Who are the women that become surrogates? What do they have in common?
The desire to serve as a surrogate can pull women together into a tight community. When our agency president Brie began meeting other surrogates online, she quickly realized they had more in common than just their surrogacy journeys.
Our surrogates at Heartland Surrogacy have a variety of personalities, lifestyles, and interests. However, we have noticed some similarities among the women we’ve had the pleasure of guiding on their journeys. Below, we’ve described some of the observations we’ve made in our surrogate network. They don’t apply to every Heartland surrogate, but we believe these common traits tell us a lot about the people who become surrogates.
Motivation for Becoming a Surrogate
Women choose to be surrogates for profoundly personal reasons. Often, there is a combination of reasons why they would want to do something so incredible for someone else. All of our surrogates have mentioned at least one of these motivating factors:
- They know someone facing fertility obstacles. Seeing a family member or friend struggle in creating their family is difficult. Many of our surrogates want to help others in similar situations.
- They have some connection to “alternative families,” such as adoption or foster parenting. These experiences allow them to see that the foundation of a happy home is love, regardless of how a family is formed.
- They love being a parent. All surrogates are required to have given birth and be parenting their own children. The love for their children is a strong motivator for women to become surrogates. They know firsthand the joy that a child can create, and they want to share that joy.
- They want to “give back.” Our surrogates are often so grateful for their family and life that they choose surrogacy as a way to give to others.
![Iowa surrogate mother with family and sign reading “My mom helps build families”.]](https://www.heartlandsurrogacy.com/wp-content/uploads/surogate-mother-in-Iowa-1024x576.png)
Self-Identification
In their applications, our surrogates often described their personalities in similar ways. They feel that they are strong, motivated, and caring. After getting to know our surrogates in their incredible journeys, we agree!
Career Choices
We have noticed that many of our surrogates have chosen careers that call on them to be nurturing caretakers or helpers. They hold positions in healthcare, education, and childcare, in jobs providing administrative support, or are stay-at-home-mothers.
Hobbies and Other Interests
Many of our surrogates list their hobbies as: family activities, crafting, fitness, and cooking/baking. We love seeing surrogates pursue their personal interests and achieve this type of self-care.
These traits tell us about the kind of women that become surrogates. Knowing a surrogate’s lifestyle, interests, and goals help us find the best match and provide personalized support in a journey tailored to them.