The excitement and anxiety of your first surrogacy can be such a rush. You are focused on every step of the process: making sure your surrogate is healthy, preparing financially, nesting at home, reading all the baby books you can find…then suddenly, your baby is here!

All that time and work (emotional and financial) that you put in has finally brought you a little miracle…but what now? From managing the relationship with your surrogate, to actually leaving the hospital with a baby, we have you covered when it comes to the post surrogacy process. Keep reading to find out what details you should be aware of in order to have a smooth ending to your surrogacy.

Birth Certificate

One major concern of the post surrogacy process is the question of whose name will go on the birth certificate. Since some states do not allow changes before the birth, your surrogate’s name may be added initially as the legal parent. However, once your lawyers have completed the legal process, an updated certificate will be created with the Intended Parent’s information and the one with the surrogate’s name on it would be sealed.

If you have a post-birth order, rather than a pre-birth order, obtaining the certificate may take a little longer, but usually this doesn’t cause too many issues unless you need to fly home fairly quickly.

Leaving the Hospital

Once you are ready to leave the hospital, you’ll have to make sure that all your paperwork is in order for the hospital discharge process. Typically you’ll be leaving 24-48 hours after the birth.

You will need a copy of your surrogacy agreement, along with documents like birth certificates (if applicable), hospital forms, and a medical evaluation form ensuring the baby is healthy when he (or she) leaves the hospital.

Driving with a Newborn

If you’ll be leaving by car, you’ll need to be prepared with all the necessary baby car accessories, including a car seat base and carrier. You should have a pre-packed bag available with blankets, extra clothes, formula, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, bottles, etc, so that you have everything you need for the ride home (Pro tip- our Intended Parent Community has hospital checklists so you won’t leave anything at home). If you have your birth certificate already, that is great, but you may still need to wait for the legal process to complete.

Driving home is preferred to flying since your baby will be exposed to less people and less germs. You also won’t have to worry about proving their age and having every document in order right away.

Flying with a Newborn

If you know you’ll be heading home on a flight, you’ll definitely want to know what type of documents you’ll need to have on hand before flying.

First, make sure to check with the airline to find out how old your infant must be before flying. Different airlines have different requirements. For example, United Airlines does not allow you to travel with an infant less than 7 days old, and other airlines will require a medical release form before they are 2 weeks old.

You’ll also want to arrange any equipment you’ll need from the airline ahead of time, for example a bassinet or an approved car seat carrier. Usually this equipment is not always on hand, so requesting this earlier than later can prevent unnecessary headaches.

For International travel, your baby will need to show proof of age which can be in the form of a passport, an immunization card, or a birth certificate.

Post Surrogacy Legal Requirements

While some Intended Parents will be able to set up a streamlined pre-birth order (a legal document establishing you as the child’s legal parents before birth), some who live in certain states will only qualify for a post-birth order.

The pre-birth order can speed things up and make the last steps of the surrogacy process a lot smoother. Not only will you be added to your baby’s birth certificate as the legal parent beforehand, you will also be able to make any medical decisions needed. This makes insurance coverage easier to manage, too.

A post-birth order means you will need to wait 3-5 days after the birth to establish your legal status as parents. What type of order you will need all depends on the individual laws of the state you live in. If you are working with an agency or consultant, they will join forces with your lawyers to make sure everything is handled effectively.

Closure With Your Surrogate

Depending on your unique surrogacy journey, you may choose to keep the relationship open with your surrogate past the birth stage. This could be beneficial for both Intended Parents and the surrogate if all are in agreement.

Intended Parents have the option to introduce the surrogate’s children to the new baby, or even give her gifts of appreciation. In this relationship, the surrogate can continue to feel fulfilled knowing that she has contributed greatly to the happiness of another family.

If it has not already been decided within the surrogacy agreement, the Intended Parents should discuss as early as the match call what they envision the relationship looking like after delivery. There should be a clear plan for communication mapped out so there is no confusion or overstepping of boundaries later down the road.

Communication can be defined as sending emails, texts, letters, photos, or even visiting. It may be that you are wanting to have minimal contact with your surrogate, and that is fine too, as long as clear lines are drawn.

Get The Post-Journey Support You Need

The key to a smooth post surrogacy stage is preparation and support. Making sure you have all the appropriate paperwork set up ahead of time. Ensuring that you and your surrogate are on the same page about communication and your roles post birth, and collecting everything you’ll need to actually bring your baby home, safe and sound.

Luckily, with Surrogacy Simplified, you won’t be doing any of this alone. You’ll be guided through every step of the way with the help of our expert team.

If you’re ready to commit to a surrogacy journey where you’ll be supported fully from beginning to end, join us for a complimentary discovery call to see if working with our team is right for you.