This episode features a conversation with Rachel Wilson, a therapist, yoga and meditation instructor, coach, and most recently, a postpartum doula and intended parent support coach. Rachel shares the difficult journey she and her husband undertook to welcome their son, Remiel, the "archangel of hope." After struggling with disappointment for a year, and facing financial limitations that closed the door on IUI/IVF, the couple chose international surrogacy in the country of Georgia in their early 40s.

Rachel recounts the myriad of emotional and logistical roadblocks they faced, difficulties finding an egg donor, navigating bureaucracy and cultural differences, and the stress of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacting the region. She describes how she maintained resilience and connection—bonding with her baby and the gestational carrier from thousands of miles away by sending music, recordings of her and her husband reading stories like Goodnight Moon, and knitting baby items. She leaned heavily on her husband’s solid support and her daily yoga and meditation practice, which helped her hold the paradoxical balance of having hope while being willing to surrender control and expectations. The journey culminated in a rush to a Georgian hospital where they met their surrogate for the first time during the birth. While her family is now complete, Rachel also shares the final chapter of her journey, donating her remaining embryo.

This experience led Rachel to embark on a new mission as an intended parent support coach, offering what she felt she lacked during her own process. She now hopes to help others prepare mentally and emotionally for their child’s arrival, assisting in creating necessary support “villages,” and focusing on supporting the critical transfer moment between the carrier and the intended parents. Rachel is particularly passionate about helping intended parents bond with their babies, sharing more about her journey, practical suggestions, and a bonding meditation in a recent article on our blog:  https://allpathsfb.org/bonding-with-your-unborn-child-during-surrogacy/.

Connect with Rachel at https://www.intendedparentssupportcoach.com/.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

TTC over 40, surrogacy, gestational carrier, international surrogacy, donor conception, egg donation, embryo donation, postpartum, postpartum support, parenting after infertility, parenting support, family building, surrogacy journey, intended parents support, postpartum doula, egg donation, infertility support, family growth, emotional rollercoaster of parenting, navigating family building challenges, bonding with unborn child, international surrogacy, personal journey to parenthood, overcoming obstacles in parenthood, connecting with gestational carrier, support for intended parents, coping with disappointment in family building, bonding from afar, yoga and meditation for parents, emotional support during pregnancy, building a family through surrogacy

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