holiday pregnancy attire

Latest and Greatest, Pregnancy Attire

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Getting dressed and out of the house when you are pregnant can be hard. Lounging on the couch with Christmas movies and your choice of food and beverage this holiday season, may sound more enticing. When it comes to the idea of dressing up vs. sweatpants, sweatpants usually prevail. But there are those times when we have to dress up.  The good news is that due to the changes we are facing this year, not many holiday parties are likely in our 2020 holiday schedule. But maybe you want just one holiday outfit to this year…or not.

This might mean we may be able to pull of sweatpants on Christmas day! But we now can purchase those cute holiday sweatpants since we don’t have to worry about affording a fancy party outfit. Whichever route you choose, Shared Conception would like to provide some trendy, budget friendly sites for holiday attire. You can also include some chic and comfy clothes on your Christmas list. Comfort is probably what you want the most for Christmas after all!

Let’s get shopping from the comfort of your own home! Here are our top favorite maternity clothing web sites.

For inexpensive and trendy apparel, check out Shein or Asos. These sites provide modern maternity wear that won’t break the bank.

H&M has anything from jeans to dresses at affordable prices and will help expand your wardrobe with top styles and trends.

Macy’s has so many brands, styles and price ranges along with great deals – especially if you have a Macy’s card. Don’t forget about this big retail store. It has so much to choose from, that it is sure to please anyone.

If you need any “basics” check out Old Navy . This site can be a one stop shop or at least a good beginning to maternity clothes shopping. There is even an option to shop by trimester.

There are tons of sites out there. To some, the idea of getting pregnant and having the task of acquiring a brand-new wardrobe may seem daunting. To other, it may be the best thing ever. But lucky for us, we live in the modern world where maternity clothes have drastically evolved.

 

 

 

after the birth of a surrogate baby

After the birth…The (usually) untold story

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Many have wondered (and this is one of our frequently asked questions) … What happens to a surrogate mother after she delivers the baby? Honestly, she has most likely jumped back into the routine of her life with her own spouse or partner and children, and possibly experiencing post-partum mood swings. It’s totally normal. Our surrogacy agency, Shared Conception, has received many calls and emails about successful surrogate birth stories. However, some of these women share a common yet realistic topic: it is not all happy all the time. All of these women are uplifting and inspirational, but can still get depressed immediately after giving birth.

 

Think about it. When you immerse yourself 24/7 into the chosen role of a surrogate for 12 months or longer, it encompasses you. Then, after the wonderful shining moment of birth passes, it’s over; just like that! The time, preparation and execution involved in the process are achieved and over in an instant (much like a graduation or wedding)!  It’s nearly the same with every surrogacy arrangement; a surrogate dedicates approximately one year to helping the intended mother experience something she can never personally experience by  herself. And that is more than a full time job! However, what happens after that?

 

Some surrogate mothers have shared their emotions with us and have mentioned feeling completely elated one minute and devastated the next, because their participation in this amazing experience has concluded. And in most cases, it is not the baby they miss. They miss the journey and the miss the close relationship with the intended parents.

 

These emotions and reactions are completely normal, it’s just not usually openly discussed. Any potential surrogate should be aware that she isn’t the only surrogate mother who has ever cried when the baby left the hospital with his or her new parents, or when she says goodbye to her intended parents.

 

Shared Conception pledges to wholeheartedly support you throughout the pregnancy. Interested in becoming a surrogate? Give us a call today or visit www.deliveradream.com to fill out an application request form! We would love to hear from you!

 

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The Taboo Subject: Compensation

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Money is rarely the driving reason behind becoming a surrogate. All of our surrogates love the idea of helping a family, enjoy being pregnant and feel that this journey is more of a calling. But that doesn’t mean compensation is not deserved for the intense labor (no pun intended) that is involved. Surrogacy is a full-time, 24/7 job. Between the matching process, medical appointments, pre-transfer preparation and transfer, this process can take 12-18 months! So yes, you do deserve compensation for the service that you provide.

With that said, how is compensation disbursed? Our clients at Shared Conception, use a surrogacy escrow agency. This agency, along with your contract, is your direct line to all your financial questions. And, most importantly, it prevents any awkward conversations about finances between you and your Intended Parents.

With the help of a surrogacy escrow agency, here are the top 3 most common versions of compensation schedules. It varies by attorney, so these are just examples:

  1. Compensation begins on the 1stor 15thof the month following a heartbeat confirmation, and on the same date each month after, usually 8 or 9 installments.

 

  1. Compensation starts with confirmation of a heartbeat and the same day of the month thereafter. Dividing the agreed upon compensation “salary” into 8-10 installments. This version will end with a large payment at the end if it’s 10 installments.

 

  1. Compensation starts with heartbeat confirmation, and every 4 weeks thereafter. This one is usually divided into 10 installments.

Prorated compensation usually doesn’t come into play unless there is a premature delivery, and this varies greatly by contract. For example, if they deliver prior to the week listed (say 32 for a singleton), contracts usually pay a prorated daily amount thru delivery. If compensation is received the 1st, delivered the 12th, then a daily rate is disbursed for those 11 days.

If you are interested in becoming a surrogate, give us a call for a no pressure, informative chat! We would love to hear from you!

 

How much are surrogates compensated?

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How much are surrogates compensated?

At Shared Conception, each surrogate determines her fee to the intended parents. Many factors go into this overall number. Has the woman been a surrogate before? Is there travel time and cost involved? Will the surrogate’s health insurance be used or will she be required to purchase a new plan? Will this be considered a difficult pregnancy? Will there be more than one embryo or a multiple birth?

In addition, some surrogates have additional fees they include in their overall cost. Maternity clothes and a monthly allowance for paperwork and time involved in doctor’s visits are also factored in.

Also, if the pregnancy becomes high-risk, many surrogates have added expenses. Housecleaning services and lost wages are included if the surrogate is required to be on bed rest.

Answering these and several other questions can help a surrogate determine her base fee. Once the surrogate and her intended families are matched together, the parties negotiate to come up with the final compensation package.

Have a question? We’re here to help. Ask us at Shared Conception to help you get started on the journey to surrogacy.