Every child deserves to grow up knowing their story is one of courage, intention, and love, surrounded by grownups who celebrate how they came to be
It begins when someone says, “We’re hoping to have a baby.” (or even before when a grandparents sees their child all grown up and begins to dream of a sweet grandbaby)
Sometimes the journey is simple.
Sometimes it takes more time, a little more science, and a few extra helpers.
Whether you learned about your grandbaby through a phone call, an ultrasound photo, a text message or RIGHT NOW reading these lines, CONGRATULATIONS!
Being a grandparent is one of the best parts of life and this guide will help you understand HOW it’s possible and what happens next.
The sperm and egg come together to create an embryo. The uterus is the safe place where the embryo can grow into a baby. Words like “sperm,” “egg,” and “uterus” may feel uncomfortable at first. That is okay. They will become easier to say with practice. Using the correct words will also help your grandchild (and you!) understnad their beginning without confusion or shame.
Think of it a little like baking a cake.
A cake needs ingredients and a safe oven where everything can come together. The sperm and egg are like the ingredients. The uterus is like the oven.
Sometimes the ingredients and oven all come from the same home. Sometimes a parent needs to borrow an ingredient or two. Sometimes they need to borrow a safe oven.
Like any grandparent, you want your grandbaby to grow up safe and healthy. That’s why finding the right ingredients and the safest oven is an important choice.
(and it took a LOT of courage!)
An egg donor is someone who provides eggs to help another person or couple have a baby.
Doctors combine a donated egg with sperm to create an embryo. That embryo can then grow inside a uterus.
An egg donor may be someone the family knows, such as a relative or friend. She may also be someone they met through a donation program.
The child’s parents may know a lot about their donor or only a little, but you can be sure they selected their donor with love, intention and a lot of research.
The donor provides part of the child’s genetic beginning, kind of like the blueprints to a house. She has an important place in your grandbaby’s story, but she is not your grandbaby’s mother.
The child’s parents are the people who planned for the baby and will love, protect, and raise them.
Curious about what kind of person becomes an Egg Donor?
Listen to Hannah’s story here.
A surrogate is someone who carries a baby for another person or couple.
Most surrogates today are gestational surrogates, sometimes called gestational carriers. This means the surrogate does not provide the egg and does not share a genetic connection with the baby. Instead, the parents provide their egg and sperm (or donated egg or sperm) and the doctor uses these “ingredients” to create an embryo.
Doctors place an embryo into her uterus. If the embryo attaches and continues to grow, she carries the baby until birth.
A surrogate provides the baby with a safe place to grow. Think of her like the first babysitter.
Curious about what makes a person want to become a Surrogate?
Listen to Jordan’s story here.
I will speak about your story with pride.
I will use words that are truthful, respectful, and easy to understand.
I will follow your parents’ lead.
I will protect your privacy without making your story feel secret or shameful.
I will remind you that you were wanted, you are loved, and you have always belonged.
Description of book
Surrogacy is more than medical. It’s deeply spiritual. And discerning a call to carry (or to let someone carry for you) isn’t always easy. Whether you’re pursuing surrogacy, preparing to carry for someone else, or just navigating unfamiliar terrain, you’re not alone. Called to Carry is a 14-day devotional for women of faith walking through the sacred, complex, and often hidden journey of surrogacy. Get your free copy today.
