How to Practice Self-Care During Your Surrogacy Journey
More than ever, self-care and the importance of mental health have been brought to the forefront in the last decade or so. Surrogacy is a long and tough journey, and you should take time for yourself. Aside from dealing with pregnancy hormones, the Oklahoma surrogacy process involves a lot of waiting, waiting to be approved, waiting to find an intended family, waiting for IVF and pregnancy tests. All that waiting creates a lot of anxiety. Stress and anxiety can then lead to physical health issues and interfere with your OK surrogacy journey. If you’re starting your surrogacy journey or looking for ways to improve your experience, we’ve got you covered. So how can you practice self-care during your surrogacy journey?
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma wants you to have the best possible experience with surrogacy. Surrogates go through so much, and you deserve a little (or a lot) of self-care and relaxation. Your mental health is directly linked to your physical health, and if you’re constantly stressed, anxious, you may notice a lot more than just extra shoulder tension. We believe mental health and self-care are critical for everyone, not just surrogate mothers.
Getting Through Your OK Surrogacy With Some Serious Self-Care
Everyone finds different ways to relax, destress, and treat themselves. Here are just a few things to try for a little self-care. Most importantly, you have to allow yourself to be a little selfish sometimes. It’s almost impossible to convince a parent that it’s okay and even healthy to be selfish, but trust us, you’ll thank us later.
- Stay Active
This won’t work for everyone, especially in those last few weeks of the pregnancy. But, you may find that staying active and even just taking a short walk daily can provide significant stress relief. Staying active not only improves mental health but physical health as well. It’s a two-birds one-stone situation. Going to the gym, swimming, yoga, or a quick 15-minute walk with your best doggo will do wonders. Self-care comes in many forms, and while exercise may feel like the opposite of treating yourself to some of us, others enjoy a good sweat for stress relief.
- Write it Down
Your surrogacy journey will take a lot of time but will fly by before you know it. A great way to stay in the moment is to try journaling. Pouring your feelings, excitements, activities, or even just a list of daily gratitudes is a great form of self-care. Buy a cute notebook and a fancy pen to make it extra special. Not everyone has someone to share their every thought, emotion, and concern with. Journaling is a great way to get those feelings out. Bottling everything up only leads to catastrophic explosions later.
- Treat Yo Self
If there was ever a time to treat and spoil yourself, surrogacy is definitely it. You’re doing one of the most selfless things. You deserve to be extra kind to yourself. Weekly trips for ice cream, dinner out more often, or a fancy new purse are a few great ways to say “thank you” to your body and mind for being able to endure this journey. Enjoy that double-chocolate extra-large milkshake knowing you absolutely deserve every last drop.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is critical to both mental and physical health. Doing what you have to to get those eight hours is not just self-care but a necessity. Calling it a night and crawling into bed at 7 pm is ultimate self-care. Buy some new pj’s, a sleep mask, and really good blackout curtains. If you’re having issues sleeping, be sure to talk with your doctor, especially before trying any over-the-counter sleep aids. Get that beauty rest.
- Say no
If you’re the type of person who has issues saying no, now is a good time to practice that selfishness. You’ve said yes to a really big thing, so don’t feel guilty if you have to reject some smaller ones. Say no to putting on real pants and going out, and yes to stretchy pants and bad Hallmark movie marathons with lots of popcorn. Being selfish is one of the best ways to practice self-care.
- Get Outside
It turns out being cooped up in the same space for several months is pretty detrimental to your mental health; who knew! Getting out of the house and getting a little fresh air can do wonders. Sitting on your deck, taking a stroll through the woods, or going for a drive with the windows down, however, you prefer to experience fresh air.
- Be Basic
When all else fails, return to the basics of self-care. Get yourself a face mask, some grape juice in a wine glass (so fancy), and draw a nice bath. Splurge on that bath bomb, too, if you like. Sometimes self-care is as simple as lighting a candle you really like and reading a book with a cozy blanket. If it makes you feel good, then do it. Hug a stuffed animal, meditate, eat a whole pack of Oreos, take a nap. It’s called self-care.
- Cut Yourself Some Slack
If ever you want to pull an excuse card out, now is the time. You don’t have to keep the house spotless, eat perfectly balanced meals, or even put on pants every day. No one expects you to maintain a perfect front during pregnancy, and especially not in surrogacy. Be kind to yourself and cut yourself some slack.
What Does Self-Care Mean to You?
Everyone has their own idea of self-care. Maybe one of these will work for you, or maybe none of them will. Just remember, whatever you decide to do for self-care, you deserve it! Surrogacy is not an easy journey. You just have to take it day by day. Some days you may still feel like superwoman, and some days you just need hot cocoa and a nap. You’re doing an amazing and selfless thing. You should be caring for yourself as well. Consider finding a therapist or someone to talk to. Having an extra shoulder to lean on always helps. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma will connect you with a counselor postpartum, but let us know if you need additional support during the surrogacy as well. To learn more visit our surrogate website. You should be taken care of, mentally and physically. How do you practice self-care during or after surrogacy?
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma is a surrogacy and adoption agency, licensed by the state of Oklahoma and a leader in the community. We assist both intended parents and gestational carriers (surrogates). Our staff members are committed to providing an ethical, empowering, and personalized experience to all involved in the surrogacy process.
Toll-free: 800-898-6028 | OKC Local: 405-755-1999 | Tulsa Local: 918-447-7777 | Text: 405-310-8790 | Email
Meet the Author: Michelle Brugioni is a practiced, well-versed college-educated writer and avid coffee drinker. She has ten years of experience as a freelance writer and has written for an alarmingly wide range of clients and publications. She has written on topics like life science, biopharmaceutical company acquisitions, dealing with anxiety, and creative drinking games.
As a fearless writer and masterful researcher, each time Michelle is approached with the question, “Can you write this?” she responds confidently with, “When do you need it?”
