Proud Parenting

LGBTQ Parents - Lesbian Moms & Gay Dads

Heidi: “I think everyone deserves a chance to have a family.”

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Heidi Grosser probably first heard about surrogacy on an episode of “Oprah.” It wasn’t something to which she gave any thought. But then she met a woman at bunco night who was a gestational surrogate, pregnant for the third time, carrying a baby genetically unrelated to her.

“I got totally teary-eyed,” Heidi says. “I thought it was amazing.”

She talked to her husband, Jeremy, and he suggested she look into it. By the time he got home from work the next day, she had filled out an application online. They had been married for 11 years. He knew that once she set her mind to something, she would do it.

“I think everyone deserves a chance to have a family,” Heidi says.

The Arizona Chronicle ran a human interest piece featuring the 2010 triplet pregnancy of Growing Generations surrogate Heidi Grosser and her intended parents Aaron Bell and Sid Cuecha. The story beautifully recounts the entire process from match to birth and beyond. The story paints surrogacy, even in high risk situations, as an emotional and positive experience.

Photo not associated with story
via 13wmaz.com

Gay men looking to surrogacy for children

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Some gay men, who want to expand their families, are opting for surrogacy – a practice regulated on a state-by-state basis.

“For gay people, men at least, this is pretty much the only way they can have their own children,” said John Weltman, president and founder of Boston-based surrogacy agency Circle Surrogacy, which serves the gay and lesbian communities.

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“Everything varies by state, and that is the conundrum,” said Judy Sperling-Newton, director of the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys. “Every single state is different… In some states, like California, there is a lot of law.”

But those laws have been a driving force in leading the rest of the nation in protecting parents who have children through surrogacy, Weltman said.

“In California you can actually get two men’s names on the birth certificate pre-birth,” said Weltman, “but that won’t be acknowledged as a valid parentage in New York. You have to do an adoption.”

The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution was enacted to respect the public acts, records and judicial proceedings of other states, meaning if someone is considered a parent in one state, they’re supposed to be considered a parent in another. But it’s an issue that is still fought in the courts today, said Stuart Bell, co-owner of Growing Generations.

“It’s become part of the conversation of what we call ‘family building,’ which has made it much more normal,” Bell said.

Surrogacy can take a relatively short amount of time compared to adoption, which can be a long process as couples wait to be selected.

“Surrogacy is different because the intended parents can be much more assertive,” Sperling-Newton said.

They are able to select their egg donor and their surrogate, and then nine months later, have their child. On average the process takes about 18 months, and it’s common for couples to remain in contact with the surrogate and even the egg donor after birth.

“Surrogates have the right to choose their parents, just like parents have the right to choose their surrogates,” said Bell.

via The Desert Sun

Growing Generations celebrates birth of over 1,000 children

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Growing Generations is taking a trip around the world to celebrate the birth of over 1,000 children born through its programs. They sent an email to their friends which describes the whirlwind around various parts of the world, and the first trip will be to South America next month. The President of Growing Generations, Teo Martinez, along with GG’s European Director of Client Development, Andrew Ferren, will be traveling to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil as well as Buenos Aires, Argentina and holding a limited number of private consultations from April 16-21, 2012.

Dr. Kim Bergman, psychologist and company co-owner, will be traveling to attend the LGTB Families 2nd European Meeting in Catalunya, Spain from April 28-May 1, 2012, http://www.familieslgtb2012.org. She will be speaking at the conference and is also holding a private meet and greet session at the conference on Sunday, April 29 at 1:30 PM.

Dr. Bergman will also be visiting Australia the following month. She will be attending and speaking at the Surrogacy Australia conference in Melbourne May 26-27, 2012, http://www.surrogacyaustralia.org/. She will be holding a limited number of private consultations during this trip.

Finally, Stuart Bell, the CEO and company co-owner will be traveling to Singapore and Hong Kong from September 7-14, 2012 and holding consultations during his trip.

Article adapted by Proud Parenting from original press release

Workshop for gay & lesbian parents: Telling Your Story, Creating Your Legacy

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Join psychologist and LGBT parenting expert Kim Bergman, PhD in a 3-week web-based workshop which will explore your ideas about parenthood, being a gay parent, telling your story to your child and others, helping your children tell their stories and much more. Discussion will involve our ideas of mother, father, donor, surrogate, and how we define family. Workbook exercises are included. The conference is limited to 10 families, and you can register via email: staff@fertilitycounselingservices.com.

Workshop Schedule: Three Wednesdays, June 29, July 6, July 13; 5-7 pm PST/8-10 pm EST.

Fee: $250 per family for Growing Generations clients (past or present); $600 for all others.

“Ultra Modern Family” – ABC News Nightline Piece Featuring Gay Parenting and Growing Generations

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Surrogacy – A must watch from last night’s Nightline on ABC is a story about a married gay couple who had triplets via surrogacy through Growing Generations. Cudos to the producers who made the reality of a modern day family so real, so personal. Although the comments on the site are harsh, the reality is that a family is a family no matter how it is made up. And, as stated by Letty Cottin Pogrebin in her book, “Family Politics,” – “If it feels like family, then it is family.” What do you think?

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/real-modern-family-11762563

Largest U.S. Surrogacy Agency to Host Private Consultations in London

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Largest U.S. Surrogacy Agency Traveling to London to Host Private Consultations Has Record Number of Babies Born in 2009 for U.S. and International Clients

Growing Generations, the largest U.S.-based surrogacy agency, will be in London, England in March to perform consultations with prospective clients. The surrogacy and egg donation agency, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and the Ohio Valley, has worked with 1250 clients from 28 countries and experienced a record number of 128 births in 2009 for families throughout the world.

The private surrogacy consultations for interested future parents will be conducted by Growing Generations’ CEO, Stuart Miller, from March 8-12, 2010. In addition to being a highly-regarded professional in the fertility industry, Miller, along with his husband, is a parent to a 23-month-old son born through surrogacy and egg donation.

“We are thrilled that our company has created a safe and effective process for so many families around the world to welcome children into their homes,” said Growing Generations’ CEO, Stuart Miller. “This has been our most successful year ever and we are deeply indebted to all of the couples and single clients who have entrusted their family building to us.”

As one of the first agencies with a mission to assist members of the gay and lesbian community, Growing Generations offers surrogacy, egg donation and sperm donation programs for all family types, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. Additionally, through recent advances in technology, Growing Generations is now able to provide services to HIV-positive men, who can use their own sperm to create biological families.

Founded in 1996, the agency has been instrumental in the births of over 826 babies for clients from 28 countries around the world. Growing Generations’ global presence has been firmly established through years of providing worldwide consultations. In addition to providing in-person consultations for prospective parents in its U.S. offices in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, Growing Generations also takes an annual trip to Australia and bi-annual trips to London.

If you are interested in scheduling a private consultation with Stuart to discuss Growing Generations’ services, please contact Vanessa@growinggenerations.com.

To learn more about Growing Generations, please visit www.growinggenerations.com.

About Growing Generations, LLC :
Since 1996, Growing Generations has been a company passionately dedicated to the vision of creating life and, in the process, changing the world. Founded by gay and lesbian parents, our mission is simple—to build families of choice for all communities through surrogacy, egg donation, and sperm donation.

About Stuart Miller :
Stuart Miller joined Growing Generations as an owner and CEO in September of 2001. Prior to joining the agency, he served as CEO of Bold New World, an Internet development and investment firm. Miller is the author of “Prayer Warriors,” an autobiography published in 1999 by Alyson publications. In February, 2008, Stuart and his husband welcomed their son into the world who was conceived through surrogacy and egg donation. He is active as a donor and volunteer with local and national organizations including currently serving as Co-Chair of the American Fertility Association.

Contact :
Vanessa Leon
323-965-7500 Ext. 4741
Vanessa@growinggenerations.com

Growing Generations, LLC
Los Angeles * New York * Boston * Ohio Valley
Phone (323) 965-7500 Fax (323) 965-0900
Email: family@growinggenerations.com
Websites: www.growinggenerations.com
www.fertilitycryobank.com

U.S. surrogacy agency traveling to London to host private consultations

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Our friends at Growing Generations are hosting consultations with prospective clients in London next month.

The private consultations for interested future parents will be conducted by Growing Generations’ CEO Stuart Miller from September 29-October 2, 2009. In addition to being a highly-regarded professional in the fertility industry, Miller, along with his husband, is a parent to a 17-month-old son born through surrogacy and egg donation.

“We are thrilled that our company has created a safe and effective process for so many families around the world to welcome children into their homes,” said Miller. “This has been our most successful year ever and we are deeply indebted to all of the couples and single clients who have entrusted their family building to us.”

If you are interested in scheduling a private consultation with Stuart, please contact Vanessa@growinggenerations.com.

Founded in 1996, Growing Generations has been instrumental in the births of over 776 babies for clients from 27 countries around the world. Growing Generations’ global presence has been firmly established through years of providing worldwide consultations.

In addition to providing in-person consultations for prospective parents in its U.S. offices in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, Growing Generations also takes an annual trip to Australia and bi-annual trips to London.

Image: Growing Generations

Neil Patrick Harris nominated for Emmy

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All around versatile performer, NPH has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series for his work as Barney Stinson in ‘How I Met Your Mother’.

6/18/2009
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka searching for a surrogate?

Our friends at Growing Generations may help Neil Patrick Harris [l] and David Burtka [r] have a baby.

Star magazine reports Neil and David – who have been together for five years – are currently in the process of selecting a surrogate to carry their baby.

Growing Generations is also working with Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick – who will be parents to twin girls in July.

After going through a rigorous screening process, “Neil and David were so relieved and excited once they were approved,” says the source. “Now they have so many surrogate profiles to go through to find the right woman to carry their child.”

“Neil and David can’t wait to hold their baby; they don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. They just want a healthy child,” says the source.

According to Harris’s Fall 2008 interview with “Out” magazine, Burtka has twin children [born via surrogate] with a former boyfriend.

7/27/2008
Neil Patrick Harris as Sesame Street’s Shoe Fairy

Neil Patrick Harris – from the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother – plays the “Shoe Fairy” on the 39th season premiere of Sesame Street.

NPH spoke to AfterElton.com about the character: “Not the shoe fairy – the fairy shoe person. It’s quite a different connotation. I was asked by Sesame Street to be a part of a song and I just leapt at the opportunity. Jim Henson was the only person I ever wrote a fan letter to as a kid and I’m a wild fan of puppets and the Henson Company in general. They wrote a song, wanted me to sing it. There are all these different mythical characters this season. Sandra Oh plays another type of fairy that Abby Cadabra creates and so we got to do this big musical number with puppets and dancing. It was a great, great afternoon. It’s one demographic that I have yet to win over.”

Harris played the role of Doogie Howser, M.D. from 1989-1993. He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico – on June 15, 1973.

Growing Generations shares 11 things you should know about your surrogacy agency

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Are you just starting your parenting journey? Your options are varied, and surrogacy has become a popular method for family-building.

Growing Generations provides the most important questions you should consider when searching for a surrogacy agency.

The company believes the questions below should be asked of any agency that you are considering.

  • How long have they been in business?
  • How many clients have they assisted?
  • Do they screen their surrogates medically and psychologically before matching them with clients?
  • Have they been sued by clients or surrogates?
  • Are the prices they quote estimates of what their clients actually pay?
  • What type of insurance do they use for their surrogates?
  • Have they had parental judgments or adoptions denied or delayed?
  • What services do they provide?
  • How many staff do they have?
  • Are they financially stable?

Source: Growing Generations

Growing Generations continues to reach out globally

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Growing Generations is celebrating its 13th anniversary with the births of over 700 babies. The company also says a record 140 births are expected in 2009.

To help support its international clients, CEO and Owner, Stuart Miller, will be visiting London from March 16-20. He will be holding a limited number of private consultations with prospective parents who are interested in learning more about the agency. Growing Generations has assisted families from 26 countries, including most of Europe, and continues to help create families all over the world. Please contact Growing Generations if you know anyone who may be interested in scheduling a private consultation with Stuart to discuss Growing Generations’ services.

Growing Generations offers surrogacy, egg donation and sperm donation programs for all family types, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. Additionally, through recent advances in technology, we are now able to provide services to HIV-positive men, who can use their own sperm to create biological families.