What if one case manager guided both the surrogate and the intended parents—from the first profile exchange to baby photos years later? We sit down with Nina Simmons, case manager and clinical support manager at Northwest Surrogacy Center, to explore how a unified model reduces miscommunication, deepens trust, and creates a steadier surrogacy journey. Nina pulls back the curtain on the real work behind the scenes: coordinating clinics and legal timelines, keeping everyone informed, and offering trauma-informed support when emotions run high.

We talk about the head-and-heart balance that keeps a match on track: the administrative structure that provides safety and the relational care that builds confidence. Nina shares practical ways to set expectations early, from communication preferences to boundary setting, and explains how transparent group conversations help resolve friction before it grows. She also addresses common challenges—loss of control for intended parents, boundary fatigue for surrogates—and shows how predictability and clear options restore a sense of agency. IVF is powerful but not absolute; offering choice, clarity, and steady presence helps everyone breathe through the unknowns.

You’ll also hear how the pandemic reshaped matching and support—Zoom meetings, online groups, and a renewed desire for in-person connection—and why ethical guardrails matter when choosing an agency. Nina’s guidance on vetting compensation packages, reading the fine print on lost wages and insurance, and understanding state-by-state legal pathways is essential listening for anyone considering surrogacy. If you’re searching for a model that honors both people and process, this conversation delivers practical insights and real hope.

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A daughter remembers the rodeo comment. Amanda was nine when classmates, teachers, and even other parents struggled to understand why her mom was carrying a baby for someone else. That early clash with stigma sent her searching for answers—how embryos work, why genetics matter, and what safety really looks like—while her family navigated emergency deliveries, NICU visits, and a community learning on the fly.

Years later, the roles flipped. After a lifetime of “easy” pregnancies around her, Amanda faced irregular cycles and a PCOS diagnosis. She takes us inside the real cadence of IUI: dawn ultrasounds, letrozole and menopur, trigger timing, and the quiet choice to keep it private. You’ll feel the weight of a Black Friday clinic visit before hosting Thanksgiving, a Christmas Day beta drawn into the wrong vial, and the constant tug between hope and self-protection. Her second pregnancy arrived spontaneously eleven months postpartum—proof that fertility doesn’t follow neat rules—and it came with ER scares, a toddler at home, and the kind of fatigue most people don’t see.

We compare surrogacy then and now, from four-embryo transfers to today’s standards, and talk about how intended parents can transform the experience by acknowledging the surrogate’s kids. We also dig into what real support looks like when a sibling becomes a surrogate: legal caution, money anxiety, and the emotional work of staying steady in a tough delivery room. Amanda shares grounded advice for families, intended parents, and anyone facing infertility: seek facts, set boundaries, and let your plan fit your life, not the internet’s timeline.

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Brie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannatowne?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

What if the calm, practical path to a healthy surrogate pregnancy is simpler than you’ve been told? We sit down with maternal health nutritionist and current surrogate Brie Towne, who pairs evidence with empathy to demystify prenatal nutrition, implantation support, and postpartum recovery. No scare tactics, no perfectionism—just strategies that actually fit a full life.

Brie explains why early nutrient stores matter for implantation and first-trimester development, then walks through realistic weight gain targets, how to handle nausea with balanced meals, and a hydration approach that uses thirst and urine color instead of arbitrary quotas. We dig into the most overlooked prenatal nutrient—choline—and how to get it from eggs, fish, and thoughtful supplementation. We also talk through folate, iron, omega-3s, vitamin D, iodine, and antioxidants, clarifying when supplements help and when they’re unnecessary or even counterproductive.

One of the biggest surprises: organic isn’t automatically better. Brie unpacks the small nutritional differences, cost trade-offs, and what pesticide regulation really looks like, freeing you to buy what you’ll actually eat and afford. You’ll leave with simple routines—default breakfasts, snack prep, frozen and canned standbys, and a “40 plants a week” diversity goal—that make eating well easier than chasing trends. For postpartum and pumping, we cover calorie needs, gentle foods for early digestion, and how to protect milk supply without turning meals into math.

Whether you’re an intended parent seeking peace of mind, a first-time surrogate navigating expectations, or a returning carrier looking to fine-tune what works, this conversation equips you with grounded, judgment-free tools.

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Send us a text

https://stopsitsurrogate.com