Shows
SBS News In DepthSBS talks to family creation lawyer Sarah Jefford on Australia's review into surrogacy lawsAustralia's Law Reform Commission is currently conducting an inquiry into surrogacy law across the country. Sarah Jefford is a family creation lawyer practising across Australia, and a former surrogate. She has spoken with SBS's Deborah Groarke on the aims of the review, and what surrogacy currently looks like in Australia and the world2025-07-1213 min
Headlines on healthSBS talks to family creation lawyer Sarah Jefford on Australia's review into surrogacy lawsAustralia's Law Reform Commission is currently conducting an inquiry into surrogacy law across the country. Sarah Jefford is a family creation lawyer practising across Australia, and a former surrogate. She has spoken with SBS's Deborah Groarke on the aims of the review, and what surrogacy currently looks like in Australia and the world2025-07-1213 min
SBS News In DepthSBS talks to family creation lawyer Sarah Jefford on Australia's review into surrogacy lawsAustralia's Law Reform Commission is currently conducting an inquiry into surrogacy law across the country. Sarah Jefford is a family creation lawyer practising across Australia, and a former surrogate. She has spoken with SBS's Deborah Groarke on the aims of the review, and what surrogacy currently looks like in Australia and the world2025-07-1213 min
Over the Rainbow… A Queer Dads PodcastSarah Jefford - Family Creation LawyerSend us a textThis week, I'm excited to chat with Sarah Jefford, one of Australia's leading family creation lawyers specializing in surrogacy and donor conception. With extensive experience in this field, Sarah has made a significant impact on the surrogacy community.She is the author of More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2023 for her outstanding contributions to law and the surrogacy community. In addition to her legal work, Sarah hosts The Australian Surrogacy Podcast, where she shares...2024-11-0641 min
The Kick Pregnancy Podcast113. Everything You Need to Know About Surrogacy in Australia with Sarah Jefford In this episode of The Kick, Brigid talks with family creation lawyer and surrogate, Sarah Jefford, about the altruistic surrogacy landscape in Australia, exploring legal requirements, personal experiences, and the emotional and financial aspects of surrogacy. Find Sarah's Website hereFind Sarah's Instagram hereFind Sarah’s Podcast hereFree Surrogacy handbook hereIf you have a question you want answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer during a Q & A:https://www.speakpipe.com/growmybabyLIN...2024-08-0644 min
Feminist LawSurrogacy in Australia with Sarah JeffordToday on the podcast, Clara speaks with Australian family creation lawyer, Sarah Jefford, about surrogacy law in Australia, the legal safeguards in place for surrogate parents and children, and cross-border surrogacy.
To learn more about Sarah Jefford and her work as a family creation lawyer, you can visit her website here.
Sarah Jefford's book is also available on her website, or you can buy it on Amazon here.
Feminist News
UN experts warn of human rights violations against women and girls in Gaza
Employers must make reasonable adjustments for...2024-02-2620 min
Baby Brain Podcast121. How does Surrogacy work? With Surrogacy Lawyer, Sarah JeffordHave you ever considered surrogacy, been interested in being a surrogate, or just curious about how the whole process works? This week we're chatting to the incredible Sarah Jefford about all things surrogacy! Sarah Jefford OAM is a surrogacy and donor conception lawyer and lives in Melbourne with her partner and two children. Sarah was an IVF mum and later became an egg donor and a surrogate, delivering a baby for two dads in 2018. Sarah produces the Australian Surrogacy Podcast, and has written a book, More Than Just a Baby, a guide to surrogacy for intended parents an...2023-09-0451 min
The Wine ConversationLet's Talk About... Wine With Andrew JeffordAndrew Jefford is one of the world’s most thoughtful and eloquent wine writers. He talks to Sarah Kemp about his new book “Drinking with the Valkyries” which contains essays on wine from his columns in Decanter and World of Fine Wine. In this wide-ranging interview, they discuss everything from the people who influenced him as a writer (spoiler alert Robert Louis Stevenson and Ralph Steadman), why he dislikes the hierarchical aspect of scoring, different nationality’s palates, Australian wines’ strengths and weaknesses, why he changed his mind on what matters most in making wine, why wine writers should take an oa...2022-11-3046 min
Serious DangerBONUS: Meet the Candidate - Sarah Jefford, Greens Candidate for WillsThis instalment of our bonus episodes interviewing Greens candidates for the upcoming federal election has Tom meeting Sarah Jefford, Greens candidate for Wills in Melbourne, to chat about the growing Green representation in the area, rights for women and mothers, and the importance of voting for the values you believe in. Full video version of this episode available on https://www.youtube.com/c/SeriousDangerAU Links - https://sarahjefford.com/ https://greens.org.au/vic/person/sarah-jefford @Sarah_Jefford_ on twitter Produced by Michael Griffin Fol...2022-05-1123 min
Lawyers Weekly Podcast NetworkMeet the surrogacy lawyer standing for the Greens in WillsSarah Jefford is “sick of the mediocrity” in federal politics. This, coupled with her strong sense of social justice and keen awareness of inequity across Australia, is driving her to serve her community as a member of parliament On this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by award-nominated family and surrogacy lawyer Sarah Jefford – who is standing for the Australian Greens in the Victorian electorate of Wills – to discuss her 2018 experience as a surrogate for two fathers and how that experience informs her work as a family and surrogacy lawyer. Ms Jefford al...2022-04-1231 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMike, Nate & SarahThe Surrogacy Podcast Episode 100: Mike, Nate and Sarah. We made it to 100 episodes of the Podcast! And it seems only fitting that we revisit the earlier episodes, and in particular my interview with my intended parents, Mike and Nate. When we recorded those first episodes, we were very early in the fourth trimester and and finding our feet as new parents and (old) surrogate. Almost three years later, with a toddler running around and the benefit of hindsight and reflection, we got to chat about our relationships with each other, with Darcey and my children, and what we've learned in...2020-11-1639 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEpisode 99: Sarah JeffordThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 99: Reflections on surrogacy with Sarah Jefford. I was lucky enough to sit down with Miranda Crowther-Jones, writer, and mother through egg donation and surrogacy, and talk about the last 3 years and my book, More Than Just a Baby. You might remember Miranda from her own episode on the Podcast, and also from her guest blog post she wrote about parenting with a chronic illness.
We are celebrating 100 episodes of the Podcast in the coming weeks! This episode reflects on the last 98 episodes, and on the perpetual journey of surrogacy.2020-10-2746 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKirsty & AngelaThe Surrogacy Podcast Episode 96: Angela and Kirsty: surrogacy pregnancy during COVID. Ange is an intended mother in Queensland, and Kirsty is her surrogate. Kirsty is pregnant and due in just under two months. They met through the Australian Surrogacy Community on Facebook, and had an embryo transfer in February - just weeks before the COVID pandemic led to lockdowns and restrictions in hospitals. As the pregnancy has progressed, they've had difficulties planning the birth, attending hospital together for appointments, and negotiating with the hospital. Their hospital is a COVID hotspot, with several staff diagnosed with the virus. And Kirsty is...2020-09-2000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastCherie & AlexThe Surrogacy Podcast Episode 95: Cherie and Alex. Cherie is a cancer survivor, and she and her partner Alex live with their gorgeous pups in Melbourne. They've recently managed to freeze embryos, and Cherie is taking time out to concentrate on her health after the cancer diagnosis. Cherie is an accomplished pianist and violinist, and Alex is heavily involved in car clubs. Cherie is into trashy reality television (I reckon she should be ON Gogglebox!).
Cherie has recently started her own cooking blog on Instagram, cooking up a storm of recipes from her family and Alex's family. You can follow her...2020-09-1400 min
Doing Law DifferentlySarah Jefford on Building Her Niche Legal Practice Around Her Passion (ep 57)
Today’s guest is the inspirational NewLaw advocate Sarah Jefford. From her home in Melbourne, Sarah runs a Family Creation Law firm, produces the Australian Surrogacy Podcast and has now written a book called ‘More Than Just A Baby’ which, on reflection, had a longer gestation period than humans do. Sarah is one of those lawyers whose work is so intimately connected with her personal life that she can’t help but be the best at what she does. Read on – and listen on – to see what I mean!
In the episode, Sarah and I track her past and the jo...2020-09-0728 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastSusanThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 94: Susan. Susan was a Brisbane surrogate, not once but twice, for two different couples. Susan's partner, Loz, was on the Podcast in Episode 47. Susan and Loz have three adult children of their own and live in Brisbane. Susan decided to become a surrogate after having her own children, and met intended parents in Brisbane. We talked about her first journey, and how quickly she made the decision to carry a baby for people she had met online. Having learned some valuable lessons from her first journey, Susan was a surrogate again for another Brisbane couple a...2020-09-0600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastScott And SeanThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 93: Scott and Sean. This is a Stories Series episode with Scott and Sean, sharing their surrogacy story for the Podcast. Scott and Sean live in Melbourne and are a gay couple with a menagerie of animals named after famous people and food. Sean is a psychiatric nurse, and Scott works as a retail manager. They're favourite holiday destination country is England, although they have to be careful with their language when they're abroad.
You can find Scott in the Australian Surrogacy Community on Facebook. That's also where you'll find details of the ASC Zoom meet...2020-08-3000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastHannahThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 92: Hannah. Hannah lives in South Australia was diagnosed with MRKH in her early 20's. she's long-known that she would need a surrogate to carry a baby for her. MRKH, or Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, is a disorder that often results in an absent or underdeveloped uterus. Hannah is a single mum and she became a mum when her cousin delivered her baby girl, Imara, in 2019. Her cousin's offer was on standby for 8 years before they decided to go ahead. Hannah had a few legal hurdles stood in their way because surrogacy was not an option for s...2020-08-2400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRobThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 91: Rob. Rob and his husband Mark recently returned to Australia with their son Louis, who was born through altruistic surrogacy in Canada. They explored egg donation and surrogacy within Australia before considering options overseas. They created embryos with a donor in the USA, and finally landed on surrogacy in Canada and met their surrogate Toya in record time. Baby Louis arrived earlier this year at the cusp of the pandemic and airport shutdowns, but they were able to return to Australia before things got too hairy.2020-08-1700 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastFrancine And IanThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 90: Francine and Ian. Francine came to Australia for a 'gap year' - and is still here, many years later! Francine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 31, and is lucky enough to now be cancer-free, 5 years on. They've had a lovely offer of an egg donor and are hoping to create embryos in the coming months.
Francine recommends Brene Brown books and podcasts, and in particular her book Daring Greatly. She's also been trying her hand at sourdough bread! Ian is from Canberra and enjoys gardening - and he should probably have shares...2020-08-1100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEmma and AlexThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 89: Emma and Alex. Emma and Alex are intended parents in Canberra, hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. They have one child, Felix, and after Emma was treated for cervical cancer they are hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. Emma has been doing IVF (and more IVF) with ovarian grafting treatment in Melbourne. Emma is a teacher, but she would love to be a pastry chef! Alex's hobby is painting tiny wartime figurines!2020-08-0200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEpisode 88: HayleyThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 88: Hayley. Hayley is a donor conceived person in Victoria, and her parents shared with her that she was donor conceived when she was 12 years old. When she was older, Hayley did a DNA test with consumer-DNA sites (like Ancestry and 23andme), and worked out who her biological father was, and connected with several donor-conceived siblings. Hayley later connected with her biological father through the Central Register which is managed by VARTA.2020-07-2800 min
All About Fertility PodcastFamily & Surrogacy Lawyer Sarah JeffordSarah Jefford is a family and surrogacy lawyer living with her partner, Troy, and their two children, Archie and Raf. Sarah was an IVF mum and later became an egg donor and a surrogate, giving birth to baby girl in 2018 for two Dads. Sarah provides legal advice for intended parents, surrogates and donors to help them grow their families. Sarah produces the Australian Surrogacy Podcast and published the Australian Surrogacy Handbook.
Socials are:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sarahjefford/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarah_surrogacylawyer/ (or @sarah...2020-07-2039 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAnthony And PatrickThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 87: Anthony and Patrick. Anthony and Patrick are gay dads in Sydney, and they became dads through surrogacy when their daughter was born in 2017. Their surrogate, Bree, was on Episode 42 of the Podcast, and she and her family live in Victoria. The team progressed with a gestational surrogacy arrangement to have Haesel, and later entered a traditional surrogacy arrangement to try and have a a sibling for Haesel. They are now putting themselves out there for the possibility of meeting new friends who might help them grow their family.2020-07-2000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAdelleThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 86: Adelle. Adelle became a mother almost two years ago when she gave birth to her son, Lincoln. The birth was smooth, but the aftermath was anything but. Adelle suffered a significant injury arising from the birth, which resulted in her having an ileostomy, which ultimately saved her life. Part of her journey of recovery and healing from her birth trauma including setting up her personal Instagram page at Overnight Ostomate where she found support and solidarity from other people with ileostomies.
Adelle now runs Haven Legal Co, (also on Instagram @Haven_Legal_Co) where you...2020-07-1300 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEmma LeeThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 85: Emma-Lee. Emma-Lee is an egg donor, and is also a genetic genealogist - she researches genetic histories as a hobby. This means she can find out all sorts of information about someone, based on them, or their genetic relatives, having uploaded their DNA to a consumer site, such as Ancestry.com.2020-07-0600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastCrystalThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 84: Crystal. Crystal was a surrogate for friends Martin and Paul, whom she met through the online surrogacy community. You might like to listen to Martin and Paul's episode 73 as well, as this team has some great advice from all their perspectives.
Crystal and I recorded this interview during the COVID pandemic, when she was about six months' post birth. The pandemic meant that the Parentage Order was made in the Judge's chambers, and that Crystal couldn't travel to see Martin, Paul and Zac for the planned hearing and celebration. Crystal reflects on the hormonal roller-coaster...2020-06-2900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastSarah - JayneThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 83: Sarah-Jayne. Sarah-Jayne is a Perinatal and Family Psychologist, who provides counselling for surrogacy and fertility and parenting. We talked about the importance of managing our mental health and accessing support on the way to parenthood (and when we get there!) and how the team can support each other during the surrogacy as well. Sarah-Jayne has some great tips for recognising the different stages of the surrogacy and infertility journey and what you can do to build resilience, ask for help and hold on to hope along the way.2020-06-2200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastBen and MattThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 82: Ben and Matt are intended parents and are sharing their story as part of the Stories Series of the Podcast. What we know about Ben is that he’s a magician and entertainer! And Matt likes Paul Jennings books! They live in Point Cook, Victoria, and are the Fun Uncles in their family. They’re well-travelled and love beach holidays and New York city. My favourite part of this episode is hearing about Matt’s favourite book, and Ben’s favourite movie – but you’ll have to listen to find out the details.
You can follow Ben a...2020-06-1400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastHelder And MarkThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 81: Helder and Mark. Helder and Mark live in NSW and love travelling and experiencing other cultures.They're now settled in Sydney, NSW and hoping to grow their family through surrogacy. Helder is an agriculturalist, originally from Portugal, and he speaks three languages. He can dream in Spanish, English and Portuguese! Mark is a project manager and is originally from the UK, and he once held up an international airport! I won't tell you what Mark's favourite books are - but you might be shocked! Helder and Mark have an egg donor and have enjoyed building a...2020-06-0800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAshlee & ChrisThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 80: Ashlee and Chris are intended parents living in Brisbane, Queensland and they’re sharing their story as part of the Stories Series of the Surrogacy Podcast. Ashlee and Chris consider themselves ‘crazy cat people’ and have a cat, Tigger who is 19! They’re home bodies interested in human rights and the environment and they love travelling, and their favourite destination is Japan. Ashlee has a chronic health condition that makes long-distance travel or carrying a baby risky for her. You can find out more about them in the Podcast!2020-06-0100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastStories Series: PatThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 79: Pat.
This episode of the Podcast is part of the Stories Series, which recognises the power of storytelling and sharing our experiences that brought us to surrogacy. Pat recorded this self-interview for the Podcast, to share her story of trying to grow her family. Pat experienced infertility and was able to conceive with the help of a generous egg donor, but sadly endured a pregnancy loss and gave birth to her beloved son. She's since been advised that surrogacy is her best option for growing her family.
Pat is an active member of the Australian...2020-05-2500 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAnneAnne (not her real name) became a mother through an unconventional arrangement with her neighbours. It was similar to surrogacy - and similar to adoption. The team didn't know anything about surrogacy laws and processes before the baby was on the way. Unfortunately, as they came to discover, the child protection system and the legal system had some different ideas about the arrangement. It was almost two years after the birth that the legal process was finalised, granting Anne parental responsibility for her daughter.
Anne and I shared this story in the hope that we could educate intended parents and...2020-05-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMadelineMadeline was a gestational surrogate in NSW, for intended dads who lived a few hours away. Madeline had a rollercoaster journey - including a false start with different intended parents, new intended parents, positive pregnancy tests, surprise twin pregnancy, then subsequent pregnancy loss. The team recovered and went on to have baby Micah. When we recorded this interview, Madeline was at the end of the fourth trimester, so it was all fresh in her mind and she was able to talk candidly about her experiences of the pregnancy, birth and beyond.2020-05-0400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastLizThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 76: Liz. Liz and her partner have been wanting and trying to grow their family for many years, and eventually it led them down the surrogacy path. They researched many options, and finally landed on surrogacy in Tbilisi, Georgia.
It's been a long and hard journey to get where they are, but now they're quietly excited to be expecting twins later this year. COVID-19 has thrown in some extra challenges, but Liz is the ultimate planner and organiser and if anyone's able to manage it, it's her.2020-05-0400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastElyseThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 75: Elyse.
Elyse and her partner went through many years and many rounds of fertility treatment before researching donor conception and international surrogacy. They eventually created embryos with an Australian donor with a Thai clinic, and went on to have twins via surrogacy in Thailand. The babies were born not long after the surrogacy situation in Thailand changed dramatically, with the Baby Gammy saga.
Several years later, when they were preparing for the twins to graduate from childcare to school, Elyse discovered she was pregnant - naturally! She went on to deliver her daughter in 2019. She's...2020-04-2600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastTimThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 74: Tim. Tim is an intended parent, and with his husband Jason is pursuing surrogacy in Melbourne.
In this episode, we talked about the challenges and pitfalls of looking for a surrogate in Australia, using social media and local meet-ups. Not everyone likes social media, so when that is the primary medium for finding a surrogate or intended parents, it can be a daunting prospect.
In this episode, we talked about:
How to find a surrogate in Australia
The Australian Surrogacy Community Facebook group
The Surrogacy Handbook, which is free and downloadable - and Tim's favourite...2020-04-2100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMartin and PaulThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 73: Martin and Paul.
Martin and Paul are gay dads in Victoria and recently welcomed their son Zac through a surrogacy arrangement with a surrogate, Crystal, in Queensland. They found their egg donor and surrogate via online forums, notwithstanding the daunting prospect of pursuing surrogacy in Australia.
We talked about heaps of things in this episode, including:
The importance of Setting Expectations for our surrogacy journey and the document that Martin, Paul and Crystal used to get them on the same page.
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Their connection with other gay dads, including Carla's intended parents and gay dads Andrew...2020-04-1900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAmber Jake and AaronThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 72: Amber, Jake and Aaron.
This team broke new ground, becoming the first team to proceed with a surrogacy arrangement for gay intended dads in South Australia. You might be surprised that this was a new thing, but laws in South Australia only changed recently to allow same-sex male couples to engage in surrogacy in their own state.
To make it more interesting, Amber was a traditional surrogate for Jake and Aaron, and the team was told by IVF clinics and lawyers that it was not legal in South Australia. Why is that? Well, many people...2020-04-1500 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRicThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 71: Ric. Ric is a West Australian single man pursuing surrogacy to grow his family. Unfortunately, the surrogacy laws in Western Australia prohibit single men and same sex male couples from pursuing surrogacy within their own State, forcing people to move interstate or pursuing international surrogacy.
Whilst there are changes afoot, they're taking too long, and in the meantime Ric is looking at other avenues. We also talked about the legacy left behind by his loving and very much loved wife Susannah, and the work he's been doing to effect law reform in WA.2020-04-1200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMichelle FMichelle is an egg donor and surrogate in New South Wales, and delivered a baby for two dads in 2019. She's married and has two teenage children, and is gearing up to conceive another baby for the same intended parents in 2020. Michelle and I talked about her egg donations, her relationships with her donor recipients and their children, the surrogacy and the challenges and highlights of her journey.2020-04-0700 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastHenry & Lisa - where are they now?Henry and Lisa appeared in Episode 14 of the Podcast, and are now back for a retrospective, to tell us what's happened over the last 18 months. They welcomed baby Harry through surrogacy, and have some insights for intended parents for what to expect in the months after the baby arrives. What's it like parenting after surrogacy? How do the relationships change, in a surrogacy team? What are their plans for the future?2020-04-0500 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastJessJessica was a gestational surrogate for friends living nearby in regional Victoria, and delivered a baby in November. She's right at the end of the fourth trimester, so it was great to check in with her and find out how the last few months have been for her, her family and her relationship with the baby and the intended parents.
We talked about so much in this episode, and Jessica's reflections were so invaluable. I just know that surrogates and intended parents in the future will be listening to this episode and taking notes and nodding along with her advice...2020-03-3000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastLaraLara gave birth only three weeks before this interview, so she was in the thick of birth recovery and the fourth trimester. We talked about what it feels like to give away a baby, even when you are giving it to family and know that you'll be part of their lives forever.
We haven't had many stories of sisters carrying for siblings, so it is really nice to hear from someone who chose to do so.
This is such a heartwarming and lovely episode, and Lara was generous to give me her time only three weeks post-partum. But, as you'll...2020-03-2300 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastThe Fourth Trimester with Katrina HaleIn this episode, Katrina and I talked about the fourth trimester in a surrogacy arrangement. Katrina has a formula for how to plan for the fourth trimester, which includes:
the intended parents and surrogate being within a doorway of each other for the first 3-5 days;
the intended parents and surrogate being within 10 minutes of each other for the first 2 weeks; and
the intended parents and surrogate being within a phone call of each other for the first 3 months.
Whilst the distances are figurative (you might not be within a doorway physically, but should expect to be able to knock...2020-03-1600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastBirth education and support with Sheridon ByrneSheridon is a Birth Doula and Educator in Melbourne, supporting birthing people, birth partners and community members in the lead up, during and after birth.
Sheridon and I covered a lot in this interview, including:
The importance of birthing people, their partners and intended parents being educated about labour and birth before entering the birthing space.
Why having a Doula is so important in any birth including a surrogacy birth.
The importance of birth photography, to capture the processes and moments so that you can focus on witnessing the baby being born and meeting their parents and tell the story...2020-03-0900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastBirth Planning with Katrina HaleIn this episode, Katrina and I spoke about the importance of planning ahead with your surrogacy birth. You might think it's a matter of deciding if the surrogate will have pain relief and who will cut the cord, but surrogacy births are a little more complex. You should plan early and enquire with the hospitals where you might birth about their surrogacy policies and practices. Some things to ask about include:
Whether the hospital has managed a surrogacy birth recently;
Whether the hospital has a surrogacy policy that you can read. If not, you can give them this free hospital...2020-03-0200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRayaRaya is an intended mother in Melbourne and is due to meet her new baby in the next week! Her lovely sister-in-law, her husband's sister, Lara, is due to give birth any day now. I'll be interviewing Lara in a later episode. Raya and I talked about her journey of trying to conceive with her husband, and suffering with infertility and then going through IVF to try and have a baby. Sadly, Raya developed Ashmeran's Syndrome, which left her unable to carry a child. Lara and her partner offered to carry a baby for Raya long before they knew that...2020-02-2400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastThe Third Trimester with Katrina HaleThe third trimester, or 'the pointy end' of pregnancy, is hormone-fuelled and can be raw, emotional, challenging and overwhelming. When you throw in surrogacy, the third trimester becomes even more complex. Surrogates, who have often been a leader within the team, become vulnerable and turn inward, wanting to close the doors and spend private time with their family, preparing herself for birth. Their partner may need to step up and become the conduit and communicator between the surrogate and the intended parents, to express her needs and support the team as a whole. Intended parents will want to spend some...2020-02-1700 min
The JuggleIVF, surrogacy and the juggle with Sarah Jefford (ep 97)Sarah is an IVF mum, an egg donor and gave birth as a surrogate in 2018. She is also a family and surrogacy lawyer. Sarah and her partner Troy live in Melbourne with their two children, Archie and Raf.
The post IVF, surrogacy and the juggle with Sarah Jefford (ep 97) appeared first on Managing The Juggle.2019-12-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKateKate is an intended parent from WA, who is now the parent of Jack, who was born through surrogacy earlier this year. You may recall hearing from Kate's surrogate, Michelle, in Episode 51.
Kate was born with MRKH, meaning she knew for many years that her only option for having a biological child was through surrogacy. She did her research, developed a friendship with Michelle and her family, and they progressed through the WA surrogacy process.
Whilst Michelle's pregnancy with Jack was pretty smooth, the moments after the birth were pretty hairy. Kate now tells that story, from her perspective. What's...2019-10-0100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEllaThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 55: Ella. Ella is an IVF mum with a background in the pharmaceutical industry and has worked in the Australian surrogacy industry for a number of years. Ella now works for the Fertility Center of Las Vegas - all the way from her home in Sydney.
Have you got questions about US surrogacy options and processes? How do agencies and clinics work together? What are the screening processes for surrogates and intended parents? Should you create embryos here in Australia or in your destination country? What are the donor options overseas? Is surrogacy an option if...2019-10-0100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastCass and ClaireClaire is my sister, and Cass is her wife, and they grew their family with the help of a donor, and egg-sharing, and their daughter Aria arrived earlier this year.
You'll hear from Cass about her journey as a single intended parent, and then finding a donor in her friend and his family, and then partnering with Claire and journeying together to Aria's creation.2019-09-2300 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastDr LynnDr Lynn Burmeister of No. 1 Fertility. Dr Lynn was gracious enough to talk to me about fertility and infertility, and what we can expect from surrogacy fertility treatments. She also gave a few pointers for people trying to conceive, about the sorts of lifestyle changes we can make to improve our fertility health, and what a surrogate can expect from a treatment cycle.2019-09-1600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMarianMarian became a mother through surrogacy when her son Hugo was born. You might remember Hugo's story from episode 23, when I interviewed his surrogate, Rachel. The team welcomed Hugo's sister, Matilda, in 2018. Marian threw herself into the surrogacy journey and she and Rachel have a very special, one-of-a-kind surrogacy relationship.2019-09-0900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastCostaCosta and his partner Ghaith pursued surrogacy in Canada, and recently welcomed their daughter Panayiota into the world. Their story is not unique, but Costa's views on a surrogacy are particularly lovely and heart-warming. He and Ghaith are strong in their convictions that Panayiota's story be one of love, and that she should know that she was created with love and is surrounded by a community of people who love her, including her birth mother.
Rather than spoil it for you, have a listen and get ready to smile all day.2019-09-0200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastSimonimon is the partner of three-time surrogate Rachael, who appeared in Episode 23 (all three parts of it!).
Surrogate partners provide great insight into what is involved in a surrogacy arrangement for the surrogate team. Partners are our anchors, and also a good measure of how things are really going when we might want to focus only on the positive.
Simon has supported Rachel and been on the surrogacy journey with her over more than a decade, and his experience is invaluable for other surrogate partners, as well as for surrogates and intended parents.2019-08-2600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastJeremy and ShaunJeremy and Shaun are gay intended dads in Melbourne and recently welcomed their son Elio via surrogacy with their friends in Queensland. They had the help of a friend who was their egg donor, and they proceeded through the Victorian process and the Patient Review Panel.
Together with their surrogate and her wife, the four of them made a great team and managed an interstate surrogacy journey and have had a really positive experience. Jeremy and Shaun are really focused on Elio's interests and his need to know his story and have contact with his birth family and donor family.2019-08-1900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEllaThe Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 55: Ella. Ella is an IVF mum with a background in the pharmaceutical industry and has worked in the Australian surrogacy industry for a number of years. Ella now works for the Fertility Center of Las Vegas - all the way from her home in Sydney.
Have you got questions about US surrogacy options and processes? How do agencies and clinics work together? What are the screening processes for surrogates and intended parents? Should you create embryos here in Australia or in your destination country? What are the donor options overseas? Is surrogacy an option if...2019-08-1200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKateKate is an intended parents from WA, who is now the parent of Jack, who was born through surrogacy earlier this year. You may recall hearing from Kate's surrogate, Michelle, in Episode 51.
Kate was born with MRKH, meaning she knew for many years that her only option for having a biological child was through surrogacy. She did her research, developed a friendship with Michelle and her family, and they progressed through the WA surrogacy process.
Whilst Michelle's pregnancy with Jack was pretty smooth, the moments after the birth were pretty hairy. Kate now tells that story, from her perspective. What's...2019-07-2900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastSamSam is a Queensland mother of 5, who found her Victorian intended parents through an article posted online about the couples' struggles with infertility.
Sam, huge-hearted and generous, reached out to the couple and they developed a friendship. Their journey was considerably challenging, with extra bureaucracy and delays, and dealing with the Patient Review Panel process in Victoria. Sam was patient and determined, and all paid off with the birth of Noah earlier this year. Sam is now 10 weeks' post-partum and enjoying the surrogacy high in the fourth trimester.2019-07-1500 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMichelleMichelle, doula, FIFO partner and mum from WA. Michelle enjoyed pregnancy and birth so much that she went back and did it again, for WA couple Kate and Kris. Kate has MRKH, and the team found each other through the surrogacy community. Whilst they had an amazing pregnancy and birth experience, Michelle suffered from a post-partum haemorrhage and woke up in ICU the next day. The experience was traumatic, and yet Michelle says she'd do it all over again if she could.2019-06-2400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMilestones & Rituals With Katrina HaleThis is episode 50 of the Surrogacy Podcast, another Khale series episode with Katrina Hale, and it makes sense that with celebrating episode 50 we discussed milestones and rituals in surrogacy. You might think a baby shower or birthday is a pretty straight-forward and simple affair, celebrating the parents and child, but like all things in surrogacy, it's more complex than that.2019-06-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastTraditional SurrogacyThis is episode 49 of the Surrogacy Podcast, another Khale series episode with Katrina Hale, where we discussed Traditional Surrogacy. You might think traditional surrogacy is just a cheaper and easier method than gestational surrogacy, but the truth is that it is more potentially more complex and involves other factors that should be given consideration before proceeding.2019-06-1000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastManaging our Fears With Katrina HaleKatrina Hale is a surrogacy counsellor, and in this episode we talk about the fears that we experience in surrogacy journeys - the intended parents' fears and the surrogate's fears. Katrina talks about what to expect with those fears, when they might be triggered, how we can manage them and what we need to do to look after ourselves and each other.
You can find Katrina at www.katrinapsychology.com.au.2019-06-0300 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastLozLoz by Sarah Jefford2019-05-2700 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKimKim pursued surrogacy in the Ukraine. Kim has been through a hell of a ride to get to this point in her surrogacy journey. Infertility, IVF, donor eggs, and finally surrogacy in the Ukraine. This interview was conducted in the week before she and her husband jetted off to the Ukraine for the birth of their daughter.
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast shares stories from intended parents and surrogates from around Australia. Some of these stories involve overseas journeys, where donor conception and surrogacy might be done differently and with different regulations than that which we know is best practice in...2019-05-2000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastSimoneSometimes it takes a village to create a child, and in this case it took a cast of 10 people. Simone delivered a baby as a surrogate for intended parents in Adelaide, and the arrangement involved Simone's partner and daughter, the intended parents and the egg donor Anna and her family.When Simone first raised the idea of surrogacy with her husband, he was completely opposed, and it was only after having counselling with a surrogacy counsellor that they were able to be on the same page. Simone talks candidly about how important her husband's support was during the process, and...2019-05-1400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastJessicaJessica was a gestational surrogate for her friends Gareth and Bec - you can listen to Gareth's interview with me at Episode 25. Jessica and her family live in South Africa, whilst Bec and Gareth lived in Queensland. Their surrogacy crossed a few international borders, but also involved the tragic passing of Bec during Jessica's pregnancy. Despite the tragedy, Jessica still thinks you should consider being a surrogate if you can.2019-05-0600 min
Women At WorkStepping Off the Linear Path - Sarah Jefford2019-05-0247 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastShannonShannon Garner has been a surrogate, not once but twice for a lovely gay couple in NSW. Shannon went on to write about her first surrogacy experience and is now a published author - Labour of Love, published by Simon & Schuster is available online and in book stores.
Shannon is thoughtful and generous, and has contributed countless hours to the surrogacy community over the years. This podcast episode is no different - she has a lovely story to tell, and was kind enough to share it with me.2019-04-2900 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastBreeBree was a gestational surrogate, delivering baby Haesel in 2017 for her dads. This year, Bree is attempting to fall pregnant as a traditional surrogate for the same parents.
Bree's intended parents live interstate, so there's been some challenges for the team to support each other. Bree also provides some insight into why a surrogate might make the switch from gestational surrogacy to traditional surrogacy.2019-04-2200 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastGailGail is a mother of a donor-conceived child and has been writing about her experiences of donor parenting on her blog, Donor Conception and Beyond. She started writing about donor conception and her experiences, after discovering that her daughter had 100+ donor siblings across the world. Gail is now writing a book for anyone considering gamete donation, including prospective parents and donors, entitled Donor Conception And Beyond: A Step by Step Guide for Australians.2019-04-1600 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAnna and the Surrogacy Australia Support ServiceAnna McKie is the Surrogate/IP Support Manager at Surrogacy Australia, helping to launch the Support Service (SASS) which is now up and running. This episode provides an overview of the SASS, what's involved and outlining the benefits for surrogates and intended parents.
Surrogacy Australia’s Support Service is a professional service based on best practice models. It is designed to support both surrogates and intended parents in forming well-suited teams and to support those teams over their surrogacy journeys with inbuilt counselling, mentoring and expenses management support.2019-04-0700 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastCaraCara is a trans woman, and together with her partner is pursuing surrogacy to have a child. They’ve been on this journey for more than two years – their first surrogate was Cara’s sister who was offering both eggs and uterus, but unfortunately they didn’t achieve a pregnancy. Now, they’re pursuing surrogacy with two friends as their egg donor and gestational surrogate. It’s been a long road, but all hope is now on them having a baby with the help of their friends and a Clinic.2019-04-0100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMirandaMiranda is an amazing story teller, so you can understand why I barely said a word in this interview. She is an egg donor recipient, a mum through surrogacy, and had a heart transplant not that long ago. She's inspiring and courageous, and her story will give you goosebumps.2019-03-2400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKate From VARTAKate Bourne is the Donor Services Manager at the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA), which provides independent information and support for individuals, couples, and health professionals on fertility, infertility, assisted reproductive treatment (ART) and the best interests of children born. Kate talked to me about VARTA's work with supporting parents, donors and donor-conceived people, and the importance of being truthful about donor conception and telling early. VARTA hosts Time to Tell seminars each year, and also provides a wealth of information and resources for anyone in the donor and surrogacy community.
When it comes to making decisions about using a...2019-03-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAmberAmber first heard about egg donation before she had her own children, and has now donated to nine families, resulting in 7 children so far. Many of the recipients also needed a surrogate to help them have a family. Amber suffered with terrible sickness on IVF drugs, and still, she persisted.
Amber developed her own criteria and thinking about why she wanted to donate and who she might donate to. This included the importance of the donor-conceived person having access to information about her, the opportunity for a relationship with her, and the opportunity for them to have a relationship with...2019-03-1100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastPaul & JarydPaul and Jaryd are intended parents in Queensland, who met their surrogate through the Australian Surrogacy Community. They are embarking on a traditional surrogacy journey.2019-03-0400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastDannyDanny is one of those unsung heroes in surrogacy - the surrogate's partner. I've already interviewed his lovely wife Emmy and the intended parents Henry and Lisa. Danny is like many partners of surrogates, quietly supporting their partner's goals and not complaining too much when they have to submit to counselling and legal processes, even thought there's not much reward in it for them.
So what is it like to support your partner through a surrogacy pregnancy? Is it possible to become as invested in the process as the surrogate? Do you experience the same sense of reward and satisfaction...2019-02-2500 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastMarnie: Post Surrogacy ReflectionsMarnie B spoke to me back in Episode 21, when she was heading into the third trimester of her pregnancy with surro-bub. In our first interview, Marnie talked about all the preparation and relationship-building she and her partner did with their intended parents. Since then, Marnie has delivered a baby girl for the parents, and is now 5 months post-partum. In this interview, she reflects on the last trimester, the birth, and the fourth trimester as a surrogate. Did all her preparation pay off? What were her emotions like post-partum? What's her relationship with the parents and baby Sienna?
We also talked...2019-02-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastKatrina HaleShe's been described as the guardian angel of altruistic surrogates across Australia. Really, how could I not have her on the Podcast with a commendation like that?
Katrina Hale is a Psychologist and Infertility Counsellor with over 20 years counselling experience. She is passionate about surrogacy and a strong supporter of all walks of the community that wish to create a family through surrogacy or assisted reproduction. She is committed to helping Intending Parents and Surrogates and their partners successfully navigate their surrogacy journey together.
Katrina has been my surrogacy counsellor for 2 years, and the impact of her support has been im...2019-02-1100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastEmmyWhen growing her own family, Emmy struggled with gender disappointment and when she finally fell pregnant with a baby girl, she promised herself that she would repay the universe somehow. She tried seeking friends and family who might need a surrogate, but in the end she joined The Australian Surrogacy Community and found local intended parents Henry and Lisa.
Emmy talks about what attracted her to Henry and Lisa and her experience being their surrogate. Emmy birthed baby Harry for his parents in 2018.
Emmy's advice for anyone entering the surrogacy world: Get educated. Get active. And be proactive.2019-02-0400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastAnna"I wanted to do something big in life..."
So decided Anna, a South Australian teacher and mother of two, as she launched herself into the world of egg donation and surrogacy. In this episode, we talked about the legacy we leave our children, and Anna's journey finding and meeting intended parents and offering to be their surrogate. But like all these things, it didn't all go smoothly and Anna and her first intended parents parted ways. And whilst they remain friends, Anna was shattered by the break-up. Anna eventually started 'dating' new intended parents, and they are now part-way through...2019-01-2800 min
Mamas on a MissionSarah Jefford - Surrogacy lawyer & surrogate - s.1 | e.6Sarah Jefford is a family and surrogacy lawyer who helps people through their surrogacy arrangement. But Sarah is also a surrogate and an egg donor and this year she gave birth to a little girl so that another loving couple (Mike and Nate) could experience the joys of parenthood.For many of us, our understanding of surrogacy might come from little snippets of what happens in movie, TV or overseas. However, surrogacy in Australia is very different to other countries. It is truly an altruistic act.And so through both her work and personal experience, Sarah is on...2018-11-051h 00
Mamas on a MissionSarah Jefford - Surrogacy lawyer & surrogate - s.1 | e.6Sarah Jefford is a family and surrogacy lawyer who helps people through their surrogacy arrangement. But Sarah is also a surrogate and an egg donor and this year she gave birth to a little girl so that another loving couple (Mike and Nate) could experience the joys of parenthood.
For many of us, our understanding of surrogacy might come from little snippets of what happens in movie, TV or overseas. However, surrogacy in Australia is very different to other countries. It is truly an altruistic act.
And so through both her work and personal experience, Sarah is on mission to...2018-11-051h 00
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRebecca FRebecca is an intended parent, having come to surrogacy after the birth of her second child. Rebecca found her surrogate in her good friend Katy, after she posted about her journey on Facebook to update family and friends about their situation.2018-09-1800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRenee Part 2Renee shares her second surrogacy journey with us, with different intended parents. Renee and her partner approached the journey with the benefit of their first experience, but they were met with many challenges along the way. Their friendship with their intended parents is strong, but as you'll hear, surrogacy is about so much more than just having a baby.2018-09-1100 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastThe ARTA Review in VictoriaIn this episode, Sarah chats about the current Review in the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act in Victoria. Submissions are open now, and close on 21 September.
If you have experienced infertility or IVF treatment in Victoria, now is your time to make a submission.
You can go to www.engage.vic.gov.au and find the ART Review, where you can answer the survey or write your own submission.
If you are interested in more information, or want to know more about Surrogacy Australia's submission, contact Sarah at sarah@sarahjefford.com2018-09-0400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastNT Surrogacy Laws with RebeccaRebecca is a Darwin woman who would like to be a surrogate - but, as she's discovered, the NT doesn't have any surrogacy laws. This means it's virtually impossible for surrogates or intended parents to have a baby in the NT, which forces intended parents to move interstate or go overseas. Rebecca is campaigning for surrogacy laws to be introduced in the NT, and you can help her by getting behind the campaign, signing the petition and liking her page NT Surrogacy Advocacy Group.2018-08-2800 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRenee Part 1Renee tells us the story of her first surrogacy journey, including the ups and downs that eventually resulted in the birth of Ethan for his intended parents. This is Part 1 of Renee's story - stay tuned for Part 2 in a few weeks!2018-08-2000 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastGarethGareth became a father through surrogacy in January 2018, with the birth of his son Rixon. Gareth's surrogate was Jess, who was a great friend of Gareth's wife, Bec. Sadly, Bec passed away during the pregnancy due to complications arising from cystic fibrosis. This is a beautiful and tragic story of Gareth and Bec's story of becoming parents, and of Bec's legacy.2018-08-1400 min
The Australian Surrogacy PodcastRachel (Part 3)This is Part 3 of a 3-part episode with Rachel. In Part 3, we hear about Rachel's final surrogacy pregnancy, with baby Matilda, for her parents Marian and David.2018-07-3100 min