Do couples report a change in their feelings about surrogacy once they become parents?
Yes. “Surprised” is the word most often used by couples to describe their feelings about surrogacy once their child is born. They are surprised by their very positive feelings towards their surrogate mother. One intended mother, who helped deliver the baby, said she felt an intense love and connection with her surrogate mother. Couples often report that they predicted they would feel indebted towards their surrogate mother, but they were surprised at how much they learned from her and the high regard they felt for her as a person. One intended mother who was worried about the possible exploitative nature of surrogacy was amazed to discover how many benefits the surrogate mother enjoyed, independent of the financial aspects. She watched her surrogate mother grow in confidence, having managed and completed the surrogacy process with such success. According to Dr. Hilary Hanafin, many surrogate mothers report that they felt surrogacy was beneficial to their self-esteem and self-confidence
