Episode 99 – Ideas for IPs (Intended Parents) in waiting

00:07
This series of episodes springs from my work with SASS, Surrogacy Australia’s support service. When intended parents, IPs, have completed their profile and are in the pool of IPs waiting to connect with a surrogate, I do monthly check-ins to make sure they’re still active and waiting. I like to give some guidance and support along the way because the waiting game can be hard. This series of episodes is designed as though they are a letter to the waiting IPs.

00:34
I’ll use this opportunity to reiterate the value of being active and seen within the surrogacy community. You need to find what feels right for you and also something that is manageable in terms of energy and the time commitment. This might include being supportive of others in the Facebook communities, attending or even hosting one of the local catch-ups and or supporting each other through one-on-one phone calls. Let me tell you a little bit about the progress at SAS.

01:01
I’m really pleased with our progress since launching at the start of 2019. Admittedly, it has taken a while to develop momentum while the community adjusts to SASS being an option and allowing time for surrogates and IPs to complete their paperwork. Since our launch, we have successfully introduced surrogates to IPs and guided teams through surrogacy dating. We have welcomed some SASS babies into the world and have even had teams graduate after we have supported them until 12 months post-birth.

01:29
You can see the monthly report on our website of the number of IPs and surrogates who are engaged with SAS. The SASS teams who are surrogacy dating and who are also pregnant and post-birth are a combination of say, five different ways that they came to be. So, both surrogate and IPs joined SASS independently and then met each other at a local catch up or in the Facebook community. Another option is that the IPs met their surrogate through a Facebook group or a catch up or one of our Zooms or their own networks and then have brought her along to SAS.

01:59
Third, the surrogate met her IPs through a Facebook group or one of the Zooms or a catch up and then they all came along to SAS. Four, both the surrogate and IPs met through a Facebook group or a catch up and have since joined SAS. And five, both the surrogate and IPs were friends or family previously and have joined SASS as a team for the structure and support. And of course, there are SASS teams that we have introduced. You might end up being one of those IPs who meet their surrogate through your own networks, in which case,

02:27
We would encourage you to bring your surrogate along to SASS so we can help you navigate your surrogacy journey together. I spoke with an IP and his feedback was that they have followed all of the advice, links, and ideas from SASS up to this point, and it has worked brilliantly, and they had met their surrogate through the community. He said that SASS seems to have the recipe for navigating surrogacy, and I personally like this analogy. You can see the flow chart on our website, which gives you an overview of what that second stage of journey support includes.

02:55
I’ll finish by saying the more we can spread the word about surrogacy to our family, friends and work colleagues, the more women that may step forward to join the community and SAS. I encourage you, if you feel comfortable doing it, to mention SASS and Surrogacy Australia in any conversations you have. The more IPs and surrogates we have joining SAS, the more likely it is that everyone will find the right team. If you’re a member of the Facebook groups and believe in the SASS model, if you are comfortable in promoting us, when new surrogates do their introduction post in one of the groups, you

03:25
I encourage you to mention SASS as an option for them to investigate when connecting with IPs. In the meantime, stay active in the community and try to attend a local catch-up, be that in person or one of our monthly Zoom catch-ups. Head to our website for dates and links. This is a great way to connect with your fellow IPs and surrogates from across Australia. We also have an Instagram account at Surrogacy Australia and a Facebook page which I invite you to follow.

03:50
If you’re looking for more guidance on how to navigate Surrogacy in Australia, please check out SAS, Surrogacy Australia’s support service, so you can have me as your navigation tool on this journey. If you are finding these discussions useful, I would love it if you could leave a review wherever you listen to this show and you can find more information at surrogacyaustralia.org Until next time, welcome to the village.