During the Height of COVID Genna was Admitted to the Hospital at 29 Weeks.

Genna delivered a baby surro boy in February 2021. Genna met her Intended Fathers through Golden Surrogacy.

Q: How did you learn about surrogacy? How did you know it was right for you?

A: I don’t remember when or how I learned about surrogacy, but I knew even before having my own kids that if I was able to I wanted be a surrogate.

Q: How did you pick your surrogacy agency, Golden Surrogacy?

A: Although it isn’t necessary, I wanted an agency geographically close to me. I read reviews on agencies near me and after finding and listening to Goldens podcast it just felt right.

Q: Many of the other surrogates I interview talk about their relationship with the IM, but it looks like you carried for IFs. How was your relationship with them? Were you closer to one dad than the other? Were they physically nearby? And are you guys still talking?

A: Our relationship is great, we live a little less than 2 hours apart and hoped to spend more time together but COVID made that difficult. Right after the birth, they stopped by to pick up milk every other day or so, and I would get regular pictures and updates. Although I am still on the fence about it, I am thinking about doing another journey for them.

Q: I like the post where you mention that you had to meet your own two babies Earth-side to really develop a bond with them. I think this is really important to talk about. Many women who need a surrogate feel “less than” because they can’t carry and they are losing an opportunity to bond with their baby. Could you talk more about your bonding journey with your own children?

A: I really didn’t feel a bond with my kids while I was pregnant, of course I wanted to keep them safe and healthy but I didn’t love them in the way you’d maybe expect, they were strangers. I fully expected that when my son was born I would just be overwhelmed with love for him and really I just felt overwhelmed. Even though he’d grown inside of me for 9 months we were strangers and had to get to know each other. With my daughter I felt the same but much less overwhelmed by the changes brought on with a new baby. For a long time I was ashamed to tell people I didn’t fall in love with my babies right away… I mean even now I still feel like it makes me sound like a monster, but I’m not and it’s normal.

Q: Your journey took a turn when it was during your 20 week ultrasound that the baby had a velamentous cord insertion with vasa previa diagnosis. It was quite a shock to you since you have had easy pregnancies in the past. Because of the diagnosis, you checked into the hospital at 29 weeks and had your c-section at 34 weeks! How did this diagnosis and experience affect your perception of pregnancy? Will you be a surrogate again?

A:I knew going into surrogacy that anything could happen and I made sure that logistically my family would be taken care of if I had to be put on bed rest or hospitalized etc. but still I didn’t expect to be in the hospital for 5 weeks. The diagnosis itself didn’t change how I feel about pregnancy, I still love being pregnant. It was really sad for me though knowing I had to have a c section and that if I have any future pregnancies they will have to be c section delivery’s too. At first I didn’t think I would be a surrogate again, after spending that much time away from my family I really wanted to just focus on myself and my family. But now that more time has passed I’m considering it again to give the same family another baby.

@ahopefulsurro