How Can Intended Parents Bond with their Baby During the Surrogacy Journey

At NewGen Families, we recognize just how important this bonding process is during the pregnancy period and beyond. Whether you’re just beginning your surrogacy journey or navigating the excitement of the fourth trimester, our team is here to provide expert, compassionate care to help you connect with your baby—before, during, and long after birth.

In this short article, we’ll dive into some practical tips and tricks for bonding with your baby, showing that the surrogacy experience can be just as meaningful for creating that early emotional connection all future parents desire.

Understanding the Emotional Dynamics of Surrogacy

The surrogacy journey brings a mix of emotions, including anticipation, excitement, and moments of uncertainty. Many intended parents wonder:

“Can I bond with my baby even if I’m not the one carrying them?”

The answer is yes! These feelings are natural and there are meaningful ways to develop a connection before birth. NewGen Families offers empathetic care and expert advice to help intended parents embrace their emotions and build a loving relationship with their baby before they arrive.

Relationship with your surrogate

Open communication is vital with your surrogate from the moment you begin your surrogacy journey. Regularly talking to your surrogate, whether through calls, texts, video calls or in-person helps create a connection, bond and shared purpose.

This connection not only strengthens your relationship with the surrogate but also reinforces your emotional bond with your child while they are in utero.

Practical Ways to Bond with Your Baby Before Birth

1. Attend Ultrasound Appointments with Your Surrogate

One of the best ways to strengthen your emotional connection is by attending ultrasound scans and pregnancy checkups. Seeing your baby on the screen and hearing their heartbeat can be a powerful moment. We recommend, whenever possible, to attend prenatal appointments in person or via phone with your surrogate.

Tip: Capture these moments with photos or videos to create a memory book for your baby.

Shared experiences, such as witnessing the first ultrasound or celebrating a gender reveal, can include intended parents in their baby’s development and strengthen their sense of involvement in the pregnancy journey. These moments also provide a beautiful opportunity to connect with your surrogate, who will be reminded of her incredible generosity through your reaction.

At NewGen Families, our expert team of past surrogates and intended parents are able to facilitate these appointments to ensure that intended parents feel included and connected throughout the surrogacy process.

2. Keep a Journal or Write Letters

Start a journal to document your thoughts, hopes, and dreams for your child or ways you are preparing for their arrival can serve as a beautiful keepsake to give to your child when they’re older, showcasing the love that surrounded them even before birth.

Tip: These letters can later be shared with your child as a special keepsake.

3. Choose a Meaningful Name

Naming your baby is an intimate and symbolic way to strengthen your bond. Creating a nickname before birth can help foster a deep emotional connection.

4. Create a Personal Ritual to Bond with Your Baby

• Record a special voice message for your surrogate to play for the babyTip: Utilize ‘Belly Buds’ – speakers that can be placed on the surrogate’s belly, allowing parents to play music, recordings, or their voices directly to the baby in utero, helping their baby recognize their voices and familiar sounds even before birth.

• Practice mindfulness and visualization exercises to imagine life with your baby
• Buy or create a special gift (a blanket, stuffed animal, or book) that will be part of their early years

6. Preparing a nursery

Creating a nursery can be a wonderful way to get excited and can give you a focus while you await the arrival of your little one.

7. Celebrate milestones

It is completely natural that some intended parents may be cautious about celebrating, but marking important milestones during the pregnancy can make the experience feel more tangible and bring everyone involved closer together.

Whether it’s sharing photos with loved ones, organizing a special dinner or a baby shower (virtually or in person), your journey to parenthood deserves to be celebrated just as much as anyone else’s.

Professional Support from NewGen Families

At NewGen Families, we recognize the unique challenges intended parents face when bonding with their baby before birth. In conjunction with our mental health care partner, Embra Health, we can facilitate counseling to help manage emotions and offer practical advice on bonding with your baby throughout the surrogacy journey. 

Our goal is to ensure that every intended parent feels empowered, supported, and connected throughout their journey to parenthood. Ready to begin your journey to parenthood? Book a complimentary online consultation with NewGen Families Co-Founder & CEO, Damien Chambers.

Start Your Surrogacy Bonding Journey with NewGen Families

Bonding with your baby before birth is not only possible—it’s a beautiful and rewarding experience. By embracing these techniques and utilizing NewGen Families’ supportive resources, intended parents can cultivate a lifelong connection with their child.

Want personalized guidance on bonding with your baby during surrogacy? Contact us today to learn more about our expert support and resources.

Interested about becoming a gestational surrogate at NewGen Families? Fill in our online questionnaire to see if you are eligible.