3….2….1….ACTION!

As a host/actress/entertainer, I’m used to those numbers being called out right before we are ready to go on the air. They bring excitement, an adrenaline rush, and the anticipation of what’s to come on live TV (or in the scene).

At this point in the surrogacy process, those numbers mean something entirely different. Melissa has 3 frozen embryos: 2 boys and 1 girl. 3, 2, 1… How do we know this? Because they have been genetically tested for all abnormalities and diseases. It amazes me that they could know all about these eggs down to the gender especially since I never wanted to know with my own kids. No surprises this time!

The major decision facing Melissa at our initial consultation with the reproductive specialist was how many embryos to transfer. What's funny is my lawyer and her lawyer (who don’t know each other nor have they ever spoken) looked at us and pretty much said the same thing: “if you transfer more than one embryo, she’s gonna have twins.” Not might, maybe, likely, or there’s a chance… but she’s “going to”…like with 100% assurance. The doctor says the chances are about 20%, that’s a far cry from “it’s happened in every case we’ve witnessed.” But even he is advising only 1 embryo at a time.

I felt bad. Having never faced that decision, I couldn’t offer any advice. After discussing it for a bit, my suggestion was implant 1 now, and if that didn’t work we could always do 2 the second round.

“That just means you’d have twins later rather than sooner.” Melissa respnded.

Well, when you put it that way….

"Has it dawned on you that you could go from having no kids to 3 within a couple of years?" But hey, I had my youngest 3 kids in 4 years. and I'm still here. Barely...

It’s all a numbers game. Here are the options:

• Transfer them 1 at a time. Risk none of them taking. Or have 3 singletons.

• Transfer 1 now. Risk it not working. Then transfer 2 and have twins.

• Transfer 2 now…have twins (possibly a single). Then transfer the last one for the sibling journey.

We finally got a decision today. I’ll take door #3 Alex! She decided to implant 2 male embryos. We’ve already been referring to them as “the boys”. I’m a bit worried about Twins because they have higher rates of premature birth which come with all sorts of physical and emotional issues. Not to mention bedrest and stretch marks for me. On the other hand, Melissa sent me an encouraging thread post on the gestational dates and birth weights from a survey taken of surrogates.

Besides, there are plenty of people – my grandmother included – who gave birth to healthy full term babies. (my dad is a twin). As they say in Hollywood…3, 2, 1…ACTION!