It’s medical screening time! 💉 This is one of those exciting “check it off the list” moments in my surrogacy journey, and wow!! What an adventure it turned out to be.
When I was told I’d be flying to New York for my screening, my first thought was: Yay!! I’ve always wanted to go there! My second thought was: Wait… overnight? Without my babies? Cue the dramatic mom tears. 😭
It was my first time ever spending a night away from my little ones, and while part of me was sad (okay, maybe sobbing into my suitcase a little), another part was so excited for what was ahead – especially because I finally got to meet my intended parents in person! We’ve been texting and swapping memes for months now, so meeting them face to face felt like greeting old friends. They were just as amazing, kind, and hilarious in person as they have been behind the screen. Within minutes, we were laughing and swapping stories like old friends. Who knew a surrogacy match could turn into such a fun friendship? 💖
And the best part? I also got to meet their sweet three-month-old “pineapple” who was also born through surrogacy. Holding that tiny, beautiful reminder of what this journey is all about completely melted my heart. Seeing their family together – the joy, the gratitude, the love.. was like getting a sneak peek at the happy ending that’s waiting at the end of all the shots, appointments, and travel. ❤️
The actual medical screening was pretty straightforward: a vaginal ultrasound (to check that my uterus is ready for its starring role) and a blood draw that could probably power a vampire for a week. The doctor and her staff were so kind, professional, and reassuring that it was over before I knew it.
Since my husband came along for the trip, we decided to make the most of it and made a quick detour to Niagara Falls! If you’ve never been, it’s one of those “pictures don’t do it justice” kind of places. The roar of the water, the mist in your face, the sheer power of it all.. it was absolutely breathtaking. And yes, of course we did the classic “look cute while getting drenched” photo attempt. Spoiler: we failed, but those memories will last a lifetime.
My takeaways – Leaving my own kids overnight was emotional, but being reminded of why I’m doing this made it all worth it. Meeting the intended family, seeing their excitement and hope firsthand, and getting to snuggle their sweet baby was such a heartwarming reminder that this journey is about creating families, not just carrying babies. ❤️
Now that screening is complete, I just need the “all clear” to move on to the next phase – LEGAL!
And who knows? Maybe next time I’m headed home from NY, I’ll be carrying someone’s biggest dream with me!
Until then, I’ll be over here chugging water and patiently refreshing my inbox every three minutes.
