# New to surrogacy



## lucycrackers (Aug 13, 2007)

I would to know if anyone has gone through surrogacy without using the agencies? We're just about to start on our journey so trying to get as much info as possible. Our biggest concern is getting the legal side of things right, it doesn't seem too complicated but i wouldn't want to get it wrong. 

Hope i'm not repeating myself, tried posting this once already but didn't seem to work.

Thanks for any help


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## Jo (Mar 22, 2002)

Hi Lucy.
Yes we went through surrogacy without going through an agency, we went to our clinic and had lots of councilling there, we done it with our SIL but you do need to get the legal side sorted out, and insurances 

Good Luck
Jo


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## **Tashja** (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi Lucy

Provided you get the advice of a Solicitor (there is one who posts on here - will pass her your info) then there is no reason why you have to use SUK or COTS. 

Also ifthere are any other questions you need answering feel free to post here.. 

T xx


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## schmoo73 (Aug 18, 2006)

hi Lucycrackers, we are in the process of surrogacy with my friend who is going to be our traditional surrogate (using her eggs), she very generously offered to be our surrogate after our last BFN with donor eggs.  We are on our 2nd 2ww after doing home inseminations.  We are not with an agency as I feel completely safe with her as she has had her children and knows exactly what is involved.

Do you have a surrogate?

Schmoo x


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## NatGamble (Mar 1, 2007)

Hi Lucy

I'm a solicitor specialising in fertility law, and will be delighted to help when you're ready.  The process is normally to have an initial consultation at the outset (I can explain how the law works, get your wills sorted and help you arrange life insurance), and then you can come back again after your baby is born to arrange getting your parental rights reassigned.  

If you're making a parental order application (assuming you are married), it would probably be a waste of your money to have full legal representation throughout the court process, though if you want it that's fine.  The service we offer is normally to sit down with you and explain exactly what you need to do, step by step, and give you all the paperwork and forms you need.  You can always come back for help if you hit any problems, which you shouldn't do.

If you're not married, the law is horrendously complicated - you might have been reading some of the threads here - so it is essential that you get legal advice before you start TTC to avoid any risk that you might be breaking the law.

Feel free to email me if you'd like my help.  If you want to know more about us, check out www.lesteraldridge.com/services/private/fertility/index.asp

Best of luck!

Natalie
[email protected]


/links


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## lucycrackers (Aug 13, 2007)

Thanks everyone for you advice, I feel a bit more relaxed about things. All the information we've found so far seems a little contradictory, with the same forms being referred to by different names and so on! I do already have a surrogate, she doesn't want any more children herself and she is fully aware of what she is offering to do for us and what is involved. We're all set to go, but we all feel we need to fully understand the legal side before we start. Natalie, I'm sure we'll be in touch very soon! Thanks


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## lisabelle (Nov 14, 2005)

Hiya Hun

Just wanted to add to the posts and information you have had.  

My sister carried my baby for me and I had trouble finding a solicitor to take us on.  I rang loads from the yellow pages in my area and they kept on telling me that they had not done surrogacy before and to try someone else!  In the end I contacted our fertility clinic and they gave us the name of a solicitor, who thankfully took on our case.  My sister and her husband didn't need a solicitor but they did both attend all the court hearings and they were both interview by a reporting officer assigned by the courts.  Our case was very straight forward because we were related and there was no way that my sister would refuse to hand over the baby.  It took us six months to have the parental order granted from the day Evie was born.  We brought our wedding forward because of the surroacy and had a very quiet family wedding.  Our solicitor advised us that it would be alot easier if we were married and she also said that would we want to be organising a wedding when we had a newborn baby.  When Evie was first born her birth certificate stated that my sister and her husband were the parents as the Law says that Evie was a child out of their marriage.  But that did not bother me at all as I knew when the parental order was granted then me and DH would be named as parents.  It was amazing when he new birth certificate arrived!!!

Good luck with everything

Contact me anytime if you need advice or help with anything

Lisa xx


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