An incredible surrogacy journey doesn’t have to end at delivery! Some gestational surrogates love to
continue their journey by pumping breastmilk for baby bottles for new parents, hospitals, or milk bank companies after delivering. Read on to hear about CFC Surrogate Elizabeth’s incredible 6-month+ pumping journey for her international intended dads, another couple of intended parents, and Prolacta Bioscience’s Preemies Milk Bank program.
I knew early in my surrogacy journey that if my surrobabes’ parents wanted breastmilk that I would be willing to supply them with that to give the babies the best possible start to life. Although my milk production was slow in the beginning, it steadily increased for my first 12 weeks postpartum to where I was making enough milk to feed a baby. I, unfortunately, never had enough to exclusively feed the twins I delivered breastmilk, but their international parents had planned for this and had shipped formula to me even prior to delivery in anticipation of needing it. I was able to provide milk to these babies for 7 weeks.
As my surrogacy journey drew to a close and the babies and their parents returned to their home country, I had been asked by someone at CFC if I would be interested in providing to another family. This baby wasn’t due for 2 months yet, but what a great opportunity for the parents to be able to have a stash of breastmilk available once their little boy was born. About a month before he was born, I started shipping my breastmilk across the country in anticipation of his birth. I was able to provide 3 months’ worth of breastmilk to this little guy and was able to get one more baby off to an awesome start in life!
I still wasn’t ready to wean and felt that my pumping journey wasn’t over yet, so I decided to apply to a company that makes a human milk fortifier for micropreemies. I applied, was accepted, and just had my first shipment of milk to them pass all of their rigorous testing! Six months into my pumping journey, I’m still going strong with no end date in sight.
I never planned for this pumping journey. It just kind of happened, but I am so happy and so thankful that it has progressed the way it has. It feels so good to be able to provide breastmilk to babies, so they get all of the benefits early in life. I hope I am able to help many, many more during this amazing time of my life.
-Elizabeth
To become a surrogate with Creative Family Connections, visit our surrogate application!
Visit our resource guide for intended mothers hoping to induce lactation.
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