Is there a certain type of family you would like to help? We ask our gestational carriers at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions this question to help facilitate a successful match with intended parents. For two-time surrogate Amy Wise, the answer is an easy one.
“I carry exclusively for same-sex couples or single gay or lesbian intended parents,” Amy says. “I do this because I truly believe that love is love, and a person’s orientation should not be a determining factor in whether or not he or she can become a parent.”
Amy was first introduced to the idea of being surrogate when her brother and his wife asked if she would consider carrying for them after they were told they would not be able to have children on their own. However, they ended up conceiving twins and went on to have a successful pregnancy.
Amy was still interested in the idea of helping to create a family through surrogacy but didn’t know where to start. “I was at lunch with one of my girlfriends, and I told her I wanted to get into it but had no idea how,” Amy says. “Her best friend was a surrogate through Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions and gave me Lauren’s (Surrogate Matching & Education Director) cell number. The rest is history!”
Amy has carried for two sets of same-sex fathers. She says she has a great relationship with both families and is particularly close with the first couple. “They call me Auntie Amy, and we get together for beach trips, dinner dates, etc. They have become extended family, and I love seeing them with their little boy,” she says. “My second family is also fabulous! While we don’t talk as much, we have a great relationship, and I love getting updates on their sweet boy.”
Like many of our gestational carriers, Amy says that the best part of being a surrogate is getting to witness the moment when the parents hold their baby for the first time. “The love in the room is tangible, euphoric even,” she says.
Amy also shares how those moments have brought her and her husband closer together. “I love seeing my husband’s reaction because he supports me unconditionally. He cannot help but cry and whisper in my ear how amazing it is and how much he loves me,” Amy says. “It strengthens our bond – to be part of such an intimate moment with very deserving parents is an indescribable joyous feeling!”
Is another surrogacy journey in Amy’s future? She says she hopes to do a sibling journey for her first family in the not-too-distant future and that carrying for same-sex couples is her way of furthering the message of love an acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community.
“We have come very far in our efforts to recognize and support our friends in the LGBTQ+ community, but we still have leaps and bounds to go,” Amy says. “I think a lot of people still don’t understand because they don’t have to work to have their love legitimized as heterosexual couples. It’s our responsibility to support and advocate for those who have to fight to simply be recognized as they are.”
Are you interested helping to create a family as a surrogate? We would love to speak with you! Learn about the requirements, compensation, surrogacy process and more at www.creataeahappyfamily.com.