Transcript
Speaker: It made me more proud that I got to help somebody bring their child into the world. And I would honestly, i would do it again. When Hannah first looked into egg donation, she was hoping to help pay for college.
Speaker: What she didn't expect was how much the experience would change her life. Over the years, she's donated multiple times, helped create a family, graduated without student debt, and even discovered a new passion for health and fitness.
Speaker: Now, as she prepares to welcome her own daughter into the world, she looks back on her egg donation journeys with an entirely new perspective. Today, Hannah shares what it's really like to be an egg donor, the questions she had before getting started, what surprised her most about the process, and why helping another family become parents remains one of the most meaningful things she has ever done.
Speaker: Enjoy. Anna, thank you so much for just being willing to share your story. I want to just like dive right in. How did egg donation even first get on your radar?
Speaker: um To be honest, I saw a lot of advertisements on social media for it. Yeah. And I think, I don't know, maybe this is just my age, but it seems like something that was kind of joked about growing up like, oh, you are ever, you know, in a spot, just donate your eggs or yeah, you could just donate your eggs. And so it was always something that sure, I don't know, was kind of on my mind, but never something that I actually truly considered until I decided to go back to school later in life. And I was like, yeah, wouldn't it be so cool if I could get my bachelor's completely debt free?
Speaker: and help somebody so when i started seeing things in social media i was like oh this is actually a legit thing like people joke about it but this is a legit thing that people do and that helps people yeah when you were first considering it what questions did you have or concerns if any? ah Lots of questions, probably. I've got to put myself back in that place. I mean, obviously, I wanted to know what the process was going to look like.
Speaker: Absolutely. And I think ah one of the biggest misconceptions going into it is if I do this, will I be able to have children in the future? You know, it it seems yeah a lot more, when you don't know anything about it, it seems a lot more daunting and scary, um which is just,
Speaker: Funny, because even so many people older than me, that was like the first thing they asked when I would tell people that I was going to do it. So that was a really big question. Another big question was, am I even cut out to do this? What are the requirements?
Speaker: um And concerns were just, you know, I don't know, I guess, what if they want to meet me later in life? Am I ready for that? Do I even want that? um I think bigger questions like that.
Speaker: Yeah. Well, but I think that those are really great questions to have because I think you're right. You can see these advertisements and you know you're thinking about, oh yeah, like that's a really great like sum of money and I'm helping somebody. So that feels good. But then there are kind of those questions that you think about as you're processing through it.
Speaker: And it's great to have that top of mind before... you have already done it. What ultimately with all of those questions and, you know, just as you were discerning, what ultimately made you decide to move forward?
Speaker: I just thought, heck it, let's go. you know i wanted to go back to school. um And so I talked to my husband and we were kind of both on the same page. Like, let's just see if it's even an option.
Speaker: And so I just decided to start going through the little questionnaire that I saw on an ad and i passed the first round. And so it it kind of took off from there, but it was more of a just...
Speaker: Let's see if we can get through the first round. As you were going through it, how did people closest to you respond, particularly your husband, when you were kind of thinking about doing this?
Speaker: My husband was very on board. ah And it's just interesting because through this whole process, I loved my experience and I'm sure we'll talk about that. um And I think it's it's so cool. It's so great. Such an honor to be able to help people yeah in this stage of life.
Speaker: And, but he just seems like, it's like he thinks it's 10 times cooler than I do. Like he tells people all the time, especially with the last family I donated for when we got the email that they were pregnant. He's like, oh my gosh.
Speaker: can't help somebody, you know, get pregnant. And he just, he tells people and he thinks it's so cool. And obviously it was a major benefit for both of us that I didn't have any student debt for my bachelor's program. Sure. Sure.
Speaker: oh but that is so cool. I love that he was just your biggest cheerleader. Yeah, he, he, he really was. And friends, you know, they, they thought it was cool. They obviously had questions.
Speaker: My family was really supportive. you know, I think my mom as a mom was just like, questioning whether the procedure was gonna be safe or you know how would that affect my fertility later in life and just things moms would that don't know anything about the process would would ask. So she was probably the most concerned, but she was still very supportive.
Speaker: Yeah. Did anybody have any questions about just that idea of like, hey, there's like this genetic being out in the world that you are related to, but you're not. it's parent like Were they having any questions about that? Was your husband concerned at all? Nothing. um No.
Speaker: Well, my husband wasn't concerned about it because I wasn't concerned about it. Perfect. I think perfect from my perspective, they're going to share my DNA, but I will not be their mother. I'm not the one who carried them. womb. I'm not the one who raised them to obviously it's a little bit more in depth, but it's similar to sharing blood. If you want to just have an easy way to think about it, but yeah, um I did have some random people who asked me how I felt about that. And it's funny because one of the people I talked to was actually a surrogate for somebody. And she was like, does it not make you feel weird that like that's biologically half your child? and I'm like, you're the one who had somebody you You had the kid in your belly and felt them move for nine months, you know, especially since I'm pregnant right now. Knowing that I was like, wow, I feel like I would feel a lot more connected to the child that I'm helping build than, know, just sharing biological DNA. Yeah.
Speaker: um So some people did ask me that, but it was never something that concerned me or, and especially being pregnant now, I don't have any sort of emotions or attachment. I feel like that was actually a really easy part for me to kind of just yeah separate and differentiate the you know difference between what will be my child once I give birth and what was just my DNA, if that makes sense.
Speaker: No, for sure. That totally makes sense. Was there anything about the process that felt different from what you expected once you were actually going through it? Well, I will say my first cycle was not private.
Speaker: i went through another organization. your first cycle was not with egg donors or organizations. Yes, yeah it was with just an egg bank. And so let me go ahead and say the difference between the two is massive. Yeah, let's into that. If anybody is considering doing an egg donation, I highly, highly recommend going private. When I was talking to the egg bank, they...
Speaker: you know, were trying to, not trying to dissuade me, but they were saying, you know, if you go private, you're going to have to wait a very long time to be chosen and all those kinds Was not an issue. um It was actually quite quick, the two that I got when I signed up with you guys. Sure.
Speaker: So i think for me, the the only thing was in my town, since I'm a little bit smaller, there wasn't a um doctor that we could partner with. So I was having to drive to Dallas, which is an hour and 45 minutes away from where I live.
Speaker: And so it meant a lot of 5 a.m. m mornings driving. Sure. And I was like, okay, I'm driving to a doctor's appointment. And then I'd be there for 10 minutes for a blood draw. And then I would...
Speaker: drive my way back home and go to work and so that was really the biggest um part that i wasn't expecting um and i would say getting into the process the questionnaire is very in-depth i mean there was a lot of medical research i had to do on my end for my family members talking to family members and and all that kind of stuff um but once i did switch to you guys there It was insane how much better the process was being private than with an egg bank.
Speaker: I love hearing that. What made you even after, I mean, it sounds like the process was fine, but was there, obviously it wasn't ideal. It sounds like what made you still want to come back and try this again?
Speaker: The procedure went great. You know, I recovered really well. It was super easy. The doctor was nice, the doctor who did it. um And so I knew I would do it again, but I was just sitting there thinking, and obviously because I had already signed up, I started seeing advertisements for other companies. Sure, sure. once I started looking into the difference of private, I was like, this could be a lot easier on me. Like even just the compensation for gas, having to drive to Dallas back and forth at 5 a.m. and
Speaker: um you know, being put up in a hotel the night before the procedure, because that was not the way it happened with the egg bank. There was no sort of, it was kind of just flat fee and you're in charge of everything else.
Speaker: um So I knew I wanted to do it again. i just knew that going forward, I wanted to feel a little bit more like a person rather than a number if that makes yeah sense. No, it makes total sense. You wanted like, yes, you knew the process, but the process can be done in a way that like you said, you feel like a person and you're taken care of and there's somebody there following up with you and explaining things and asking questions. and yeah Yeah. I think I really liked the idea that even though I wouldn't know names, I would get some sort of information as to, okay, this is the person who's receiving the eggs.
Speaker: You know, it's this one person and... you know you get ah You get very little background, but it's still some background. Whereas you know with an egg bank, you're just showing up, you're donating, and then you don't know what happens after that.
Speaker: so Yeah. Yeah. no for sure. For sure was there Has that evolved for you, especially you know with an egg bank? I guess you can still do donor sibling registry, but you still wouldn't necessarily know...
Speaker: Yeah, they did not talk to me about donor sibling registry at all with the egg bank. So that was yeah that was new when you know I signed up with you guys. i was like, oh, okay, but this is actually really cool. you know like i i love the concept of it.
Speaker: um Yeah. so So for those who don't know, are you can you explain what the donor sibling registry is? Yes. I might do an awful job at this. No. um But once you match with intended parents, you sign up for donor sibling registry so that once They conceive and they give birth. um They, I believe for 18 years until the child turns 18, you guys can connect and talk, still anonymous, but they can ask you medical questions throughout the cycle.
Speaker: um And one of the people on your team that I was working with, I think she had donated or she knew somebody who had donated and said that the intended parents came back later and said, hey, our child has a peanut allergy. So FYI, if you have kids in the future, you might want to get them tested. And so when yeah she had kids, she did get them tested. um and so I just thought that, you know, that's super cool that you can share information back and forth because, I mean, their child has my DNA, so it is pertinent information children.
Speaker: my child, you know my future children. um Yeah. There's a positivity back and forth, especially, you know again, it's like your health evolves. You're able to you know keep them updated on things and then vice versa. And for some, it can evolve into a relationship if that you know feels right. And for others, it is just another way to you know for them to have that just medical information that every human needs.
Speaker: Right. Yeah. Yeah. You kind of, you you already touched on it, but what was it like learning that one of your donations has already resulted in a live birth? It was really cool and very special. um With that...
Speaker: family, they actually sent me a letter before the donation and just gave me some background information on why they were going through this process and, you know, how much they appreciated me, which made it, I don't know, just so much more sweet and such a cool experience. Yeah.
Speaker: And then they sent me one after the donation, after i had gone through. And so once I found out that they were pregnant, I was just... over the moon. I would have been over the moon anyway because it would have been like, oh, yes, like that, that paid off on both ends, you know, it obviously yeah for me, but I wanted it to pay off for them as well.
Speaker: But I think because, especially because I got that communication from them beforehand, it just made it so much cooler. And like I said, my husband thinks it's awesome and he tells everybody. So I love it. Oh my gosh. He's like the president of your fan club. This is so cute. Oh my gosh. No, that's so great.
Speaker: This episode of Create a Happy Family is brought to you by Chiles and Warren's Law Group. If you're building your family through surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation, or embryo donation, you already know how important it is to have the right team guiding you through every step of the process, especially when it comes to the legal side of family building.
Speaker: Childs and Warren Law Group is a law practice dedicated exclusively to assisted reproductive technology law. They've helped thousands of intended parents, surrogates, and donors navigate this process with compassion, clarity, and experience.
Speaker: Whether you're entering a surrogacy agreement, reviewing a donor agreement, or finalizing parentage in Texas, their team understands both the legal complexities and the very human side of these journeys.
Speaker: To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit childswarnlawgroup.com. And if you reach out, be sure to let them know you heard about them on Create a Happy Family. was like What do you think after going through...
Speaker: three cycles and then one with an egg bank and then two with an agency. What do you think people often misunderstand the most about egg donation now that you can speak from experience?
Speaker: I think people still think it's really scary and it's yeah not. Um, and I know that there's probably some people who, uh, I've had some people say, well, you can't control, you know, which family the eggs are going to, you know, like that matters to me. Um,
Speaker: uh and so I think there's just I don't know I think there's just a lot of unknowns for people who haven't been through the process that they just don't understand how beautiful it really is and that it's not scary and yeah I think I think people just think it's like it's this massive thing and and it is i mean not everybody can do it which is you know, cool in its own respect. um But it's not just this big, scary thing, you know?
Speaker: and No, no, You're so right. You're so right, though. it can it It is big, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. It doesn't have to feel scary if you go about it with, you know, the right support, which you had your personal support and then you had the experience, you know, the bank versus the agency What made it less scary for you?
Speaker: Definitely my support system. The fact that my husband was very supportive the whole time, family and friends were supportive. But also what made it less scary was just, and I'm not trying to be too cheesy, but really the the people that i worked with, with you guys, made it so much easier. The communication,
Speaker: difference between the egg bank and working with you guys was just so smooth. People checked in on me during the whole process, after the process. And it was multiple different people that I had, you know, um, different people that I had talked to throughout, you know,
Speaker: getting registered and and and bright all that kind of stuff, you know checked on me and just made sure I had everything that I needed. So it was, I felt really well taken care of during the whole thing. Let's just say that.
Speaker: Yeah, well good, because again, this is a, it's a big process and, but it doesn't mean it's unmanageable. But you shouldn't feel alone during the process. You shouldn't be like, okay, great, now figure it out.
Speaker: Yes. what What would you say is maybe, i mean, again, you experienced both donating from the bank and then the agency. What would you say was maybe just...
Speaker: the the biggest difference for you and maybe why would it be worth it to, hey, yeah, you might have to wait a little bit longer to to get chosen or you know just that kind of thing? i think it's just it's just the treatment. like yeah i don't want to use the term white glove because it's not That just doesn't seem like the right, it's the phrase that's coming to mind. I don't know. Maybe we'll chalk that up to pregnancy brain, but it's just, it, it's so much nicer. um
Speaker: It's personal. Yes, yes. It is very personal. We know your name. Yes. You're communicated with the whole time. um And, you know, not everybody has to drive almost two hours back and forth for their appointments. But for me, since I did, it was nice, you know, having that travel compensation.
Speaker: sure um And um just being put up in a hotel because, you know, with my last donation where I donated was actually five hours away from where I live. And so, you know, they put my, wow yeah, they put me and my husband up.
Speaker: for five to six days um in the hotel so that we could be right there, which was really nice. um And it just, it makes the process a lot easier mentally and physically yeah in that regard, because you know, you're not trying to, you go into the contract saying, okay, I know I'm going to make this amount from this egg donation, but you're not having to subtract, okay, well, if I have to get a hotel and I have to do math or I have to do math, If I have to get gas and I have to get food and like, you know, what you're intending to use the money for, you start subtracting at an egg bank what you're going to be paying for all of these things that aren't included and covered. um And obviously that's not the case.
Speaker: there and so I really appreciated that but I think it just the biggest thing for me it just makes it special knowing that somebody chose you and you know that they're going to receive the eggs like you're helping this family whether you see them you know their name for some reason they chose you and that's the person who's getting your eggs and that just feels a lot, I don't know, it makes me more proud and it feels a lot cooler than just, here you go, somebody can eventually choose my eggs. Sure, sure. And that's not to dog on people who go through egg banks. I think it's obviously still beneficial and there's absolutely so many reasons why families would would choose to go that route. um
Speaker: But for me as an egg donor, I i just much preferred going private. And again, there were, there really wasn't a super long wait. I mean, you know, there's a lot of people who find themselves in this position and um, yeah, I think, I think there's a, there's a need for egg donors and i don't,
Speaker: it just, it didn't take a long time for me. Yeah. Yeah. It was worth it. It was worth it. Yeah. When you think about your decision to become an egg donor now that you're a few years removed and now you have your own baby on the way, which again, just to reiterate, donating your eggs does not affect your fertility. you ah Has your perspective changed at all from how you felt at the time of donating?
Speaker: Um, yeah, I would say being pregnant now, um I feel more honored that I got to do this and, you know, knowing
Speaker: Obviously, it didn't affect my fertility, but if I can you know be honest, this was my first kid. And I think a lot of people don't talk about how often or how long it can take to get pregnant with your first kid. And so in the months while we were waiting, you know i just i i kept thinking about my experience, honestly.
Speaker: um And I just, how heartbroken I could be after, you know, trying for six to seven months, i was like, man, people find themselves in this position where they know they can't, or they've been trying for two years or they've been trying for three years. And I don't know, it just, it made me, it was really humbling and and it made me more proud that I got to help somebody.
Speaker: bring their child into the world. And it's, yeah, it's been a lot sweeter since getting pregnant, just thinking about it. And I would honestly, i would do it again.
Speaker: i would, so I would still do it. You know, if I had yeah all the time and in the world, I would, I would do it again. Oh, I love that. If someone is considering the doing egg donation, what were maybe some of the questions you were glad that you asked or maybe wished you had asked sooner?
Speaker: That is a great question. i Honestly, I probably would have asked about the procedure a little bit more um yeah because it wasn't scary um and it was very quick.
Speaker: All three times, you know, I think I was under for maybe 10 Stop. I would have asked about the procedure and the recovery, which which you guys do cover. um But it was, you know, it was easy. It was fine. But I would have wanted to know, you know, going into it, okay, what is this going to look like, you know, for my work schedule, my workout schedule, my school schedule, anything like that. Sure.
Speaker: And maybe a little bit more about the medication, um because obviously, you know, you have to take medication. I don't think prior to watching, you know, the videos on how to do it, that I was, that i fully expected how timely they needed to be. So that was something, you know, when you're on the medication, they have to be taken at certain times and refrigerated and, you know, whatnot. So,
Speaker: I think, you know, thankfully with going private, there's a little bit of wiggle room about when the process would start because we had to, for my last donation, we moved around a couple of weddings so that I wasn't trying to travel with a, um a cooler full of medicine and running to my car to try and inject myself. So um maybe just, you know, what, what that process would look like. Um,
Speaker: And I think maybe at the very beginning, just understanding how much information you have to have on your family, medical medically. you know So there's a lot of people around me who are like, well, maybe I should do it or this and this and this. And I'm like, okay, but does anybody in your family have a history of this and this and this and this? and you know Things that you have to consider.
Speaker: um right know and a lot of friends are like, well, yes, they have, you know, this and this and I'm like, oh, that might knock you right out of the running. Yeah, yeah absolutely. Absolutely. so um yeah, I think I wouldve just wanted to know that up front, it's a really long process to even get approved.
Speaker: um You know, knowing all of the medical history, having to do the blood test, the the drug test, the this test and this test, you know, it's it's a long process as it should be. You want to make sure people are a good fit, but it is, it that was the hardest part, honestly, was getting through the initial um sign up and and getting accepted because there's just so many things that you have to do.
Speaker: Oh, 100%. I don't think if you were to ask me, oh, what's the medical history of your grandparents, I would probably i would i don't think I would know off the top my head. I would really have to think about it. And just and like you said, it's anything. It's you know medical history. It's psychological history. It's just all of this. And it branches. And yeah, it's a whole process. It's a lot.
Speaker: It is a lot. Yeah. But it's something that is definitely, it can feel overwhelming. But again, obviously is so worth it, but you yeah can take it in bite-sized pieces, yeah especially if you have that support.
Speaker: Yes. Yeah. And if you're not in a rush, I understand a lot of people sign up for egg banks because maybe they are in a time crunch or they, they just want to get going.
Speaker: um But if you're you're like, no, I, you know, I want to go private. i want to be with the right family. i want to be treated, you know, with respect and and just have a ah really good experience. Then, yeah, I yeah i would say, i mean, expect the process to maybe take six months before you get connected and ready to donate. I mean, because it took me like,
Speaker: three months before I even got approved just because of so many things in the process. I think it is so funny what you said about the medications because i do think You see it, you you see egg donation and I think, and even for for surrogacy, you see surrogacy and you're like, yeah, i can I can be pregnant. Sure, that's no problem. And you don't think about, like you said, you have to have this medical history. There's a whole application process. you know theres There's all of these testing. But then, yeah, you do have this whole medication factor that, albeit it's not too terribly long, but- yeah
Speaker: It has to be done right. Yes, it does. ah Very thankful that for a period my husband was in nursing school. He didn't wind up wanting to go through with that.
Speaker: But he was. And so when it first came in, i was like, what do I do with this? I mean, obviously, sure there's the videos, but there's also something comforting of somebody in next to you saying, okay, yes, do it like this, do it like this. So he did the first few for me quite a few times. um But by the second donation, third donation, I mean, I was just...
Speaker: fast wiping everything down, injecting myself. doesn't it doesn't hurt. um And once you do it, you're like, okay, you just have to get over the fear of sticking yourself with this needle. And it's just, it really becomes so easy. And, you know, you just figure out what you're doing and it's, it's,
Speaker: Completely fine. um But I think that is a, it's a scary thing going into it. When I, when it first got delivered for my first donation, I was like, box what do i do with this? And you have to yeah keep all of these needles and empty bottles. um Yeah, it was just...
Speaker: It was just funny because I guess even though i was an adult, I was so naive. I was like, wait, I can't just like throw this away. and my husband was like, no, you can't just throw this away. You have to keep the needles and turn them in. So little things like that. But yes, the medicine daunting at first, but it's it's so easy. And it's funny because there was somebody somewhat connected to me who was going through IVF.
Speaker: a friend of my sister and she called me and she was like, how do I do this? We're freaking out. and I was like, I can come over and help if you need, but I was able to talk them through it on the phone. Like, this is super easy. You do it like this. And, um, so, you know, that experience will help me even in the future.
Speaker: Oh, 100%. Absolutely. That's so funny. i So for my first surrogacy, it was my husband that did my injections, my progesterone shots. And then second go around, I was just like, I don't have time to wait on you. Like I have, I have things to do. It's so funny how like you just easily just. Yes. You just get used to it. And I will say maybe it's something somebody is listening to this and they're considering it, you know,
Speaker: Obviously, when you're on the medication, you have to slow down. Like I wasn't able to work out for a couple weeks during this process, which I didn't I don't know why I didn't think about that going into it. um So you're not able to do that but it doesn't hurt. You just feel very full. Yeah.
Speaker: if that makes sense. Like you just walk around feeling like your uterus is really heavy. Yeah. Very bloated. um But it wasn't painful and it's only for like a week and a half. So it's not, it's not a big deal. And I will say, um which is so funny, like donating my eggs obviously helped me, you know, graduate with no student debt.
Speaker: But when I first signed up, I was actually, i think this is cool. So I'm going to talk on it. um I was actually yeah slightly over the BMI. And so they were like, okay, well, once you, you know, you just need to lose like eight to 10 pounds and then come back. And that was something that I had been wanting to do anyway.
Speaker: And it, because I had a purpose other than just myself. um I went, I started and I lost like 30 pounds before my first donation. and that led to just a history, like that just set me on a journey of fitness and health that I had always wanted to be on, but never could do just for me. But since I was doing it for something else, it became so cool. And then I fell in love with it. And I actually got like certified as a personal trainer on the side. And so it just, oh my gosh it it was the domino effect of having to lose eight to 10 pounds, but wound up doing more and then just transitioning into something new that I never thought that I would be able to do. And so that was, that was kind of cool too. Just seeing how it ah it affected me in a positive way, you know?
Speaker: Well, again, just what a fun, you know, you see an advertisement and or, you know, people joke about it because it's, hey, I'm, you know, debt free or yeah whatever whatever your, you know, original thought process may be whenever you're even looking into it. And then to all of a sudden see kind of the spider web of just that ripple effect of how it is such a benefit to you and then obviously to others yeah If someone is considering becoming an egg donor but just feels nervous or unsure, what would you want them to know?
Speaker: um That it's super normal to feel nervous because it is a new process and you have to sign a lot of documents um and you may read a lot of things and be like, well, what if that happens to me? But it's such a low percentage. you know obviously They have to list the things that could happen.
Speaker: But everybody is so attentive. the videos about how to do the medication are so, you know, they're very instructive and well thought out. And once you get through that first round, you'll probably feel like I could do this again and again and again. so very normal to feel nervous but once you get into it and through it you're just going to be so thankful that you did and it's not as scary as it seems people are there for you to ask questions and they're going to answer you very thoroughly and help you through everything and it's it's not as daunting as it sounds it really isn't so i thought the machination and the donation was the easiest part
Speaker: I love it. I love it. That's amazing. Any other words of advice that you would want to give? If you're thinking about it, go for it. you know um You might as well see if your if your medical history, your family's medical history even qualifies you. And if it does, i mean, even if you only do it once, I think it's worth it.
Speaker: Because you get to help a family and you get you know compensation for whatever you need to to spend it on. But even if you only do it once, it's an experience that not very many people can have. I think going through the medical history assessment made me realize that. like you know yeah Not just anybody can help. Not just anybody can sign up and do this. And so if you can and you're interested, it really is...
Speaker: really super cool and kind of, you know, not one in a million, but you know what I mean? Like, yeah, there is small it does. It takes a special person. Yeah. So for sure. Yeah. i would just say, go for it. It's, it will definitely pay off in the end, think.
Speaker: Yeah. as As you're prepping for your own you know baby to enter the world, have you thought about how you're going to talk your little one about just your experience as a donor?
Speaker: Yeah, I have. um I haven't settled on quite how I would talk to them about it yet. Sure. um But it it is something that, you know, when I first started, my husband and I were even talking about because this was, you know, three years ago. um I think when I did my first one or when I at least started.
Speaker: And it was just, yeah, we're going to have to explain them to them that maybe one day somebody could reach out to mom that we don't know um and say that they share DNA or you know, because of this process. um And, know,
Speaker: I don't know. I don't know how exactly I would say it, but I've had to explain it to my nieces and my nephew and they were like, oh yeah, cool. You know, they were like 10, eight and three. So my nephew probably didn't understand it at all. But my nieces were like, oh yeah, that's actually super cool that you get to do that. So I'm kind of hoping, you know, it'll just be an easy conversation with my kid. And I don't know. um My husband and I are both kind of at the point where if somebody did reach out to us,
Speaker: We wouldn't, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Like if they wanted to know who I was, I think that's normal. And I think that's completely fine. So, um, I think prepping, the important thing would be prepping. It's a girl prepping my daughter at that. Somebody could reach out.
Speaker: Um, and that it's not a scary or weird thing. It's just somebody may want to know who shares the DNA, you know? Yeah. ah Yeah.
Speaker: As long as it's not a weird situation, then it would be great. Yeah. Sure. Sure. Well, right. Like you said, it's, you know, the the cool thing about the donor sibling registry is you are getting medical information. So if anything, it's just somebody wanting to find out more about, you know, hey like, do you really like I don't know, art. Do you really, like, do you have this major craving for tacos? And it's just part of their identity and has, yes you know, and it's just cool.
Speaker: Yeah. And I really appreciated everybody on the team prepping me that even, you know, there may be things signed and, and all this kind of stuff. It is something you have to consider, which I think is also important. of And it gets talked about in the psyche valuation.
Speaker: that once that kid turns 18, you know, because of the age that we live in with 23 and me and all of these things, there's never a hundred percent, um, you know, guarantee that there's no such thing as anonymous anymore. It's just unidentified. They just don't know your name, but there's no such thing as anonymous. So that would actually be my biggest advice to somebody. If you absolutely do not want somebody to reach out to you in life, don't do it. Like just don't do it because can't, and it's, it's talked about multiple times throughout the process, how that can't be guaranteed.
Speaker: So if that's something that is an issue for you or for your family, then it's probably best to not do it. yeah But yeah. So but I mean, that's, we knew that going into it and we were like, eh,
Speaker: It is what it is, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Well, again, right? Like it's part of the process and it's, you know, not only are you signing up to help a family have a baby, but you know, ultimately that maybe that baby is going to want to find out just a little bit more about just that biological aspect of who they are as a person. Yeah. And that's it.
Speaker: And I think it hits a little bit more from home because right before my husband and I got married, we found out he had a brother who was given up for adoption that we had no idea about. um Obviously different because he was given up for adoption.
Speaker: But he found our family and we have a great relationship with him, you know. And so I think it just made me a little bit more open that if somebody just, even if there's no relationship, they just want to see me, talk to me, and then that's it. They got their answers.
Speaker: ah I think that just made me more open because I saw how his brother had been seeking for so many years to just know, you know, yeah who he came from and all that kind of stuff. And so that kind of helped me warm up to the idea. so Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And again, right, like you said, it's not so much that this this brother didn't have a wonderful life with his parents. yeah It was just, so I just wanted to know more. Yeah, exactly. So. Yeah. Oh, I love that. Well, you know, just again, thank you so much, Hannah, for one, just everything that you've done as a donor and then just for being vulnerable and sharing your story. i have
Speaker: One last question for you, and it's a good one. um So i am a tried and true coffee addict. Coffee and i we love each other very much. And i always love to ask the question, what has filled your cup today? Literally or figuratively, what has been the thing to fill your cup?
Speaker: Probably that I still, because i've my husband and i have taken this week off to work on things. So today was just... slow and I did get to have my coffee and I love that I love coffee again because for few months there being pregnant I did not like coffee yeah so I love that I can drink it again and we ate Chick-fil-a for breakfast so small things here and there because we've just been you know in a busy time and a stressed out time and I love that I got to have a slow morning
Speaker: Yeah. With my husband and we're just going to go work on our nursery and continue to love this child. yes, no, that is so it it is. It's those slow down times that are, I mean, they really are. They're precious, especially in the stage that you're in as just all of the fun is continuing to happen and coming up and all of the things. I am also very happy for you that you were able to drink coffee. I think my body was very nice to me because anytime I was pregnant, I did not want coffee. I just refused. I wasn't even craving it. And it was quite literally post-delivery, bam, all of a sudden I wanted coffee. So I think, um yeah, I understand the the desire to want it and not be able to have it. I just needed some sort of energy, but any, like the smell of it was just...
Speaker: awful for me, but I will say I'm due right around the time that the pumpkin spice latte comes out. So it's on my birth plan that once she arrives, somebody is getting me a pumpkin spice latte. I love it. i love it. This is, this is my plan, my kind of plan girlfriend. Oh my gosh. That's amazing. but Awesome. Okay. Well, Hannah, again, thank you so much. And, um you know, just for everything that you have done and sending all of the Easy Labor vibes. I know we've got a little while, but you know, just sending all the good vibes as you get ready for your daughter.
