Carrying The Conversation: A Surrogacy Podcast

Reproductive Options Surrogacy
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Parenting

Carrying the Conversation: A Reproductive Options Podcast Real surrogates. Real stories. No shame, no script. Hosted by Reproductive Options founder Kayla — who's been the donor, the surrogate, and the agency owner — this is the real surROgate podcast for anyone considering, living, or just curious about this journey. Come carry it with us. For more information, visit reproductive-options.com or follow us at @reproductiveoptions_

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 11 - Holding The Journey Together: The Emotional Foundation Of A Surrogacy Journey

    Episode 11 — Holding The Journey Together: The Emotional Foundation Of A Surrogacy Journey Kicking off a new series, Kayla and Gabby sit down with Rachel Goldberg, a licensed therapist specializing in infertility and third-party reproduction, for a candid look at the mental health side of surrogacy — a conversation timed to a major shift at RO: every surrogate and intended parent now works with one dedicated therapist from psych evaluation through the entire journey, rather than a one-time screening. Rachel walks through what a psychological evaluation actually involves and why it exists for both sides, not just to protect intended parents, but to make sure the gestational carrier truly understands what she's taking on, has a stable support system, and is entering the process for the right reasons. She's candid about gray areas that surrogates often worry will disqualify them, like a past prescription for anxiety or depression, explaining that seeking help is a green flag, not a red one, and that transparency lets her team work through most things rather than treat them as automatic dealbreakers. The conversation moves into territory rarely discussed openly: the emotional whiplash of postpartum after a surrogacy delivery, when a surrogate who has been the center of everyone's attention suddenly goes home without a baby and without the check-ins; how unprocessed grief can surface as guilt or confusion; and the particular heartbreak of surrogates who want to carry again but no longer qualify, medically or otherwise. Rachel offers real guidance for naming and moving through that grief rather than pushing it aside. In this episode: Why RO now assigns every surrogate and intended parent one dedicated therapist for the full journey, not just an intake screeningWhat actually happens in a psych evaluation, and why it exists to protect the surrogate as much as the intended parentsWhy a past mental health diagnosis or medication isn't an automatic disqualifier, and how transparency changes the outcomeNavigating conflict and misunderstanding between surrogates and intended parents through a neutral, professional lensThe postpartum emotional drop after delivery, and why "closing the chapter" on repeat surrogacy is its own kind of grief It's a warm, reassuring window into the support system now built into every RO match — a fitting way to open a series about holding the journey together.

  2. 4d ago

    Episode 10 - Our Team: Supporting Women Exploring Surrogacy - Meet Brittany

    Episode 10 — Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Meet Brittany, Our Surrogate Outreach Coordinator Kayla is joined by Brittany, Reproductive Options' Surrogate Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, whose path to the role runs through two surrogacy journeys of her own and a genuinely unlikely origin story with Kayla: the two met through a breastmilk donation group, of all things, after Kayla's supply dropped and Brittany, a stranger at the time, pumped for her newborn. Kayla's Reproductive Options branding on her car sparked a conversation, and Brittany, who'd already completed one surrogacy journey elsewhere, eventually matched with RO for her second — a single embryo transfer that split into twins. Brittany describes her role as the first line of education for women exploring surrogacy, long before intake or an application: answering questions in surrogacy Facebook groups and on social platforms, offering a genuinely supportive presence in spaces she and Kayla both describe as often "muddy," and quietly steering obvious non-matches away out of kindness rather than sales pressure. Her guiding rule, straight from the job description Kayla wrote for the role: no one should walk away from a conversation with that "ick" feeling. That mission is personal. Brittany's first surrogacy, with a different agency, left her feeling like just another transaction — a rigid, non-negotiable benefits package, lower pay for living outside California, and intended parents asking if she'd do it again before she'd even finished processing the first journey. She swore she was done with surrogacy for good, until meeting Kayla showed her a completely different model: real support with no expectation attached, which ultimately brought her back for a second journey, and now has her considering a third. The two also dig into the predatory tactics Brittany warns candidates about, like agencies that ask surrogates and intended parents to confirm a match live on the call, on the spot, and "VIP" pay-to-jump-the-list matching packages, contrasting them with RO's no-pressure model, its intentionally small and tightly gated private support group, and the guidebook Brittany hands out to nearly everyone she talks to, surrogate or intended parent. In this episode: How a chance breastmilk donation turned into Brittany's path back to surrogacy with ROWhat outreach and engagement actually looks like day to day, from her "brain book" to social platform check-insRed flags to watch for in agencies and independent journeys alikeWhy RO keeps its surrogate community small and gated on purposeBrittany's advice: choose an agency, or a path, for who they are, not just what they offer

  3. 4d ago

    Episode 9 - Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: IP & Matching Coordinator - Meet Jenn

    Episode 9 — Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Meet Jenn, Our Intended Parent Intake & Matching Coordinator Kayla introduces listeners to Jenn, Reproductive Options' Intended Parent Intake and Matching Coordinator, who brings a perspective the rest of the team doesn't have: she's walked the intended-parent path herself, matching with an egg donor after facing diminished ovarian reserve. That lived experience shapes how she leads intended parents through what she calls a process built on both "operational rigor and emotional grounding" — because by the time most people reach surrogacy, they've already been through years of failed cycles, loss, and exhaustion. Jenn walks through what actually happens on the intended-parent side from the very first intake form: a consultation call to figure out which candidate qualities really matter versus an unrealistic wishlist pulled from clinic guidelines, ASRM standards, Facebook groups, and well-meaning friends all at once; clinic pre-approval of a surrogate's medical records before any match call happens, so nobody's time gets wasted; and full transparency on cost, with an itemized breakdown that includes contingencies most agencies bury or omit entirely, like C-section fees, multiple transfer costs, or a split-twins pregnancy. Kayla and Jenn are candid about why RO deliberately estimates costs on the higher end rather than the lower end many competitors use to look more attractive upfront — the goal is never handing intended parents a surprise bill at the end of the journey. The conversation also busts a common myth: intended parents often assume they need a surrogate based in California, but Jenn explains that plenty of other states, Illinois and Missouri among them, are just as surrogacy-friendly, and RO evaluates pre-birth order feasibility for each intended parent's specific situation nationwide. They also cover why RO doesn't run a waitlist the way many agencies do, some stretching six to eighteen months or longer: capped caseloads mean intended parents are only onboarded once there's real matching capacity, rather than being strung along with deposits and unqualified candidates just to feel like progress is happening. In this episode: What the intended-parent intake and matching process actually looks like, step by stepWhy RO intentionally estimates costs high instead of low, and what's usually hidden in a lower quote elsewhereThe California myth, and which other states are quietly great for surrogacyWhy RO doesn't run an intended-parent waitlist, and what that protects you fromWhy having a team member with her own intended-parent journey changes how that side of the process feels Coming up next in the Our Team series: the extended professionals who hold every journey together from the outside — escrow, attorneys, clinics, and mental health support.

  4. 4d ago

    Episode 8 - Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Case Management & Support - Meet Rashelle

    Episode 8 — Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Inside Case Management with Rashelle Kayla is joined by Rashelle, one of Reproductive Options' case managers, for an episode that starts with her own surrogacy story — and it's a rough one. Rashelle's first journey, back in 2016, involved a three-embryo transfer she was talked into by a large San Diego agency (something RO would never do now); it failed. Her second journey, with a new boutique agency and an intended mother she now calls her "soul sister," resulted in twins — but the agency itself provided zero support throughout, leaving Rashelle and her intended parents to lean entirely on each other. Things got worse after delivery: Rashelle ended up in the ICU with 14 blood transfusions, and the agency's only response was showing up with flowers — a visit her nurse cut short because they weren't family and flowers aren't allowed in the ICU. She never heard from them again. That experience is exactly what pushed Rashelle toward case management herself. She traces her winding path from training to be a teacher, to being recruited into her first case management role through a Facebook post, to loving the work so much she carried 30 to 50 cases at once, unpaid overtime and all, until she was let go for being "too slow." She found Reproductive Options through a job posting, submitted her application from SeaWorld with her kids in tow, and has been there ever since. Kayla and Rashelle talk through what real support looks like day to day: reaching out to every surrogate right after match, meeting each person exactly where they are (text all day for some, a single email for others), showing up in person to appointments for local surrogates, and holding space for both the hard days and the joyful ones. Rashelle's signature line to her surrogates: there's no such thing as TMI. The episode closes with a preview of what's ahead — a new partnership with Rachel Goldberg, who conducts most of RO's psychological evaluations and will now provide ongoing monthly mental health check-ins throughout every surrogate's journey, something Rashelle says she wishes she'd had during her own. Kayla also previews where the Our Team series goes next, moving beyond RO's internal staff to the extended team that supports every journey: legal, escrow, and mental health professionals. In this episode: Rashelle's own surrogacy journey, including a traumatic delivery and an agency that disappeared when she needed them mostWhy her path into case management started with a Facebook post and an unsustainable 30-to-50-case caseloadWhat personalized, "meet them where they are" support actually looks like at Reproductive OptionsA first look at RO's new ongoing mental health support with Rachel GoldbergWhat's coming next in the Our Team series: the legal, escrow, and mental health professionals who round out a surrogate's support system

  5. 4d ago

    Episode 7 - Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Case Management & Support - Meet Liz

    Episode 7 — Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Inside Case Management with Liz Kayla is joined by Liz, one of Reproductive Options' case managers, who brings a rare dual perspective: she's not only managed dozens of surrogacy journeys professionally, she lived four of her own, carrying five babies total (including a set of twins she jokes she wouldn't recommend). Liz walks through what case management actually covers at RO — everything from the moment a surrogate is matched through about a month postpartum, including scheduling medical screening travel, psychological evaluations, monitoring appointments, medication orders, and escrow, all so the surrogate never has to chase down logistics herself the way Liz had to during her own under-supported first journey. The conversation dives deep into RO's birth planning process — detailed questionnaires covering who's in the delivery room, whether photos are welcome, cord banking, feeding plans, and even small details like whether the baby gets a pacifier or bath before the parents arrive — all coordinated directly with the hospital ahead of time so nobody's improvising on delivery day. Liz also opens up about her own first surrogacy experience — no hospital check-in, no follow-up for weeks, and eventually a call from her old agency asking her to help chase down a bill — and how that shaped the case manager she became. The two also talk through RO's manageable caseloads, the always-reachable phone tree, and RO's newer independent case management option for surrogates who matched outside of an agency. In this episode: What case management actually covers, from match through postpartumWhy RO's birth planning questionnaires exist, and the details most people forget to plan forLiz's own surrogacy story, and the unsupported delivery that shaped how she cares for her surrogates nowWhy caseload size matters, and how RO keeps case managers proactive instead of stretched thinAdvice for surrogates: it's your journey too, and it's always okay to advocate for what you need

  6. 4d ago

    Episode 6 - Our Team: Taking This Journey With You, Surrogate Intake & First Steps - Meet Katy

    Episode 6 — Our Team: Taking This Journey With You: Inside Intake with Katy Brown Season 2, episode 6. This episode shifts gears from surrogate stories to pull back the curtain on the process itself. Kayla is joined by Katy Brown, Reproductive Options' GC Intake Coordinator, who brings both professional expertise and personal history to the conversation — Katy was a surrogate herself roughly a decade ago, after a "why not me" moment that came out of nowhere even though she and her husband felt done having kids. Katy walks through what actually happens from the moment someone takes RO's video-led quiz on the homepage through matching: the full application, medical and mental health history review, the surrogate profile and photo guidelines (a bathroom selfie won't cut it), third-party medical records review through Gather Records, and the final interview where sensitive matching preferences like termination stance, vaccination status, and location or travel get worked through honestly and without judgment. Kayla and Katy also unpack two new additions to RO's benefit package: a short-term life insurance policy that now kicks in immediately at match, closing a gap during the early medication window before the longer 18-month, $500,000–$750,000 policy takes effect, and standard monthly mental health check-ins built into every journey at no extra cost to the surrogate. The two also get into RO's approach to matching itself — building each match around what the surrogate actually wants rather than working off a long intended-parent waitlist — and Katy shares the surprisingly relatable moment from her own match, nearly passing on a profile because the intended parents lived in France, before one Zoom call changed her mind completely. In this episode: What actually happens step by step from application to match, straight from the person who runs intakeTwo new benefit updates: match-day life insurance and built-in monthly mental health supportWhy photos make or break a surrogate profile, and what actually worksTermination stance, vaccination preferences, and why there's no wrong answer — just the right matchWhy it's always okay to say no to a first match callKaty's own path from surrogate to industry professional, and her personal match story

  7. 4d ago

    Episode 5 - Before The Match: The Real Time Commitment - Meet Mallory

    Before the Match: When It Doesn't Work Out — Mallory's Story Season 1, episode 5. In this episode, Kayla sits down with Mallory, a two-time matched surrogate from Atlanta who, despite two full journeys, medical screenings, and multiple embryo transfers, never carried a pregnancy to delivery. It's one of the most emotional conversations of the series, and Kayla says as much going in — Mallory has been part of Reproductive Options since its earliest days, back when Kayla was personally her case manager and the company was still a one-woman operation. Mallory walks through her first match in detail: a pregnancy that looked promising on early testing but turned out to be a pregnancy of unknown location, requiring a D&C that found nothing, followed by a round of methotrexate that pushed her timeline back three months. A second transfer with the same couple failed outright, and when the intended mother unexpectedly became pregnant herself, the match quietly fell apart under the weight of a newborn, a C-section recovery, and the uncertainty of a second ongoing pregnancy at once. She then describes her second match, with a new intended father, including a positive test that turned out to be a chemical pregnancy — and the sting of learning he'd broken the match before she'd even had a chance to process the loss herself. Throughout, she and Kayla reflect on what it really means to be "committed to the process" rather than just the outcome, and why every intake conversation about the steps of surrogacy should also be honest about everything that can go wrong along the way. The episode also carries an almost unbelievable thread: how Mallory first learned about surrogacy through a neighbor who, it turns out, once carried twins from an egg donation cycle Kayla did years earlier — a small-world coincidence neither of them realized until they were already mid-conversation about it. In this episode: The reality of a pregnancy of unknown location, a D&C, and methotrexate treatmentWhy a smooth first transfer isn't guaranteed, even when everything looks right medicallyWhat it means to lose a match through no fault of your own — twiceWhy Reproductive Options wants surrogates committed to the process, not just the resultA wild coincidence linking Mallory, her neighbor, and one of Kayla's own donor cycles Mallory never delivered — but as she puts it herself, she's still a surrogate. This is her story.

  8. 5d ago

    Episode 4 - Before The Match: Financial Reality - Meet Heather & Danielle

    Episode 4: Talking Money — Compensation, Boundaries, and Building a Future with Heather & Danielle Season 1, episode 4. Kayla sits down with real-life couple Heather and Danielle, who between them have completed four surrogacy journeys, for the show's most requested and most taboo topic: money. Danielle, a three-time surrogate, walks through exactly what she was paid on each of her journeys — from $54,000 on her first journey in 2020 through an agency, to roughly $69,000 on an independent match, up to $120,000 on her most recent journey with Reproductive Options, including an insurance stipend she didn't even know to ask for the first time around. Heather, who swore she'd never carry for anyone until she watched Danielle do it, shares her own independent journey and how the two of them turned surrogacy compensation into real financial change: paying off $63,000 in student loan debt, opening investment accounts for all three of their kids, and building their own retirement savings. The conversation doesn't shy away from the judgment surrogates face for talking openly about pay. Heather and Danielle push back on the idea that wanting fair compensation cheapens the decision to carry for someone else, arguing instead that surrogates should never be afraid to ask for what they're worth, that compensation should be negotiated through a lawyer rather than directly with intended parents, and that walking away from a mismatched offer just means the right match hasn't come along yet. They also get practical: how they mapped out exactly where every dollar would go before they ever signed a contract, and why skipping that planning is how surrogates end up finishing a journey with nothing to show for it. In this episode: Real compensation numbers across three journeys — agency, independent, and Reproductive OptionsWhy it's okay to do this for the money, and why that doesn't diminish the heart behind itHow Heather and Danielle turned their compensation into debt payoff, investments, and their kids' futuresSetting your own fees, working through a lawyer, and not settling for less than you're worthFinancial planning advice for surrogates before they ever sign a contract Money is one of the most taboo topics in surrogacy — this episode brings it fully into the open.

  9. 5d ago

    Episode 3 - Before The Match: Why People Become A Surrogate - Meet Nina

    Before the Match: Nina's Story — Three Kids, Two Dogs, and (Almost) Her Third Surrogacy Journey Season 1, episode 3. In this episode, Kayla and Gabby talk with Nina, a mom of three about to begin her third surrogacy journey — and her first with Reproductive Options. Nina traces her calling all the way back to childhood: at nine years old, she watched her uncle and his husband ask her own mother to be their surrogate, and even though her mom said no, something clicked for Nina in that moment. It would take over two decades, and a chance conversation with a nurse she met through her work in healthcare, before she finally found her way in. Nina opens up about her second journey — carrying triplets for two dads after a double embryo transfer led to an unexpected split, a discovery so surprising her ultrasound tech had to double-check what she was seeing. She walks through the gestational diabetes, a nearly two-month hospital stay, and a rough reaction to a magnesium sulfate drip, and explains why, even after all of that, a C-section is the one thing that might eventually make her stop — but hasn't yet. The conversation also captures what makes surrogacy stick for repeat surrogates: Nina's kids have grown up around her journeys, forming real bonds with past intended parents who still check in, send gifts, and visit. She shares the whirlwind of her current match — a couple who flew in the weekend after their match call just to spend a few hours with her family — and what it felt like to be chosen not because she topped a priority list, but because the fit was simply right. In this episode: How a childhood moment planted the seed for Nina's surrogacy calling, decades before she acted on itThe story behind her triplet pregnancy, and why Reproductive Options no longer does double embryo transfersWhat kept her coming back for a third journey after a difficult deliveryHow her kids have become part of the journey, and the lasting relationships that form with intended parentsA candid detour into the postpartum care conversation nobody has with new moms — pelvic floor health and recovery Nina is nearing legal clearance now, with a transfer hopefully on the calendar for late February. Stay tuned.

  10. 5d ago

    Episode 2 - Before The Match: Why People Become A Surrogate - Meet Linsay

    Before the Match: Linsay's Story — 37 Weeks and Counting Season 1, episode 2. In this episode, Kayla sits down with Linsay, a first-time surrogate now 37 weeks pregnant, just hours after an OB appointment with her intended parents by her side. Lindsay opens up about the two-plus-year road that led her here: a lifelong pull toward unconventional family-building (she was adopted and has worked with foster children), a "why not now" moment that turned a someday dream into action, and a rocky first six months where agency after agency told her she "wasn't matchable" because of her medical history. She and Kayla dig into what that rejection really means — how many large agencies quietly filter out candidates who don't fit a narrow set of criteria to protect their bottom line, rather than evaluating each surrogate's case individually — and how Linsay finally found her match with Reproductive Options after posting her full medical history publicly as something close to a last resort. The conversation also gets candid about the less-talked-about parts of the journey: navigating a language barrier and time-zone gap with her international intended parents, being turned away by an in-network provider once they learned she was a surrogate, and the surprisingly better care she found after switching insurance late in pregnancy. Linsay and Kayla also talk about what comes after delivery — including why Linsay is grateful her intended parents asked her to pump, giving her a gradual, gentler transition instead of an abrupt end to the process. In this episode: What finally pushed Linsay from "someday" to "why not now" on surrogacyThe difference between "we don't have a match for you" and "you're not matchable" — and why that distinction mattersReal talk on insurance pushback and finding better care mid-pregnancyHow postpartum pumping can ease the emotional transition out of a surrogacy journeyA heartwarming moment from Linsay's OB appointment with her intended father Linsay is 37 weeks and counting — stay tuned for the delivery update.

  11. 5d ago

    Episode 1 - Before The Match: This Work Is Personal - Meet Kayla & Gabby

    Welcome to Carrying the Conversation Season 1, episode 1. Welcome to the very first episode of Carrying the Conversation, a Reproductive Options podcast hosted by real surrogacy experience. In this launch episode, RO founder Kayla and co-host Gabby introduce the show and kick off their first series, Before the Match — an honest look at why women choose to become surrogates, and why some decide it isn't for them. Kayla opens up about how she stumbled into the fertility field almost by accident: a newspaper ad her mom cut out led her to become an egg donor at 21, and from there she went on to complete 11 donor cycles, work as a donor coordinator, co-own an agency, carry as a gestational surrogate herself, and eventually found Reproductive Options in 2020. Gabby, RO's creative director and the only host who hasn't personally gone through surrogacy, brings the listener's point of view to the conversation, asking the questions many in the audience are probably wondering too — starting with the basics, like what actually happens biologically during an egg retrieval and how many embryos typically make it through testing. In this episode: -How a newspaper ad set Kayla's entire career in motionWhat a donor cycle really looks like, from retrieval numbers to embryo testing-Kayla's path from donor coordinator to agency co-owner to founding Reproductive Options-A first look at the Before the Match series — the personal, financial, and emotional reasons people choose (or don't choose) surrogacyWhat's coming up: Episode 2 with surrogates Nina and Lindsay, and Episode 3's candid conversation about the financial side of surrogacy with Heather and DanielleNo strings attached, no pressure — just an open, honest conversation. Subscribe to follow along as we explore surrogacy one story at a time.

    Episode 1 - Before The Match: This Work Is Personal - Meet Kayla & Gabby
  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

About

Carrying the Conversation: A Reproductive Options Podcast Real surrogates. Real stories. No shame, no script. Hosted by Reproductive Options founder Kayla — who's been the donor, the surrogate, and the agency owner — this is the real surROgate podcast for anyone considering, living, or just curious about this journey. Come carry it with us. For more information, visit reproductive-options.com or follow us at @reproductiveoptions_

Information

  • Creator
    Reproductive Options Surrogacy
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Reproductive Options Surrogacy