Welcome to Conversations, the podcast with Surrogacy Australia.
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Join Anna McKie in conversation with surrogates and parents who have navigated Australian altruistic surrogacy. Anna is a gestational surrogate, high school Math teacher and surrogacy educator working with Surrogacy Australia and running SASS (Surrogacy Australia’s Support Service).
These podcasts were recorded as part of our free, fortnightly webinar series. If you would like to attend one, check out our dates and registration links. The recordings can also be found on our YouTube channel so you can see the photos that are described in the recordings.
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Recent episodes
Kim started her journey in March 2020 when she first joined SASS. After joining, Kim and her family were fortunate enough to meet two couples through the surrogacy community, however both IP couples decided to pursue other options to start a family, After taking some time out to regroup, in March 2022 Kim accessed the SASS database and asked to be introduced to Lindsay and Antony in Brisbane, as they matched what Kim and her family were looking for in regards to being around the same age, a heterosexual couple, sharing the same values and expectations. This would be especially important considering they would be an interstate team. The initial meeting went well, and after spending time getting to know each other, in September 2022, Kim and her family offered to be their surrogate and help make them a family. The journey culminated in February 2024 when she birthed their son, Finn. Kim has supported many new IPs and surrogates on their journey and has been building up the surrogacy community in WA.
Episode 72 – Education – Do you keep in touch with the surrogate?
Three parents through surrogacy share their own thoughts on this question.
Tim’s SASS team are one that we have supported from their introduction through to birth and now in this year post birth. Tim and his husband, Sasha, from Sydney became parents to their son Atticus in February 2024. Atticus was carried by surrogate Lizzy who was previously a stranger. They went to America to create embryos and have an embryo transfer and Tim has shared his story at a Growing Families conference 2 years after meeting Lizzy and the same conference where they met the medical team from the American IVF clinic!
Episode 70 – Children of Surrogates
- How did you get to know the Intended Parents (IPs)?
- What were your first thoughts when she brought up the idea of being a surrogate?
- Did you siblings feel the same/different about surrogacy?
- How did your extended family react?
- How do you explain surrogacy to other kids?
- How was the pregnancy for mum?
- How was the birth and those first few weeks/months after?
- Do you still see the parents and the child?
- Do you wish anything went differently?
Episode 69 – Education – Surrogacy Counselling
Counselling for surrogacy happens at a variety of different times and for different reasons. All types of counselling are appropriate for surrogates and IPs (Intended Parents). The four main stages are
🌟pre-surrogacy
🌟mandatory
🌟ongoing (while pregnant)
🌟ongoing (after birth)
Episode 68 – Bonnie – surrogate
Bonnie, who lives near Hervey Bay, was a traditional surrogate for Andrew and Sam who live in Canberra. She birthed their daughter Paige in December 2020 and son Cole in February 2023. The births were total opposites with Paige needing to be in the NICU for 7 weeks but Cole was a homebirth.
Episode 67 – Brendan – gay dad
Brendan and Matt, from Adelaide, became Dads to their son in late September 2020. Their son was carried by their surrogate (previously a stranger) Anna (me!) who lives in SA too. Brendan has been a Mentor with SASS and has supported many new gay Intended Dads who are at the beginning of their journey. You can find them on instagram @the_real_dads_of_adelaide