Sometimes when making something so precious, beautiful and unique, it takes an extra helping heart. There are many couples around the globe who each day are faced with challenges in becoming parents, or growing their family. Infertility is on the rise, and it’s something that is often not spoke about. Some mothers’ cannot carry children due to complications of the womb, and some couples experience a rollercoaster to parenthood.
There are mothers who are stepping up and willing to help these couples who cannot conceive. Surrogate Mommies. Now this may seem like a scary journey for some, but for others, it’s giving someone else the opportunity to have their family.
Recently I decided to document a journey locally, and give knowledge to those who have questions, or who want to know what it’s like. I will photograph this journey from start to finish on this blog. I will let you see what I see with my eyes. Every emotion is poured into this, tears, happiness, and the look when the birth parents meet their little.
Meet Larah, who’s a mother of two little beautiful girls. Larah became a surrogate to help a family who can’t conceive.
I became a surrogate because I love being pregnant and decided since I’m done having babies I should help a family who can’t. I am very excited and can’t wait to actually be pregnant.
On 12/21/2015 Larah and her family signed their contract and started their first dose of Lupron Injections. Lupron is a hormone that dramatically lowers estrogen levels. Larah was given birth control pills to synchronize her cycle with the birth mother. Usually about two weeks into this stage, that’s when Lupron is taken by Larah. Larah stops her set of birth control pills starting 12/23/2015.
Larah’s cycle will start while on Lupron, and then the dose is normally decreased by half, as she starts adding the estrogen replacement to the mix. Which will also be documented.
12/22/2015 I was there for her second shot of Lupron.
The image above is when Larah was numbing the area that the Lupron shot will go into.
Lupron doesn’t hurt at all if you ice it first you don’t even feel it
Once the area was pretty numb Larah prepared the Lupron.
This whole process took about 15 minutes for her to do.
December 29th 2015, Larah had started Delestrogen. Which rapidly enhances the estrogen in the system. Unfortunately I was sick with the flu, so I missed her fist dose, along with some blood work (but we will be making this up). Her second dose of Delestrogen I did capture. So far the only side effects are bloating. But this 18 gag needle, ouchy. The spot was numbed at first. The Delestrogen is an oil base so it’s a lot thicker than the Lupron. Therefore Larah said it is best to put it in between a heating pad.
Her amazing husband administered the shot. Slowly injecting it in her left butt cheek. (These were taken second dose December 31st, 2015)
1/6/16 Larah went for her Ultrasound today to check the thickness of the endometrium lining, and her follicles. Her lining is pretty good (thanks to the Delestrogen (which thickens the lining) at 11mm thick. Her fresh transfer from the birth parents is just 12 days away now!
There was no blood work today, but I am pretty sure according to her schedule she gets blood work next week. She will continue to take the Delestrogen, and sometime next week start on the Progesterone. Getting close!