Saturday 28 June 2014

From Australia:a little princess,much loved and adored

After years of failed infertility treatment, success and a beautiful baby girl...





Having just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, our very long journey began eight years ago.   With repeat miscarriages and failed IVF attempts, we refused to give up on our dream of becoming parents.  We investigated many avenues and we decided that surrogacy was our best option and that SCI was our first preference.  For us spiritually it felt right to choose an Indian surrogate. 

SCI also provided egg donor profiles and happy with this we chose a donor whose profile suited us.  We were all set to go pretty much straight away when our donor was delayed due to her study commitments.  Happy to wait for her and not opt for another donor, Maurice travelled to India in early May 2013.  The hospitality of the Indian people, SCI’s world class staff and facilities, the brilliant Dr Shivani and the wonderful driver Rahul and his team organised by SCI,  left a very positive and lasting impression on Maurice.  This week would not only be life changing for Maurice, it would be life creating for us as a family. 

Almost one year later, we were set to fly out to New Delhi on the 30th of April in anticipation of our baby’s expected arrival on the 9thof May.  Our first round of embryo transfers with two surrogates failed and this second time due to the ever changing laws, Dipkami was our sole surrogate.    Dipkami was now pregnant with our baby and we were thrilled to be on our way to meet them both!  

However, this was to be sooner than we expected as on the 17th of April we received an email that due to concerns with the baby having a double nuchal chord, our baby daughter had been delivered!  That was Good Friday, we were on a plane Easter Monday!  Our beautiful, healthy Quintessa Grace was born a day short of 37 weeks.  Quintessa was quite jaundiced and as a result stayed in hospital under photo therapy lights until it started to clear.  Quite symbolically for us as Australians, Quintessa came home to the hotel with us on Anzac Day April the 25th.  The care she received from the doctors and nurses at Eden hospital was not only world class but was combined with the wisdom and nurturing of the Indian culture and spirituality.

We were very happy and relieved that our wonderful surrogate Dipkami was recovering well and were thrilled to meet both she and her husband.  We gave them gifts to thank them and in the absence of a common language,  our display of emotions being universal were felt and understood.  That said no words would ever convey our sheer gratitude to Dipkami and absolute joy that she was healthy and well.  Dr Shivani was also there to congratulate us and it was wonderful to thank her and recognise her for all her hard work.

Also through SCI we engaged the services of Poonam Jain of Prime Air Global Ltd, who organised our documents for FRRO ensuring a swift turnaround with our visas.  Our dealings with FRRO, The Australian High Commission and Australian Passports Office were all pleasant and easy. 

From the time we arrived in New Delhi to the day we departed (a little over three weeks), we felt genuine support and care from by the SCI Team.  There was never a moment that we felt alone or that we could not call them for assistance or advice.  As first time parents in a foreign country, the importance of this cannot be emphasised enough.

We have been home now for a little over six weeks and have settled into our daily life.  Quintessa is developing as we would hope, with her weight and growth going forward in leaps and bounds.  Her feeding and sleeping routines are like clockwork, we feel truly blessed as so far she is a healthy, easy baby.  Quintessa is now smiling and cooing, she is an absolute delight and we are completely smitten!  Our families cannot get enough of their little princess and she is very loved and adored.

Thanks to SCI our dream of having a family has been realised and we hope to return to India in the near future so that Quintessa can see the magical land in which she was born.

Yours Sincerely and Forever Grateful,

Maurice, Angelique and Quintessa

If you would like to find out more about surrogacy in India, please email us at: drshivanisachdev@gmail.com 

Wednesday 25 June 2014

From Calcutta, India : God's Gift, our beloved sons

A gentle reminder that SCI not only works with International families, but families from India. Here is a heartfelt letter from a family who, like many SCI families as a history of failed fertility treatment in their home country...

Dearest Dr. Shivani,

Finally what you have delivered for us is indescribable in words. We would like to thank you and your whole SCI team for making our dream into reality. There is no words to describe how grateful we are to you for making this happen. 

We can't believe that we have finally reached here.
    
There  is nothing more precious than the moment we saw our two new borned God gifted sons in our eyes and the moment we take them in our arm.

We would like you to continue to be the hope for other couples seeking for parenthood.

Now  we are in the happiest moment ever and it is just started. Your faith in your compassion , your generosity of spirit have brought us to this moment in time. Words simple can't express the joy and awe we feel at having our two beloved sons Papai and Pupai to care for.
 
We think of you every day and pray that you may continue your amazing work helping other couples like us to become families. 

You will always hold a special place in our deepest corner of hearts.
  
If you would like to find out more about surrogacy in India, please feel free to email us at: drshivanisachdev@gmail.com 

Saturday 21 June 2014

From Argentina: a sibling project and a family forever linked with India...

There is always something very special when a family comes back to SCI and trusts us again with a sibling project, thank you Graciela and Fernando for once again sharing your story...



Dear Dr. Shivani:
After receiving our first son Francisco Agustín on 10/12/12, we renew our joy to have received our second son Teo Benjamin  03/06/14 through the service SCI Healthcare. 

We are blessed to acknowledge the dedication and care they have had with our son Benjamin Teo in the NICU, as well as also with care and fulfillment of obligations with our mother surrogate  again. 

This wonderful country, the warmth of its people and so specialized professionals, have never failed to meet our expectation of parenting. 
Today our family consists of two children born by surrogacy. 

So our relationship with India will be continual and life in the future. 

We thank you with much love what they have done for us. 
Cordially 
Teo, Francisco, Graciela and Fernando 

Pd. you may freely publish photos and names.


Estimado Dr. Shivani:
Luego de haber recibido a nuestro primer hijo Francisco Agustin el 10/12/12, renovamos nuestra alegria por haber recibido nuestro segundo hijo Teo Benjamín el 03/06/14 a traves del servicio de SCI Healthcare.

Tenemos la dicha de agradecer nuevamente la dedicación y cuidado que han tenido con nuestro hijo Teo Benjamin en la NICU, como así también tambien con el cuidado y cumplimiento de obligaciones con nuestra madre subrrogada.

Este maravilloso país, la calidez de su gente y sus profesionales tan especializados, han logrado cumplir nuestra expectativa de ser padres. 
Hoy nuestra familia esta compuesta de dos hijos nacidos por  subrogación gestacional. 

Por eso nuestro lazo con India será contínuo y para toda la vida en el futuro.

Agradecemos con muchísimo amor lo que han hecho por nosotros.
Cordialmente
Teo, Francisco, Graciela y Fernando
Pd. ustedes pueden publicar libremente Fotos y nombres


and here is the link to their original story: http://drshivanisachdevgourdelhi.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/from-argentina-now-and-forever-our.html

If you would like to find out more about surrogacy with SCI, please email us at: drshivanisachdev@gmail.com

Monday 16 June 2014

From Canada: Thank you from the bottom of our hearts

It is always wonderful when a family finally succeeds, more so, after 10 years of failed fertility treatment in their home country. What wonderful joy, a boy and a new Canadian...



  There is no way to say thank you enough to everyone at SCI and we cannot even begin to express how grateful we are to our beautiful surrogate mother. After nearly ten years of trying and multiple IVF attempts back home in Canada, you have given us the greatest gift we could have ever hoped for - a beautiful baby boy! The joy that that you have brought to this new family is immeasurable. The best decision we ever made was to choose Dr. Shivani and her team at SCI. 

  The day that we received word that we were pregnant was really beyond words. Throughout the entire pregnancy we felt that we had the undivided attention of the support staff at all times, answering any questions promptly and letting us know that our surrogate and baby were under the best of care. The support continued as we arrived in India and were helped with finding a taxi service, a nursing agency and even someone to help us with all the paperwork involved in the complicated exit process. 

  Being new parents in a foreign country was definitely not without surprises, stresses and challenges but we will always look back and smile at these weeks when our family was brand new.

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts - all three !

Angie, Scott and Baby Erik

Friday 13 June 2014

May Births - Congratulations to all our families...

We wish our new families the choicest of blessings...

If you wish to find out more about surrogacy with SCI, please email us at drshivanisachdev@gmail.com

Friday 6 June 2014

Meeting Kai's surrogate and trying again...


Thank you to Rebecca and her surrogate for agreeing to share their story...


I have just returned from India and got to meet up with Kai's surrogate and have a wonderful chat with lots of laughter and I found out soooo much more about her and her life. She has agreed to try again for a sibling for Kai and I kept asking are you sure you want to do this?? She kept laughing saying I’m really sure it was a great experience last time and I do want to try again.

I showed her videos and pics of Kai and she loved seeing them. I asked her if she felt sad at times not having a baby after being pregnant and she was like no way!! I have a 13 year old daughter and she is very difficult at the moment and a younger son. Life is busy enough!

I asked her if she wanted a copy of the photo of all of us after Kai was born and she said she already has it and she made it very big and it is framed and on her wall at home. She said she doesn't like the pic of her (as she says she looks pale) but she wanted to have it so everyone could see it. This really threw me....I told her how some people think we are exploiting women in India and she said no no no I wanted to do it and I want to do it again, I think for myself. She said all her friends and relatives know and they think it is wonderful....what a surprise and a relief.


Many other topics were talked about and I was just buzzing when we finally said our goodbyes and hugged again and again!

If you would like to read more about Rebecca's story , here is her  blog: http://theroadlesstraveled-lucylu.blogspot.com.au/

If you want to find out more about surrogacy in India with SCI, please email us at: drshivanisachdev@gmail.com