6 Self-Care Tips for Gestational Carriers
Gestational carriers are extremely selfless individuals who make the decision to help other families achieve their dream of having children. By carrying a child to term for intended parents, gestational carriers help make something that may have seemed impossible a reality. As a gestational carrier, going through another pregnancy can have many effects on your body. In order to help make your pregnancy as smooth as possible, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to share some self-care tips for gestational carriers.
Self-Care Tips for Gestational Carriers
Making the decision to help change intended parents’ lives by helping them have a child of their own is extremely rewarding in itself. As a gestational carrier, you probably already understand what pregnancy is like and have already carried at least one child to term. As with any pregnancy, self-care for gestational carriers is extremely important to ensuring health during gestation. Here are some self-care tips that can help make your experience as comfortable as possible:
- Make sure that you have a support system
Saying that pregnancy can be overwhelming sometimes is an understatement. As a gestational carrier, it is so important to ensure that you have a solid support system for the more difficult times. Support systems can consist of family members, friends, co-workers, support groups, pets and more. Having someone who is there for you is one of the most important ways to take care of yourself during pregnancy!
- Ensure that you are active, but also getting enough rest
When your body goes through a drastic change, like pregnancy, it’s so important not to overwork yourself. Exercise during pregnancy has been linked to many positive health benefits, so definitely don’t shy away from going for a walk or swim. However, making sure that you are getting enough sleep and rest is also crucial to keeping your body healthy and strong during pregnancy. In this case, finding a balance between exercise and rest that works for you is incredibly valuable.
- Fuel your body with healthy foods
During your pregnancy, you will be eating for two. Eating healthy and nourishing your body will not only help you to feel better, but will also help the baby receive essential nutrients. So, making sure to eat fruits and vegetables, foods that contain protein, and calcium-containing dairy products are all important to having a balanced diet for both you and the baby. That being said, it’s still fair for you to have cravings and to satisfy them. Moderation is key!
- Take time to do the things that you love
As a gestational carrier, it is obvious that you are a very selfless person who is dedicated to helping other people. However, it is so important for you to prioritize yourself and do the things that you love during your pregnancy. Whether it’s taking the time to cook a new dish, re-watch your favorite TV show, or call your friends, it’s important to indulge yourself. Having a method of relaxation and stress relief during your pregnancy is essential.
- Enjoy some time outdoors
Taking a break to go for a walk or see some natural sights can be extremely refreshing during your pregnancy, especially if you have been spending a lot of time indoors. Many studies have proven that just being outside has great benefits for stress relief and for your overall health. Along with this, spending time outside in the sun (with proper sun protection) can help your body produce its own Vitamin D. Going outside to get a breath of fresh air can have more benefits than you may have realized.
- Make sure to pamper yourself
Taking the time to pamper yourself can also contribute to feelings of relaxation and stress reduction. Whether it’s taking a hot bath, doing face masks or getting a massage, pampering yourself not only feels great, but can also help increase self love. Treating yourself during your pregnancy can serve as a great reward for your generosity in helping out intended parents.
It is so important to ensure that you are taking good care of yourself and your body during your pregnancy. Along with these six self-care tips, there are plenty of other things that you can do to reward yourself and increase your comfort. Either way, don’t forget to indulge in the things you love from time to time.
Are You Interested in Becoming a Gestational Carrier?
Making the decision to become a gestational carrier is one that will be extremely rewarding for both you and the intended parents who you partner with. If you are interested in helping change lives through becoming a gestational carrier, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to support you. Along with self-care tips, we will make sure you have legal representation, medical care, and hands-on support throughout the entire surrogacy process. We also have resources to help match gestational carriers with fitting intended parents! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more information or with any questions that you may have.
If you are interested in surrogacy and want to learn more about your options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Call us: 720-371-1099, Call or Text us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Ashley Nies is an undergraduate student at Stanford University who is studying Human Biology and Political Science. Ashley is largely interested in various aspects of health and healthcare, and writes about these topics. She has taken classes on rhetoric, ethics and social media in health, as well as other creative writing classes during her freshman year at Stanford.
Ashley is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and considers herself to be fun-loving and adventurous. She values the importance of combining STEM with liberal arts education and hopes to integrate these in her writing.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!