Surro Files - Weaning, Periods, Screening Calls, Oh My!

I skipped writing last week since it was so slow around here on the surrogacy journey.  Just a whole lot of waiting.  Well this last week it's really picked up on so many fronts.  I weaned Linc, started on birth control, got my period, had all my medical records approved, and had my social work screening call.  Phew!  Now that's a lot in a weeks worth of time.

If you caught my post last week (not listed in my surro files) then you already know that I have officially weaned Lincoln.  I'd been talking about doing this since early December, but kept putting it off for one reason or another.  He got sick for a couple weeks this winter and quite frankly, I found that we got a lot more sleep if I just breastfed him.  I was just too tired to tackle the task of weaning.  It was only when we had made the official decision to become a surrogate that I got the push I needed to get serious with weaning.  With each pregnancy I never started my period till I completely weaned and in order to do all my medical testing... and obviously to get pregnant... I needed to have Lincoln completely weaned and my periods back.  It was a long two month process (you can read all about it on my official post about weaning Linc), but we're finally completely on cow milk and Linc doesn't seem to mind a bit.

My second task I accomplished towards surrogacy these past couple of weeks was starting on birth control.  I figure since we don't plan on doing an embryo transfer till as least May, I want to make sure Brian and I are covered so I won't get pregnant.  Ack!  That would not be good.  I also figured the pill would help jump start my cycles again and the IVF clinic would probably put me on the pill to sync my cycles with the egg donor anyways.  With all that said, I probably should have waited to start the pill because ...

My third task I accomplished towards surrogacy started just a bit early.  Yep, I got my period, but not when I should have based on my birth control pills.  I'm guessing another month of the pills will throw everything in line, but I just wish I would have waited till my period started to start the pill.  I had a feeling that my body was already falling back into place right before I weaned Linc off the last feeding, but I was doubting myself so I started the pill anyways.  Oh well.  No worries.  At least I'm a step closer in the process.  I need to have two periods before I can move on to my medical screening.  They'll check all my hormones, uterus, ovaries, and more, so they can make sure everything is in working order.

Fourth up on my list of accomplishments this past week ... my medical records were reviewed by an IVF doctor and approved!  Yay!  It took awhile to get everything from my OB/GYN and delivery hospital, but it all checked out so we're good to go.  Yay!!!!

Last up ... I had my social worker screening call this past Friday.  I was so nervous because I didn't know what to expect but it was really a breeze.  They said it could take anywhere from 2-2.5 hours, but it ended up only taking 1-1/2 hours.  The social worker gave me a breakdown of what to expect from here on out and answered any questions that I had.  We also went over about a million questions regarding my family and I.  We went over everything from the basics such as what I liked to do in my spare time, how close I was with my family, and how my friends would describe me, to what my childhood was like, how I met my husband, and where I saw myself in 5 years.  All of my answers will go in a profile they will make up so they can skillfully match me with a couple that has the same interests and background as I do.  I'll admit that my mind blanked quite a bit, so I'm scared to see what this profile actually looks like, but I've never been one for on the spot answers.

So anyways, that's where we are at the moment.  All that's left is Brian's social worker screening call today and then we'll have an answer as to if we are accepted or not.  I'm on pins and needles!!!  11:30 am can't get here soon enough.  After that it's on to matching.  Still hoping all works out that we'll be matched with my friend that I met while trying to conceive Lincoln.  That would be the most awesome experience ever!  It would just be great to go through this with someone I know and care about already.  Enough talk about that though.  I don't want to jinx myself.  I'll talk more about matching next time...

*Don't forget to check out my "Surrogacy" tab at the top of this page to catch up on any posts you might have missed*