Episode #5
Everyone Prepared for the Baby. No One Prepared Me.
You spend years preparing for your baby. But almost no one prepares you to become a parent. For families built through surrogacy, the finish line everyone fights for — the match, the contracts, the appointments — turns out to be just the beginning. The nine-month runway that eases most new parents into the role disappears, and everything lands at once: the joy, the exhaustion, and a disorientation almost nobody talks about out loud. In this episode, Tonya Sakowicz , Maryann Robbins, and Brigit Monahan of The Newborn Care Solutions Agency — an education company and placement agency with a combined 90+ years in newborn care, postpartum support, and lactation — join us to unpack what actually happens in those first weeks home, and why families formed through surrogacy often experience that transition differently. We talk about: Why intended parents often prepare meticulously for the birth but never for the after The emotional gap that can show up when a baby arrives without the physical nine-month lead-up How a good newborn care specialist or postpartum doula reads a room — and when to step in versus step back The guilt around asking for help, and why hiring support isn't "cheating" Building a real offload plan before the baby comes, not just for the first two weeks but the first six months What's different — and what's universally the same — for single parents by choice, LGBTQ+ families, and traditionally formed families How to vet a caregiver, lactation consultant, or pediatrician's credentials instead of relying on word of mouth alone Why grief and joy can coexist in the same breath, and why that's normal This conversation is for any intended parent who wants the practical and emotional groundwork laid before baby comes home — not scrambling to find it after. This is not medical advice. This is not legal advice. Always consult a licensed medical or legal professional for guidance specific to your situation. Learn more about The Newborn Care Solutions Agency at TheNCSA.com .
