What It’s Really Like to Be a Surrogate

What does it actually feel like to carry a baby for someone else? Not the polished version the real one. In this episode, Eloise Drane sits down with Heathyr Suhr, a two-time gestational surrogate and single mom, to talk honestly about what the surrogacy journey looks and feels like from the inside. Heathyr shares her motivations, her experiences with intended parents, what she needed most from her agency, and the parts of surrogacy that nobody tells you about upfront. This is a first-hand account from someone who has done it twice and loves it and who is passionate about helping other women understand what they’re really signing up for before they begin. If you’re considering surrogacy and wondering what the experience is truly like for the surrogate, this episode gives you an honest, grounded answer straight from someone who has lived it. “I love pregnancy, I love helping create families, and I love educating other women on the ups and downs of this journey.” - Heathyr Suhr **Guest Bio** Heathyr Suhr is a single mom and two-time gestational surrogate who loves pregnancy, helping create families, and educating other women on the realities of surrogacy. She brings a candid, warm perspective to one of the most personal decisions a woman can make. This episode is for women who are considering surrogacy and want to hear an honest, first-hand account of what the journey actually feels like. **What You’ll Learn** • What motivated Heathyr to become a surrogate and do it again • What the day-to-day reality of being a gestational carrier actually feels like • How Heathyr navigated her relationship with her intended parents • What surrogates need most from their agency and their IPs • The emotional ups and downs no one prepares you for • What Heathyr wishes more women knew before starting the process **Episode Resources** Becoming a Surrogate: What’s Carrying Someone Else’s Baby Like? [familyinceptions.com](familyinceptions.com) 6 Red Flags When Selecting a Surrogacy Agency [familyinceptions.com](familyinceptions.com) **Related Episodes** [Ep 8: Six-Time Egg Donor & Three-Time Surrogate Eloise Shares Her Story](thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-8-eloise-drane-story/)  [Ep 2: Surrogacy 101: When It Takes a Village to Start a Family](thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-2-surrogacy-101/)  **Thinking About Becoming a Surrogate?** If you’re thinking about becoming a surrogate and want to talk with a team that’s been doing this for over two decades, visit [familyinceptions.com](%20familyinceptions.com). This episode is part of our Between Seasons series, where we’re bringing back some of the most-loved and most-needed conversations from the Fertility Café archive while we work on our next full season. **Stay Connected** Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fertilitycafe Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fertilitycafe LinkedIn [linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe](linkedin.com/company/fertility-cafe) **More Resources** Learn more about surrogacy & fertility https://familyinceptions.com/ Listen to past episodes https://www.youtube.com/@FertilityCafe Get expert insights & updates [thefertilitycafe.com/resources](thefertilitycafe.com/resources) ### Chapters - (00:00:00) - Return to Fertility Cafe: Surrogacy Story - (00:01:23) - Surrogacy Special Guest: Heather Sir - (00:01:54) - Surrogacy for Kids 1 - (00:05:01) - Surrogacy 1, Personal Support - (00:06:01) - The Surrogate's First Pregnancy - (00:07:37) - The surrogacy journey - (00:08:50) - The First Couple I Met Through The Birthcare Agency - (00:12:42) - The Surrogacy Process - (00:13:46) - The surrogates' first transfer failed - (00:15:25) - The Couple's Love Letter - (00:20:25) - I Was Forced To Have A Termination During My Marriage - (00:24:14) - The Match Manager's involvement in the pregnancy - (00:25:33) - The C-Section Baby - (00:29:18) - The Surrogacy Process - (00:34:18) - The Penn State doctor who got coveted - (00:34:36) - The Couple Who Matched With Their Daughter - (00:37:12) - Surrogate on 'The Surrogate' - (00:38:27) - What Would You Tell the Intended Parents About Surrogacy? - (00:40:14) - What would you tell a woman considering becoming a surrogate herself? - (00:42:03) - Surrogates Speak Out - (00:46:50) - Heather's Story of Surrogacy