Before applying for surrogacy, it is important to gauge whether you possess the emotional and intellectual temperaments necessary for the successful completion of the monumental task of becoming a surrogate mother. Here are some of the character attributes every surrogate mother should have:

Organization

A good surrogate mother should have scheduling down to an exact science. Period. After all, gestational surrogates are responsible for a slew of important medical appointments, telephone calls with intended parents, and important documents to gather and send out. So whether you thrive best in a controlled chaos or have a calendar finely tuned to down to the millisecond, an excellent surrogate mother will be on the ball when it comes to organization.

Family Oriented

Yeah, it’s kind of in the job description. To be a surrogate, you have to be a natural mother and caretaker. Tantrums, spit-ups, massive piles of diapers—if you could, you would list these skills on a job application under experience. Being family oriented is essential when you take on the surrogate role. Think of it as an extreme form of babysitting for the intended parents, that lasts over nine months.

Generally Healthy

As with most any reputable surrogacy agency, when you apply to become a surrogate, you should expect a little probing. Certain physical qualifications need to be met, such as a healthy body mass index (BMI), not being a smoker or drug user, and within a certain age limit. But really, that’s just a snippet of the requirements we ask from our surrogates. Intended parents really want the most physically and mentally healthy surrogate possible to have their child. Wouldn’t you?

Open-minded

One of the best things you can have is an open mind, whether you are the gestational surrogate or the intended parents. Consider that, just like in real life, there are some events in surrogacy that are completely out of your control. We are, after all, talking about a human baby who is on their own schedule—not the agency’s, the intended parent’s, and definitely not your own.

Motherhood

Probably the most important qualification a surrogate mother can possess is a successful previous birth. This prerequisite is usually unwavering for most any serious agency, and for good reason. A surrogate must prove that she is capable of carrying her own child before she can carry someone else’s child. What you must understand is that infertility is rather common, and with the cost of surrogacy being so high, a woman without any successful births has an unpredictability that most intended parents don’t want in a situation that is already so unpredictable.

Think you’ve got some or all of these qualities? If you are interested in becoming a surrogate with Surrogate Parenting Services, and want to learn the exact requirements, contact (949) 363-9525 or info@surrogateparenting.com.