me if I was ready to being the surrogacy journey. I realized I was ready and that is how it all began. It was the best decision ever.

What are some myths that you come across about surrogacy? 
I would say that for people who don’t do their research, the question I get the most is that they think it’s my baby. Another myth is that you will have multiple embryos so I have to educate them about how the transfer works and the risks of multiples is very low. 

How has the extra income impacted you and your family? 
My first surrogacy we were able to pay off debt and use a portion on a down payment on our home. My second surrogacy I was able to do a remodel on our home. I now have a beautiful kitchen with an open concept and have all my debt paid off. It has provided me with a less stressful life. 

It has been good stepping stones to also help my career. I am a hairdresser and during 2020 I was able to build a salon suite so I could have my own clients in a private setting to keep us safe. This significantly helped my business.
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I am planning on putting money away for a 401k which is hard to do when owning my own business and this will help significantly.  

Why would you recommend Supportive Conceptions Surrogacy [SCS]? 
Because Kim is amazing! She is very sweet and makes you feel very comfortable. She answers questions I didn’t even know to ask. I love that she comes to your house and really gets to know you and talk to you. 

In addition, we go on retreats with other surrogates and I love the community it creates. To be able to talk to other surrogates in a relaxed environment is priceless. 

I would recommend anyone in Northern California to use SCS. I have heard so many other surrogates complain about the agency they used. From bad communication to not being compensated on time and that is exactly the opposite of what I have experienced. Everything has been done for me from finding a lawyer to working out all the compensation. I have not had any problems because Kim takes care of everything. This was especially helpful during my first surrogacy because she guided me through it. I love having the ease of having an agency that “has your back.”