How to become a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities

The pandemic gave a Denver area mom the opportunity to go on a life-changing journey.

There can be a lot of questions and even misconceptions surrounding surrogacy and Mile High Mamas has teamed up with ConceiveAbilities to give you a glimpse at what it takes to become a Denver surrogate. After all, this surrogate agency has helped thousands of families for nearly 25 years!

In Part 1 of 3, we talked about how much money a surrogate makes and Denver surrogate, Kristi, shared why someone would become a surrogate.

In today’s article, Kristi shares how she was matched to an intended family through ConceiveAbilities, if she felt her needs were taken care of and how her delivery went.

How much control did you have during the matching process of who your intended family would be?

I was involved in the matching process. I had a very specific idea of what kind of intended parents I wanted to work with. When I sat down with ConceiveAbilities and told them the kind of family I wanted to work with, it wasn’t long after they reached out and found a family for me! They told me a little bit about the family and we all agreed to meet. We are still super close today!

Did you feel like your wants and needs were taken into consideration during your pregnancy?

My intended parents and I were close during the pregnancy and were there for each other through the whole process. They were very supportive! They told everyone involved “Whatever Kristi wants, she gets. A happy surrogate makes for a happy baby.” 🙂

How was the surrogacy pregnancy different from pregnancy with your daughter?

I am a single mom and it was a relief to be pregnant and just enjoy the pregnancy without the worry of raising a child on my own. This really allowed me to enjoy every aspect of the pregnancy!

What surprised you about the surrogacy pregnancy?

I was surprised that my belly buddy was breech. I was induced with my daughter and the contractions were not so steady. So with this pregnancy, I was hoping to do it so much more naturally. Unfortunately, because my little buddy was breech, I had to go in for a scheduled c-section.

What was delivery like? How did you feel when you were able to give the gift of life to another family?

I had to go in for a scheduled c-section. While I was hoping to go into labor naturally, my belly buddy was breech and that was not an option. But the moment the baby was delivered, tears of pure joy ran down my face! The joy of seeing her parents getting to hold their baby for the first time! That moment! That was exactly why I wanted to be a surrogate!

How did you share the process with your daughter? How much did she understand and how did she feel?

My daughter loved that the baby was not going to come home with us! She is an only child and loves it 😉

My daughter loved telling others that “this baby was not coming home with us.” She loved freaking people out! My daughter is 11 years old and was amazing through the whole process. My daughter and Intended Parents also have a close relationship as well. At this point, we are all family!

In Part 3 of 3, Kristi talks about the Fourth Trimester–what happened emotionally and physically after her C-section and what she would tell another woman who is considering becoming a surrogate.

ConceiveAbilities: Looking Out For Its Colorado Surrogates

If you are thinking about becoming a surrogate in Colorado, ConceiveAbilities Surrogacy Agency in Denver delivers a comprehensive plan to ensure a successful fourth trimester recovery, from the start of pregnancy and based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists standard of care.

As a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities, you will have a personalized consultation covering the facts behind, and options for:

Doula care and birth preparation
Physical therapy
Nutrition
Fitness / movement
Monthly Q&A sessions with rotating experts throughout pregnancy

ConceiveAbilities is proud to offer the first-of-its-kind All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation Program. The surrogate pay package is the highest of any surrogacy agency. As a surrogate in Denver with ConceiveAbilities, your estimated base surrogate pay is $52,000 plus an additional $5,000 for a limited time. After you have qualified, a surrogate engagement team member will provide you with a personalized compensation package including your personal Match Manager, legal and insurance support and monthly care packages.

Learn more about becoming a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities in Denver or take this survey to begin your Colorado surrogacy journey.

In partnership with Mile High Mamas.

How to Become A Surrogate in Colorado: A Denver Mom shares why she became a surrogate

Have you ever wondered how to become a surrogate in Denver?

ConceiveAbilities is a Denver egg donor and surrogate agency that has helped thousands of families for nearly 25 years. Despite all the challenges of 2020, they are happy to report that their doors have been open continuously and over 100 babies have been born to “their” families in this most unusual year. How do they do it? In large part, because they have deep relationships with IVF clinics, fertility experts, and scores of surrogates and families who built their families with surrogates.

Mile High Mamas recently sat down with Kristi, a Denver mom who chose to become a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities, to ask her how she made the decision.

Note: This is Part 1 of 3 of Kristi’s journey as a gestational surrogate. See Part 2 that details her matching process with her intended family, pregnancy and delivery.

(Denver surrogate Kristi)

How to Become a Surrogate in Denver

Why did you want to be a surrogate?

I have always loved kids! My background is in early childhood development and I worked in the classroom with infants and toddlers and was always around kids from a young age (babysitting, nannying). I worked with parents as well, and sometimes they were older parents. I heard stories about issues with fertility pretty often and it inspired me to become a surrogate. My heart really wanted me to do this.

Why was the time right for you?

I had just been through a divorce and I knew I would not be able to be a surrogate while being with him because he would not pass a background check. When we divorced I felt that I had my life back and that I could do whatever I wanted to, and the first thing I wanted to do was become a surrogate.

How did you choose ConceiveAbilities/your surrogacy agency?

I found ConceiveAbilities by a simple google search! I looked around on the internet for different agencies and liked ConceiveAbilities the best because it felt “legit” and it was big enough for me. I was worried about getting scammed so I wanted a larger surrogacy agency with a long, credible history of helping families.

What were the requirements to be a surrogate/how can you apply?

(Before delivery)

To start, I filled out a 5-minute online application on their website. The requirements included being less than 38 years old with no tattoos or piercings in the last 6 months or year, have at least one child of your own, and no travel to Florida because of Zika virus. It also required a background check, house check, medical checks and a healthy weight.

How much money does a surrogate get paid in Denver?

ConceiveAbilities’ base pay for a first-time surrogate begins at $44,000 and they encourage women to put their zip code into their calculator to find out if their area is a high-demand area. For Denver, the base pay for a first-time surrogate begins at $52,000.

What would you tell women who want to learn more about the process of becoming a surrogate?

Well, there are two types of women who want to become surrogates: ones that care about compensation and others that really want to do it and have a selfless heart. I felt like I have been kind of “called” to become a surrogate.

What were some misconceptions you had about surrogacy? How did you handle friends’ and families’ misconceptions about surrogacy?

The first misconception was that my egg was going to be used. Everyone would say, “oh, you’re going to give your baby away to someone else” and my response to them was, “nope this is not my baby, not even a little bit. This is their egg, their sperm, and their baby.” The second misconception was that I did it just for the money. My response was, “no, when you sign up to do this you have to understand that your life is on the line, worst-case scenario. And secondhand infertility is a real thing.” My family and friends were supportive and they would say to me, “this is so you!”

***Learn more about how to become a surrogate mother in Denver by going to ConceiveAbilities. In parts two and three, we will explore the timeline, how Kristi was matched, her pregnancy and birth!*Why do women become surrogates?**

ConceiveAbilities recently hired research firm Accelerant Research to better understand surrogates. The firm surveyed 100 surrogates, more than 500 qualified surrogacy prospects and more than 1,000 women from the general population. Of the surrogates and qualified surrogacy prospects, Accelerant found:

More than 60% reported a household income above $75,000.
More than half volunteer regularly.
Nearly half are registered blood and organ donors.
Almost one-quarter of them foster pets.
68% see surrogacy as a way to support the LGBTQ community.
More than three-quarters said they did so because they knew someone personally in need.
Two-thirds said they had first-hand exposure to a relative or close friend’s struggle with infertility.

“We found that the single biggest motivation for surrogates is the simple desire to help,” Nazca Fontes, CEO of ConceiveAbilities shared. “Eighty-seven percent said they find joy in helping others; 74% reported they are motivated by a sense of empowerment as a surrogate.”

Go to conceiveabilities.com to learn more. In partnership with Mile High Mamas.

Becoming Mothers: A Surrogate Mom’s Journey

On “Black Friday,” I went in to my OB to be checked and to see if the twins had decided to turn head down yet. Of course, they hadn’t; it would be a c-section for me. The doctor told me to go home, get bags packed, gather my party and come back at 5:30 p.m. to get prepped. I did as he instructed, my mom drove me back to the hospital that evening and my husband and our friends met us there. They wheeled me into the surgical room and three familiar faces met me there, people whom I love and adore, friends I considered family at this point. Smiling, reassuring me, holding my hand and making sure I was comfortable.

Sounds pretty standard, right? It was anything but.

You see, my husband was there, but alongside of him were the parents of the twin girls who were about to enter the world. I am a gestational surrogate,