Stop. Sit. Surrogate.

Kenedi & Ellen Smith
  • 4.9 (13)
  • KIDS & FAMILY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

A mother and daughter podcast educating others on surrogacy from a surrogates point of view. And the point of view from the intended parents, children born from surrogacy, the agency, legal professionals and IVF doctors for the science behind it all. Together we have brought 8 beautiful children into this world and it’s been an insane rollercoaster ride! Good and bad, the sweet and the sour, all coming to light about the truths behind the best and worst surrogacy journeys. Stop. Sit. Surrogate. Is a podcast that is able to give well rounded information about surrogacy from every point of view. We hope to give as much education as we can provide, to those who want to learn and know more about surrogacy. 

  1. 2D AGO

    How To Screen A Surrogate Without An Agency

    #surrogacy #ivf #surrogateSurrogate  Screening Solutions’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surrogate.screening.solutions?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  Surrogacy can feel like an all-or-nothing choice: pay full agency fees or try an independent match and hope nothing goes wrong. We wanted to explore the missing middle and what it looks like when intended parents and surrogates get real professional support without the full-service price tag.  We’re joined by Molly, founder and executive director of Surrogate Screening Solutions, who’s spent a decade in the surrogacy space on both the clinic and agency sides and has completed four and a half surrogate journeys herself. She walks us through what “surrogate screening” really means in practice: HIPAA releases, medical record collection, clinic approval, psychological evaluations, background checks, and insurance review. We also talk about case management for independent surrogacy, including help with attorneys, escrow, and the many details that have to be right before transfer can even happen. If you’re searching for independent surrogacy guidance, affordable surrogacy support, or how to screen a surrogate you found through a friend or Facebook group, this conversation lays out the steps clearly.  A big thread running through our chat is mental health in surrogacy. Molly shares why social work check-ins and support groups can change the tone of a journey, especially when timelines run long, transfers fail, or emotions get sharp on both sides. We also tackle myths that still scare people off, including the fear that a surrogate will want to keep the baby, and we explain how screening and communication reduce that anxiety.  If this helped you, subscribe, share with someone considering surrogacy, and leave a review so more families and surrogates can find these conversations.  Website: https://surrogatescreeningsolutions.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092664109600&mibextid=wwXIfr  Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    47 min

  2. APR 3

    Pelvic Floor Power For Surrogates

    #surrogacy  #ivf  #surrogate Jessica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibrantcoastpt?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Surrogate Wellness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surrogatewellness?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Leaking when you laugh. Back pain you’re told to “accept.” A recovery window that feels like a mystery. We wanted better answers, so we brought on Jessica, a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in pelvic floor health and works with surrogates across the US through virtual coaching. She breaks down what pelvic floor physical therapy really looks like today, how it connects to your core and glutes, and why “common” pregnancy symptoms are not automatically “normal.” We dig into the practical stuff surrogates and intended parents care about: when to start pelvic floor support during a surrogacy journey, how virtual assessment works, and what changes actually reduce prolapse risk. Jessica also shares how postpartum recovery can begin with breath work and gentle mobility well before the classic six-week clearance, plus what to consider after a vaginal birth versus a C-section, including scar support and abdominal rehab. Then we zoom out to the data behind prenatal exercise and pelvic health. We talk research-linked outcomes like lower risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, prenatal depression, and C-section, along with benefits that support baby outcomes and placental health. If you’re a surrogate building your support team, an agency updating benefits, or an intended parent who wants the healthiest possible journey, this conversation is full of actionable, evidence-based takeaways. Sponsored by U.S. Surrogacy LLC. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a surrogate or intended parent, and leave us a review so more families can find these resources. Links: The website: vibrantcoastpt.com The App: vibrantcoastpt.com/vibrantstrength The Surrogate Wellness Program: vibrantcoastpt.com/surrogate-wellness-program Surrogate Wellness: https://surrogatewellness.com/meet-jessica/ Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    55 min

  3. MAR 29

    My Surrogacy Journey: A Safer, Smarter Path

    #surrogacy  #ivf  #surrogate  My Surrogacy Journey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialmysurrogacyjourney?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Mexico City surrogacy gets talked about like it’s a gamble, but the details tell a very different story. We sat down with Michael Johnson Ellis, a dad of three through surrogacy and the co-founder of My Surrogacy Journey, to unpack what’s actually happening on the ground and why so many intended parents are rethinking where and how they build their families. We walk through how My Surrogacy Journey was created after a bumpy early experience in the UK, and why their mission is to make the journey feel equal for everyone involved. Michael explains their “membership” approach and what full support looks like in practice: clinical coordination, legal guidance, counseling, and real continuity of care so you’re not bounced between clinics, lawyers, and third parties. We also get into the problem he calls financial infertility, where the cost of surrogacy forces people to delay parenthood or give up completely, and why accessibility matters just as much as ethics. Then we go deep on Mexico City. Michael breaks down the legal framework, including procreational will and a pre-birth order pathway, along with the safeguards they use to prevent exploitation. We also cover what strong surrogate screening looks like, how matching timelines can be shortened when clearance happens upfront, and why their milestone-based payment structure is designed to reduce risk and increase transparency. If you’re researching ethical surrogacy, the cost of surrogacy, LGBTQ family building, or international surrogacy options, this conversation gives you better questions to ask and clearer signals to look for. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with someone exploring surrogacy, and leave a review so more intended parents and surrogates can find these stories. What’s the biggest surrogacy myth you want us to tackle next? MSJ Website: https://us.mysurrogacyjourney.com LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/MySurrogacyJourney?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaAQ2O7NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAadzJCJgYWwb8mIXmIexfkeU6vh8QusssKYGF2T6-w5wFoSjlmXrZoWrqE5taA_aem_oSUVgoBOYDuZJLUI8zn_2g Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    59 min

  4. MAR 22

    When An Embryo Transfer Turns Into A Medical Mystery

    #surrogacy #ivf #surrogate  Brittany’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pavinourway?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  A surrogacy journey can look “simple” from the outside, right up until it doesn’t. Brittany joins us to share what it’s like to be a gestational carrier who knows the fertility world firsthand, from years of trying to conceive to building her own family and then stepping back in to help someone else grow theirs. Her story is honest, detailed, and packed with the kind of real-life context you wish you could get before starting the surrogacy process.  We talk through how she decided on surrogacy over egg donation, what mental health and family history can mean for eligibility, and how she weighed an agency path against an independent journey. Then things get wild: a literal website glitch leads her to the intended parents she ends up carrying for, and the match moves fast into medical clearance, psych screening, legal, and transfer prep. Brittany also explains transfer meds, travel logistics, working with a large IVF clinic, and why they were comfortable transferring untested embryos based on values and medical history.  The biggest curveball comes after the first transfer, when her betas rise but no pregnancy can be located, leading to a diagnosis of pregnancy of unknown origin and methotrexate treatment. After the required waiting period, a second transfer sticks and results in a healthy baby, but not without heightened monitoring shaped by the parents’ prior late-term losses. We also get into weekly BPPs, a breech baby who keeps flipping, and a planned induction that turns into a C-section where Brittany’s self-advocacy (and knowing who makes decisions in the OR) changes everything.  If you’re considering becoming a surrogate, navigating IVF and embryo transfer, or just want a true surrogacy podcast story that doesn’t skip the hard parts, this conversation will stay with you. Subscribe, share this with someone researching surrogacy, and leave a review so more families and surrogates can find these stories. Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    1h 8m

  5. MAR 15

    From Transfer To Postpartum: A Dietitian’s Guide For Surrogates

    #surrogacy #ivf #surrogate  Ginger’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gestational.diabetes.diet?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  What if one small change could tilt a surrogacy journey toward better energy, steadier blood sugar, and a smoother delivery? We sit down with Ginger Cochran—registered dietitian, board‑certified diabetes care and education specialist, and exercise physiologist—to unpack a realistic blueprint from pre‑transfer to postpartum. Ginger shares how targeted nutrition can reduce inflammation, support implantation, and shape fetal taste exposure after 14 weeks, while also boosting a surrogate’s confidence through evidence‑based, budget‑friendly choices. We get candid about gestational diabetes. Ginger explains why GD can affect anyone, how risk changes with age and prior pregnancies, and which strategies—like Mediterranean‑style eating, pairing carbs with protein, and short walks after meals—make the biggest difference. She tackles myths head‑on, including the belief that GD becomes lifelong diabetes, and breaks down newborn hypoglycemia risk without fear or jargon. Her approach is hands‑on: fast scheduling, weekly follow‑ups until numbers are controlled, and steady education that calms intended parents as much as it equips surrogates. Sleep and stress take center stage too. Less than seven hours of sleep can spike cravings and nudge blood sugar up, so Ginger offers simple sleep hygiene tactics that actually stick—dimming lights, keeping phones out of the bedroom, and using consistent routines to encourage melatonin. We round out the plan with sustainable movement, from prenatal‑aware yoga to ten‑minute post‑meal walks that open muscle cells to glucose and ease daily stress. You’ll walk away with practical swaps—frozen veggies that rival fresh, BPA‑free canned options, choline‑rich eggs for brain development, and high‑fiber grains that steady energy—plus a grounded mindset: start with one change, build to two, and lean on an 80–20 approach for real life. Ready to design a safer, saner surrogacy journey with tools that last well past delivery? Follow, share with a friend who needs this, and leave a review to help more families find evidence‑based support. Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    59 min

  6. MAR 13

    Attachment In Surrogacy

    #surrogacy #ivf #surrogate  Amanda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandas.progression?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  Amber’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambereshleman?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  People love to ask surrogates one dramatic question: “How could you give up the baby?” We get why it sounds shocking from the outside, but it also skips the most important part of gestational surrogacy: we’re carrying a baby for the intended parents, with a clear purpose and a clear plan for birth, legal parentage, and what comes after. We sit down with Amber and Amanda to talk honestly about attachment in surrogacy, including the part nobody prepares you for. Amanda shares how pumping breast milk, bringing milk to the NICU, and even nannying the newborn for a full month changed the emotional texture of postpartum. Amber explains the mindset many gestational carriers hold from day one, plus what it’s like when closure doesn’t happen the way you expected and how support can show up later in surprising ways. We also dig into the real-world moments that shape a surrogacy journey: judgment from strangers, explaining the science and the “not biologically related to me” reality, and how kids process “mom has a baby in her belly, but it’s not ours.” We talk boundaries, too, including why being labeled “mom” can feel wrong even when it’s meant as praise, and how intended parents and surrogates can set expectations early to protect the relationship. If you care about surrogacy education, intended parent support, and the mental health side of the postpartum experience, this conversation will give you language you can actually use. Subscribe, share with someone who still thinks surrogacy means “giving up a baby,” and leave a review telling us what question you want answered next. Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    1h 1m

  7. FEB 22

    She Carried Their Dream And Found Her Calling

    #surrogacy  #ivf  #surrogate Lyndsey’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstrickland1026?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== A single decision—stick to your non-negotiables—can reshape an entire surrogacy journey. We sit down with an experienced surrogate from North Carolina who takes us from the first late-night Google search to two very different matches, one declined for an NDA and one embraced for connection and trust. Along the way, she reveals the real timeline of IVF: long stretches of waiting, injections that sting, a failed transfer that tests your resolve, and the quiet shift from self-blame to science-informed acceptance. You’ll hear how clarity changes everything. She wanted a relationship, not a transaction—and that boundary led to a delivery room filled with joy, grandparents peeking from behind a curtain, and intended parents who went from “we might not watch” to cutting the cord and hearing their son’s first cry. She shares how kids understand surrogacy with disarming honesty (“They’re the bakers; I’m the oven”), and how family members learned what genetic links, consent, and privacy actually mean. The postpartum chapter is refreshingly grounded: handing over care, pumping briefly, donating milk, prioritizing sleep and home, and using agency-backed mental health check-ins to stay balanced. We also cover the nuts and bolts that rarely make it to social posts: mock cycles and why clinics request them, mini-legal for mocks and ensuring compensation, life insurance with correct beneficiaries and timelines, and a crucial clause granting her husband medical decision-making if international parents are mid-flight. It’s practical, tender, and fiercely honest about what protects everyone—the surrogate, the baby, and the intended parents—when plans shift. If you’re a first-time surrogate, an intended parent, or simply curious about how love, medicine, and meticulous planning create families, this story delivers hard-won wisdom and hope. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review telling us your biggest takeaway—what boundary would you never compromise? Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    1h 3m

  8. FEB 13

    Where Love Isn’t Ownership: Redefining Attachment In Surrogacy

    #surrogacy  #ivf  #surrogate Brittany’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pavinourway?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Shelbie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surroshelbie?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Most people ask the same question first: “Don’t you get attached to the baby?” We take that head on with two experienced gestational carriers who explain, with compassion and clarity, how surrogates prepare, set healthy boundaries, and celebrate the handoff without trying to keep what was never theirs. The story here isn’t about loss—it’s about stewardship, respect, and the euphoria of seeing parents meet their child. We talk candidly about where real attachment lands: with the intended parents and the shared mission. You’ll hear how early transparency, a thoughtful match, and clear agreements create trust from transfer to delivery. Our guests share why emotions run high at birth (and why those tears aren’t about “giving up” a baby), how they navigated faith and family pushback, and the surprising reason many surrogates choose to do it again. We also explore the underrated power of closure—brief private time after delivery that helps a surrogate’s kids say goodbye and marks the end of a profound chapter. If you’re a first‑time surrogate, an intended parent, or simply curious, this conversation offers practical guidance: what to include in your agreement, how to set communication expectations, and ways to talk to your children in clear, age‑appropriate language. We highlight the role of supportive agencies, the strength of modern surrogate communities, and the difference between love, care, and parental attachment. By the end, you’ll understand why surrogacy is less about possession and more about precise, generous care. Listen now, share with someone who still confuses love with attachment, and help us spread informed, human‑centered surrogacy education. If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what part of the journey do you want us to unpack next? Send us Fan Mail https://stopsitsurrogate.com

    1h 2m
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4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

A mother and daughter podcast educating others on surrogacy from a surrogates point of view. And the point of view from the intended parents, children born from surrogacy, the agency, legal professionals and IVF doctors for the science behind it all. Together we have brought 8 beautiful children into this world and it’s been an insane rollercoaster ride! Good and bad, the sweet and the sour, all coming to light about the truths behind the best and worst surrogacy journeys. Stop. Sit. Surrogate. Is a podcast that is able to give well rounded information about surrogacy from every point of view. We hope to give as much education as we can provide, to those who want to learn and know more about surrogacy. 

Information

  • Creator
    Kenedi & Ellen Smith
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    162
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Stop. Sit. Surrogate.
  • Show Website
    Stop. Sit. Surrogate.

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