The California Surrogacy Center understands that the road to parenthood involves diverse paths, with surrogacy being one of them. Last year, California Surrogacy Center held an event to recognize, thank and pamper their surrogates for their invaluable service. The event was held at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, a luxury resort in San Diego.
Surrogates Deserve Recognition and Fellowship
When a woman becomes a surrogate at California Surrogacy Center, she is well-compensated. There is no doubt, though, that a woman being pregnant and giving birth to a baby that she will not keep can be an odd yet rewarding experience. As surrogate mother Michelle M., the guest of honor at the 2016 event, said, “To be a surrogate mother requires the strength to be able to carry and give birth to someone else’s child.”
The annual events are a way for the California Surrogacy Center to bring these women together for a night of respect and thankfulness. A typical event gives attendees the opportunity to enjoy a five-course meal, swap stories about their experiences as surrogate mothers and ask questions of California Surrogacy Center staff. Many women leave the night feeling inspired by the speeches made by staff members and surrogates.
Games and Gifts
And then there are the games and gifts. For example, in a pinata-like game in 2016, participants passed around a plastic ball that was wrapped and filled with candy and gifts. They worked quickly to unwrap what they could while they had the ball, and whatever fell out during their time, they got to keep. As for gifts, they came via a goody bag that everyone left with (each bag included $100 cash, among other gifts). There was also a raffle with several levels of presents, and a Tiffany’s gift was the grand prize.
Generous Compensation
Many women enjoy pregnancy. Some even relish it. However, pregnancy as a California Surrogacy Center surrogate does mean that a woman has to give up her body in a sense, attend appointments and meet stringent requirements. That’s why California Surrogacy Center sees it as only fair that its surrogates are treated generously.
Compensation includes an average of $40,000 to $50,000 for first-time surrogates, with repeat carriers earning up to $65,000. Legal fees, travel expenses, clothing and other out-of-pocket costs can be reimbursed. There is also a signing bonus of $1,000. Surrogacy can be a way for a woman to buy a house, save for her college education or to help her family in other ways.
A Desire to Help
Many California Surrogacy Center surrogate mothers reap the rewards of internal motivation as well. That is, they love being able to help other people become parents and are welcomed into a community of surrogate mothers. They help the world become a better place one baby at a time, one family at a time.
Michelle M., the 2016 guest of honor, described part of the process well when she said, “No feeling in the world can compare to the overwhelming joy I felt when seeing the intended parents meet their baby boy for the first time. … I was able to witness their first interactions with their new baby. My heart swelled with joy that I was able to give them the child that they always wanted. This is a memory I will cherish forever. I loved that feeling so much right then I decided to be a surrogate again.”
To learn more about becoming a surrogate, contact us using the form below.
