The Medical Process

9 Tips for a Healthy Surrogate Pregnancy

As a surrogate, you already know how to have a healthy pregnancy; you’ve done it at least once! But, this time, you’ll be carrying a baby for someone else.

We know you want to have the healthiest surrogate pregnancy possible, so you may benefit from reading over this list of nine tips that can help you have a healthy gestational surrogate pregnancy:

  1. Eat healthily and drink plenty of water
  2. Stay active
  3. Take your prenatal vitamins
  4. Get enough sleep
  5. Eliminate harmful substances
  6. Received increased prenatal care
  7. Track your pregnancy
  8. Minimize stress
  9. Enjoy the experience

If you are prepared to start the surrogate pregnancy process, you can reach out to a surrogate specialist today to begin your journey. 

But, read on if you want a quick primer on nine easy tips to help you stay as healthy as possible during your gestational surrogate pregnancy.

1. Eat Healthily and Drink Plenty of Water

When you’re pregnant, you’re eating for two. Everything that you eat, the baby eats, too. To encourage the baby’s growth and your well-being, make sure to eat plenty of:

Avoid things like:

Similarly, staying hydrated is even more critical during your surrogate pregnancy. Dehydration can cause premature contractions. Also, water is essential in transferring vitamins and minerals to the baby. Consider downloading an app that reminds you to drink water, or buy a water bottle with hourly marks to reach your appropriate fluid intake for the day.

2. Stay Active

Doctors recommend you get at least 30 minutes of low-impact physical activity daily during your gestational surrogate pregnancy. Consider things like:

Exercise can reduce surrogate pregnancy symptoms, boost your mood, and possibly make labor and delivery smoother. Always speak with your doctor to find out what exercise is best for you.

3. Take Prenatal Vitamins

In addition to the vitamins and minerals you get through food, you’ll need to take prenatal medication to ensure the baby receives all the nutrients they need to grow. With surrogate pregnancy, you’ll start taking these vitamins before you are pregnant and continue taking them after a surrogate pregnancy is confirmed.

4. Get Enough Sleep

As you know, growing a baby is hard work. Therefore, you must get at least eight hours of sleep a night to give your body time to restore.

The more rest you get, the less likely you are to get sick, and the better you can protect yourself and the baby. It’s suggested to sleep on your side after your first trimester to prevent cutting off the blood supply to the baby.

5. Eliminate Harmful Substances

In addition to certain foods and drinks, you’ll also need to eliminate other harmful substances from your life, like:

Your doctor will explain which substances you need to avoid, including certain over-the-counter medications that may harm the baby or interfere with the surrogacy medications you are taking.

6. Receive More Prenatal Care

Every pregnant woman needs to attend certain OBGYN appointments during her pregnancy. Still, if you have a surrogate pregnancy, you will likely need more appointments to ensure the baby is developing correctly. Your intended parents may be a part of these appointments, which can include frequent checkups by your fertility specialists and obstetrician.

7. Track Your Surrogate Pregnancy

To help you recognize any unusual patterns, you may wish to track your gestational surrogate pregnancy by journaling your:

You may also wish to take photos of your changing body so the intended parents can include them in their baby book. While each pregnancy is unique, if something feels different and wrong about your surrogate pregnancy compared to your last natural pregnancy, you can bring your journal to your doctor for more accurate information.

8. Minimize Stress

Stress isn’t just something that will impact your mental health but also your physical health. You will likely experience mood swings and emotional challenges while pregnant. That’s why finding ways to relax and release your stress is essential.

Make sure to lean on your surrogate pregnancy support system and speak with your surrogacy professionals if you feel overwhelmed. They can always refer you to a therapist or social worker to help you work through any complicated feelings.

9. Try to Enjoy the Experience

Finally, try to relax and enjoy all of the things you love about being pregnant. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the responsibility of carrying a baby for someone else, but maintaining your mental health is important for you and the baby’s sake.

A gestational surrogate pregnancy may be a new experience, so take this time to learn more about your own body and the surrogacy medical process. You will have already passed screening to ensure that you are medically and emotionally prepared to be a surrogate. Know that you can handle the challenges of surrogacy, even if things seem difficult.

Next Steps

As always, speak to your surrogacy professional and doctor if you have any questions about their recommendations for maintaining a healthy surrogate pregnancy.

With a little extra consideration and by changing a few parts of your lifestyle, you can help put a healthy, happy baby into the arms of their intended parents.

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