1) What do you do at AFS?

What do you love most about your position?  

My first position with AFS was Intended Parent coordinator, which I did for 2.5 years. I loved being involved in the journeys and helping hopeful parents all the way through their journey until they had their baby in their arms. After coming back from maternity leave last year, I was able to take over the marketing coordinator role, which is more behind the scenes. I love that I'm still working with AFS and I love being able to plan our fun events and get-togethers as well as...

1) What do you do at AFS?

What do you love most about your position?  

I am the finance manager at AFS. That means anything to do with money I play a large part, especially when it comes to overseeing all the ins and outs of everyone's escrow accounts. I am that typical "nerd" that loves numbers. They have always made sense to me. I love the structure of what I do and that I get to be part of these amazing journeys. 

2) Where were you born and raised? What brought you to Oregon?  

I was born in Mesa, Arizona, but moved to Memphis, T...

1) What do you do at AFS?

What do you love most about your position?  

As the Surrogate Intake Coordinator, I work with surrogates from the time they first apply until they're ready to start the matching process. I am a total people person and getting to interact with so many kind-hearted women who want to help others build families, just gives me all the warm and fuzzies everyday! 

2) Where were you born and raised? What brought you to Oregon?  

I was born in Santa Cruz, California and lived there until I was a teenager. We moved up here as a fam...

1) Please introduce yourselves and your baby.

Gal & Gilles: we are a binational gay couple living in San Francisco, Gilles is from France and Gal is from Israel. We met in San Francisco 6 years ago and decided to use surrogacy as a way to extend our family. Our adorable twin babies, Talia and Ethan, were born in Oregon and we could not have wished for a better experience with our surrogate, the clinic and everyone that helped us along the way.

2) How would you describe your surrogacy experience?

It has been a life-changing experience, not just bec...

While it’s important for any individual to keep healthy, it’s even more crucial for a pregnant woman. By taking care of yourself through your diet, your social connections and your lifestyle, you are ensuring a healthier pregnancy and a more enjoyable surrogacy journey. 

Changes to Your Diet 

Some women choose to eat organic produce while pregnant. While there is no conclusive evidence that non-organic produce is harmful, one study does demonstrate that organic produce does reduce the level of pesticides in newborn infants. Some dietary restricti...

1) Please summarize your surrogacy journey thus far. 

Becoming a surrogate was a dream of mine for about 15 years. When I finally made the decision I was so excited I found AFS. From the first moment I received a return call I felt like I was part of a family. I had high expectations of surrogacy and my experience far exceeded what I hoped for.

2) Where are you in your surrogacy journey?

I am 6 months after delivery of my first and only surrogate baby. I gave birth to a healthy, happy, beautiful baby boy in July 2019.

3) Tell us a little about...

1) Please summarize your surrogacy journey thus far. 

I began my journey in May, 2018 when I first inquired with AFS. I was matched with my IPs in August and had one embryo transferred in January 2019. I was blessed with a pregnancy without complications and delivered a healthy baby girl in September. 

2) Where are you in your surrogacy journey?

Since delivering in September, I continued to pump and ship milk for 14 weeks after she was born and I just recently sent my last shipment! I continue to stay in touch with my IPs and enjoy receiving...

Deciding to become a parent is a joyful experience, though if you are a male in a same-sex relationship, it might be difficult to decide how to move forward. Will you adopt? Will you look into commercial surrogacy? Some same-sex male couples often choose surrogacy because it is a way to maintain a genetic connection to the child.

Gay men tend to be the largest group of recipients of commercial surrogacy. However, not all agencies cater effectively to this distinct demographic. The biological inability to conceive traditionally can be a great sou...