IVF Surrogacy: Essential Tips for Caretakers

Featured Image Caption: IVF Surrogacy Treatments

IVF surrogacy is considered a boon for couples suffering from infertility. However, IVF surrogacy is far from being the final goal of the treatment process. Having a healthy pregnancy with the help of the selected surrogate is more important to get a healthy child. Caring the surrogate on both the mental and physical levels is the ultimate way to make everything go smoothly until a healthy child is born. Taking utmost care during the pregnancy is not only the responsibility of the surrogate mother but also her caretaker who takes up the job of looking after her during the pregnancy. Caution in everything is necessary because IVF pregnancy is not a natural pregnancy and it is more susceptible to problems if not taken enough care.

Below are some important tips for caretakers to take for a surrogate during IVF surrogacy.

1. Make her get optimal nutrition.

Your baby is carried by the surrogate and since you are not the child bearer you have to understand the health and the body of the surrogate. Providing her a well balanced meals and supplements help your child to grow healthy. Get her a lot of protein apart from fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid food items like under cooked eggs, meat, fish, and unpasteurised dairy products.

2. Prenatal Vitamins.

The surrogate should take vitamins before the embryo transfer as well as during the pregnancy so that the baby is nourished with important nutrients that are necessary for healthy growth and organ development. Prepare a daily schedule for these supplements for the surrogate and make sure that they are taken with a well-balanced diet. However, prenatal vitamins are not replacements for a balanced diet. Doctors will advise well for that.

3. Provide excellent prenatal care.

The surrogate is continuously monitored by fertility specialists and gynaecologists to ensure the healthy growth of the baby and overall health of the surrogate. Most often, frequent checkups are necessary in IVF surrogacy compared to the women who get pregnant naturally. Informing the doctors in case of emergencies, keeping up to date with the appointments, safely travelling to the clinic and back home are the tasks where the surrogate needs assistance. Only a caretaker can handle all these things efficiently providing ease to the surrogate at every step.

4. Helping her minimize stress.

Like every pregnant women the surrogate will most likely experience mood swings and emotional challenges during pregnancy. Helping her finding ways of relaxations works best in this condition. Many times, the emotional shifts can be strong and overwhelming and in that case you can get her help of a counsellor or a psychologist. Motivating her to learn different methods of relaxation and mindfulness meditation, etc. can make her capable of improving her mood every time she feels down or uneasy.

5. Give importance to hydration.

Dehydration is the main cause of premature labor and so it is highly necessary to make the surrogate drink plenty of water and fluids. Water helps for better blood circulation and the supply of nutrients to the baby, so directly or indirectly it has many benefits that can aid a healthy pregnancy.

6. Ensure that she gets plenty of rest.

An eight hour sleep, at the least, is a standard norm for all of us and it is no exception for a surrogate. As she proceeds towards the last trimester more rest and less activity are absolutely necessary. Also, after the first trimester she will have to sleep on one side since sleeping on the back can produce discomfort for the baby and produce light-headedness for the mother. This thing can be well dealt with doctor’s suggestions.

7. Keep her active.

Try to incorporate 30 minutes of low intensity physical activity into daily routine. Yoga, swimming, walking or prenatal exercise can help reduce the physical symptoms of pregnancy and improve mood. Moreover, it can also make the labor and delivery smoother, since the discomfort of labor also depends on the physical stamina and pain threshold. Besides physical activity, making her engage in entertainment, mind engaging activities help to maintain a healthy mood.

8. Ask her to abstain from intake of harmful substances and intoxicants.

Obviously, the surrogate should not consume alcohol or smoke during pregnancy because that can harm and cause incurable problems in the baby. Avoiding caffeine and exposure to household cleaning items that contain harmful chemicals is something worth considering. Also, never give the surrogate over the counter medications because they can be harmful to the baby and can also interfere with the infertility medications. Give her each and every pill with doctors’ advice only. Say no to self-medication.

9. Tracking the pregnancy.

If the surrogate has experienced pregnancy before she will be able handle the changes in her body efficiently. But, regardless of whether it is her first pregnancy or not, maintaining a journal through the pregnancy can help manage many things. Tracking the changes in the mood swings, weight changes, and most importantly the fertility medications she is taking can become easy with maintaining a journal. With this method you as a caretaker can effectively keep an eye on the changes and talk to the doctors in case of any extremes.

10. Make her enjoy the pregnancy!

Even though she is just the bearer of child her feelings and sensations of having a baby are very real and it is no different than having her very own child. Instigate her to enjoy the pregnancy making her listen to good music, read pregnancy related magazines and blogs and humour and laughter. Keeping her happy promises a healthy mother and a healthy child.

Incorporating these changes can really make difference and make everything go smoothly. Since care is the most critical part in every pregnancy, these tips for caretakers in can be incredibly helpful in IVF pregnancy as well!