News & Updates from I Want To Put A Baby In You!

Elizabeth Carr is the first baby born via in vitro fertilization in the United States.

In the media since 3 cells old, Elizabeth is a passionate advocate for those fighting for fertility rights. From battles over insurance coverage, to educating doctors on how to interact with patients going through infertility treatments, to advice for parents on how to talk to children about assisted reproductive technologies, Elizabeth is proud to share her voice and story in order to fight for those who may not be able to fight for themselves. Elizabeth is a fearless Patient Advocate, striving to educate and empower people based on her life experiences and expertise within the fertility world. She has presented to audiences around

the globe including at the United Nations, ASRM, ESHRE, and the national infertility association, RESOLVE.

A dynamic speaker, Elizabeth’s passion lies in education from helping companies craft fertility benefit packages & parental leave policies, to keynote speeches, to sitting one-on-one wit people facing fertility questions head on. Elizabeth has worked as a journalist, marketing and events, and fundraising making her an expert at distilling complex issues into easy-to-digest stories. Elizabeth is also a marathoner, triathlete, coffee connoisseur, wife, mother, and writer.

Read More

This is the story of a beautiful family assembled out of order: dog, daughter, dad. It's the story of planning years ahead to become a mom, and wishing she’d started years earlier. It's the story of the unexpected that arrives in every form from love (like a husband) to terror (like medical issues), and the life-changing decisions that accompany any rocky road through fertility.

It was after their second date that Shira told her now husband she was probably pregnant. She conceived her daughter as a single mom by choice using donor sperm, most of her savings, and so much time, energy and effort. Just as she finally succeeded in getting pregnant, she met him. It turns out families don't have to be assembled in order.

Shira is a product, commercial and operations leader with deep experience launching and scaling tech-enabled healthcare. She has worked across various clinical specialties, partnering closely with health plans, employers, health systems and government.

Shira is currently at Lin Health, which specializes in treating chronic pain. Shira loves leading people, helping patients, and designing technology to solve problems. Shira was previously the General Manager of Behavioral Health and Musculoskeletal care at Eden Health. Before that at Omada Health, she led creation of product lines for diabetes, hypertension and behavioral health, as well as spearheading Omada’s work with national insurance carriers, the American Medical Association, and the federal government’s healthcare innovation team.

Shira is passionate about writing and speaking on the future of integrating technology into healthcare, as well as insights about culture and life choices from her time working and living around the world. Her greatest passion at work is supporting her team members in growth and development, and fostering the culture and organizational structures that lead to high productivity and work-life balance. Shira’s greatest joy is this family she built out of order: her young daughter, her loving husband, and her ever-hopeful dog. She is a community builder, outdoor enthusiast and world traveler. Shira has lived across the US, Europe and Africa and now loves hiking, biking and paddling near her home near Boulder, Colorado.

Read More

Yifat Shaltiel, Esq. is Author of “Save Money on Surrogacy” and has 16+ years of experience practicing surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology law and providing surrogacy coaching. She is CEO and Founder of Surrogate Steps, a surrogacy agency, helping families grow for over ten years. As one of the chairs of the Reproductive Health Law Committee for the Women’s Bar Association of the state of New York, Yifat testified on surrogacy matters in the New York State Legislature and participated as speaker at various venues, including the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She has been featured as a surrogacy law specialist at numerous venues including Cornell Law School and news media outlets such as MSNBC. In addition to her book, she published many articles on reproductive law and surrogacy, and taught CLE classes regarding surrogacy to other attorneys and judges.

Yifat Shaltiel, Esq. was introduced to the world of surrogacy and infertility through her own infertility journey. She has made it her mission to help others grow their families through surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology and hopes that the information in this book, about how to save money in a surrogacy journey, will help more individuals afford surrogacy and successfully become parents.

Read More

Ariel is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Psychotherapist who has been involved in the surrogacy and fertility community since 2015 and has guided countless couples and individuals on their journey to parenthood. 

After her own complicated miscarriage as a surrogate in 2016, Ariel discovered that there was very little specialized counselling for her painful situation and realized a much larger need for mental health professionals that deeply understand the fertility world. 

 Ariel returned to school in 2018 and graduated from Western University in 2021. She opened Carried with Love (CWL) to provide 100% virtual support for those struggling with infertility, loss, pregnancy challenges or postpartum mood disorders. Since opening, CWL has continued to grow and now provides a wide range of therapeutic services and most recently has launched Canada’s first Independent Surrogacy Program. 

Ariel has carried 5 babies as a gestational surrogate which resulted in 4 live births – the most recent in the summer of 2023. Although Ariel is now retired as a surrogate, she continues to be an active presence in the fertility community and leverages her strong social media following to normalize all roads to parenthood for women and couples around the world. 

Read More

Ellen Weir Casey is the mother of one of the world's first IVF babies. Her daughter is known as "Colorado’s First Test Tube Baby." Her award-winning memoir, Unstoppable: Forging The Path To Motherhood in The Early Days Of IVF, is the first person account of a patient in the earliest days of Assisted Reproductive Technology. Ellen is a passionate advocate for unrestricted access to women’s health care. She speaks nationally and internationally bringing attention to the importance of establishing permanent access to IVF.

Read More

Angela worked in the fertility domain for over 30 years. She has extensive experience working with fertility centers all over the world. She also has clinical experience, having worked directly with more than a dozen Reproductive Endocrinologists at five different fertility centers. Her mix of personal and professional experience has given Angela the skills to be a special advocate for those in the fertility realm. She is known for maintaining exceptional standards when assisting those in need. More importantly, Angela is equipped by experience with the tools to help others complete their families via third party fertility treatments. She smoothly coordinates with a variety of stakeholders, including patients, families, caregivers, and global partner networks. If you are in any of these roles, you’ll find Angela to be a professional, intelligent, and extremely capable partner and advocate.

Read More

Tierney Chrusciel is a 9th grader who lives in Western Massachusetts. They are on the swim team and love to write in their free time.

Read More

Listen as Jason, Tim, and Kim share with Ellen and Jenn:

 ·      Jason’s personal surrogacy journey, including the highs of matching with an amazing surrogate and finding out they were having twins!

·      Jason’s less exciting surrogacy journey parts, including purchasing a health insurance policy for the surrogate, paying premiums and all uncovered expenses, and then still being subject to a five figure “lien”.

·      The discriminatory nature of liens. Being double punished for not being able to carry a pregnancy on their own.

·      Tim explains the contractual and statutory legal bases insurance companies use to support liens, and why they are problematic.

·      Kim’s experience in Nevada fighting for better laws, including surrogacy inclusion for all Nevada-governed health insurance policies, and no liens!

·      Starting the Insurance Access and Equity Alliance to fight insurance discrimination in California and beyond.

Read More

Surrogacy Colombia has been a pioneer in international surrogacy in Colombia since 2018. They have clients from over 60 countries, and growing, and a team of highly qualified professionals to provide the best possible experience.

Read More

AllPaths Family Building has a mission to create a caring community for all people struggling with fertility and family building. AllPaths provides the psychosocial support, resources, and advocacy that are critical to those trying to grow their families.

Read More

With over 30 years of dedication to pilates and dance, Leslie Lopez teaches privately to clients as well as to toddlers with creative holiday themed movement classes. She is an advocate for the arts and has served as a Board member for The Wallis Performing Arts Center and the California State Summer School for the Arts.

In addition she worked for 20 years in hospitality and customer relations, working front of house for 3 star Michelin Chefs such as Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller.

She is launching her podcast Mother's in Arms this Summer 2024 which focuses on her. experience as an intended parent who went through a surrogacy journey independently.

Her podcast description: An independent parent by choice, Leslie went through an isolated surrogate journey in 2020. This episode is a conversation between surrogate mother Melissa and. Leslie as to the ups and downs the journey of bringing Elyse to the world.

Read More

Rachele’ Davis, a former crime analyst for her local police department, founded New Hope Investigations in 2016. After seven years in civil service and seven years prior to that as an educator, Rachele’ found herself drawn to the private sector of investigations and the challenge of building her own business. Her master’s degree in criminal justice, resourcefulness, productivity level, and innovation have already served her well in this capacity.

Rachele’ obtained her private investigator license through Missouri in 2016. Rachele’s specialty areas include connection biological families and adoptive children, diligent adoption searches, and people searches. Rachele' also provides some general investigative services on a case-by-case basis. She works in various capacities for individuals, attorneys, and businesses. Rachele' regularly stays up-to-date with current trends and changes in the industry.

To enhance her unknown parentage investigations, Rachele’ continues to learn more and more about the complex and fascinating field of genealogy. She is a member of Association of Professional Genealogists, International Society of Genetic Genealogy, and National Genealogical Society.

Listen as Rachele’ discusses with Ellen and Jenn:

 

·      Adopting her son and wanting to continue in criminal justice, but with more flexibility to parent.

·      The adoption was not an easy path and included the need to hire a private investigator.

·      Starting out wanting to help adoptees who wanted to identify biological family members, and expending to other genetic searches. 

·      Making those first contact calls.

·      The law in the birth state making a significant difference as to original birth certificate access.

·      Sometimes timing is everything

·      Advice to those considering a search.

Read More

Sarah Paige has been a professional in the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) insurance field since 2010.  As Chief Operating Officer of ART Risk Financial and Insurance Solutions, Inc., and a licensed insurance agent, she remains current on all insurance issues pertinent to the ART field and works to find the best solutions for the ART Risk Solutions clients embarking on surrogacy journeys.  With her extensive breadth of knowledge and expertise in the ART community, Sarah is a frequently sought after speaker.  One of Ms. Paige’s professional accomplishments was serving as an expert witness for Nevada State Assembly Bill AB472 alongside its Author, Kimberly Surratt, in the 2019 legislature with Nevada accepting and placing into law inclusive insurance language for surrogacy coverage.

Read More

Tirza Jova, the founder of Milk by Mom in Phoenix, AZ, empowers breastfeeding mothers through her innovative breast milk freeze drying service available nationwide. With an MBA and 17 years in international business, she’s modernizing breastfeeding practices. Tirza’s mission extends beyond local borders, educating nationwide on the advantages of freeze dried breast milk and the freedom and flexibility freeze-drying provides while maintaining the benefits and security of breast milk.

Read More