(BONUS) Episode 4 - The Calm Before the Embryo

Episode 9: Love, Trust & a 40-Page Contract

The legal side of surrogacy isn’t just paperwork, it’s where the trust gets translated into clear, protective boundaries. We’re doing an independent surrogacy journey (no agency), and we’re sharing what it really looked like to find attorneys, time the contract, and survive the constant curveballs that can come from a fertility clinic process. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with someone navigating IVF or surrogacy, and leave us a review so more intended parents and carriers can find practical guidance. What part of the legal process would you want a clinic to explain upfront? Have a question for us? Submit it via Yaya's instagram @fromivftosurrogacy

Episode 8 - We've got a LENTIL cooking!

The longest few seconds of our week happens in an ultrasound room when nobody is talking. Then we finally get the moment we’ve been working toward: clear signs of pregnancy at six weeks and two days, early cardiac activity, and the first real exhale we’ve had in a long time. If you connect with infertility, IVF, surrogacy, or early pregnancy anxiety, hit subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave us a review with the milestone you’re working toward right now. 0:00 - Welcome Back And Big News 1:20 - Wedding Weekend And IVF Shot Logistics 4:08 - Courtside WNBA Night And First Solo Shot 8:12 - A Busy Weekend  11:07 -  The First Ultrasound And Past Loss Fear 15:35 -  Subchorionic Hematomas Explained From Experience 21:28 - Six Weeks Baby Milestones And Next Scan 26:44 - Insurance Bills And What Coverage Missed 31:21 - Monitoring Plan And When Meds Stop 37:04 - Midwife Birth Center Care And Future Planning 41:39 - Communication Rhythms And Reassurance Tests 46:39 - Gratitude And One Big Favor 52:12 - Takeaways Plus Wild Pregnancy Stories

Episode 7 - This Should Be Covered (Insurance Talk)

A positive beta should feel like pure joy, so why does it sometimes feel like a trap door under your feet? We’re talking candidly about beta hCG numbers, the “it didn’t double” panic, and what helps us stay grounded while we wait for the first ultrasound.  Then we shift to the part of surrogacy that has surprised us the most: insurance. We break down the difference between infertility coverage and maternity coverage, why “covers infertility” can still mean you’re paying for IVF meds, PGT testing, embryo storage, or even transfers out of pocket, and how quickly costs can swing based on the plan and the pharmacy network.  If you’re navigating IVF, surrogacy, gestational carrier coverage, or just trying to understand your options during open enrollment, this conversation will save you stress and help you ask better questions. Subscribe, share this with someone who’s in the thick of it, and leave a review to help more families find us. 0:00 The First Insurance Hurdle 0:23 Beta Test Week Emotions 10:39 Numbers Anxiety And Waiting To Breathe 20:15 Lab Logistics And Standing Orders 29:10 Insurance Coverage Types Explained 30:33 IVF Coverage Reality And Hidden Costs 38:30 Maternity Coverage And Surrogacy Exclusions 41:25 Paying For An ART Risk Assessment 45:50 Birth Center Billing And Payment Plans 49:30 Transfer And Meds Not Covered 51:58 Specialty Pharmacy Shipping Chaos 57:18 What Keeps Us Level Headed 1:03:52 Wrap Up And Send Questions

Episode 6 - The Price Is (Not) Right: Surrogacy Edition

Recorded: May 1st, 2026 A single phone notification can change your whole nervous system. We’re on day nine after transfer, beta test is Monday, and we’re trying to hold two truths at once: we feel calmer than we expected, and we’re still staring down big emotions, big costs, and a lot of unknowns. We talk through the mental game of the two-week wait. We also get real about pressure from every direction as a gestational carrier and as intended parents: the fear of disappointing people, the vulnerability of waiting for lab results, and how faith and gratitude can keep you steady when the outcome isn’t in your hands. Then we break down the money. Our cost tracker is already over $14,000 and that’s without capturing every “small” expense like travel, gas, and copays. We compare independent surrogacy versus an agency route, explain why legal contracts matter even when you’re family, and share what we’ve learned about stipends, escrow decisions, insurance hiccups, grants, and creative funding ideas. If you’re researching surrogacy cost, IVF budgeting, or how to financially plan for a gestational carrier journey, this is the candid talk we wish we’d heard earlier. If this helped, subscribe and share the show with someone navigating IVF or surrogacy.... What question do you want us to answer next?

Episode 5 - Transfer Day and the Two‑Week Wait

We did the transfer. Now we wait. In this late‑night check‑in three days post‑transfer, we talk about the strange limbo of the two‑week wait... the moment you go from definitely not pregnant to maybe, with nothing left to do but notice everything. We unpack the emotional whiplash of gestational surrogacy (gratitude, grief, relief, and guilt), the uneven mental load between intended parent and gestational carrier, and the quiet panic that sets in after everyone goes to bed. Then we zoom out and get practical: what’s actually happening after transfer day, from hatching and implantation to hCG, trigger shots, early testing traps, and why beta bloodwork is the real answer. If you’re in the IVF waiting game,  or love someone who is, this one’s for you.