14 Weeks

Our surrogate's pregnancy is now into the second trimester, 14 weeks today. A big milestone!

About every three weeks we are getting an update from the doctor. There aren't many details coming in, usually just a few sentences that things are going well and now and then a low-rez ultrasound JPG. So there isn't much information to put on the blog right now either. The closest comparison is to holding your breath. As far as we know everything is going well. Dr. Samit sent us an ultrasound JPG at the 9 and 11 week marker. We should now officially be in the second trimester and are hoping for a new update soon. In fact we are due for one today.

We think about the baby and our surrogate every day - usually the first thing after waking up and the last thing before going to sleep. And we always pray that our surrogate is happy and safe.

We have been working on being patient and positive without knowing a lot. Having been through this four times before we are used to DOING something, evaluating our next try, looking at the details of the current or next attempt and so on. But now we mostly are just waiting. So this is new territory for us!

So when is it too soon to start daydreaming about baby names, to start thinking about colors for painting a nursery room, to go baby clothes shopping, and to plan a shower? Brian has been avoiding the "your baby should be doing this" web pages, books like "What to expect when you're expecting" and the discovery channel because that is all physically happening halfway around the world to a surrogate mother we've never met and it is really hard to visualize something you can't see! From the expecting father perspective this is hard to get adjusted to .... after 5 years or so about learning everything there is to know about assistive reproductive technology and ***NOW*** it is time to pile on the normal pregnancy stuff that guys never think about? TMI!

But he is dealing.... Brian did tell his boss about the surrogate pregnancy. She already knew we were trying ART & also surrogacy. Brian has a great boss who is very supportive. Amber hasn't told folks at her work about it yet. Both of us are thinking ahead about leave balances, post-baby work schedules and so forth.

Specifically we are thinking ahead to the likelihood that we will need to go back to India in November/December to welcome our new baby. There are visas to apply for and a whole host of details to address with that. If anyone knows intended parents who we could talk to who have already picked up (or will soon pick up) a baby using Kiran Clinic or gone through Hyderabad would you please send us an email message and let us know?

Thanks!