St. Patrick’s Day is known in our country as a day to celebrate all things Irish, and wish each other a little extra luck, but it is not the only time of year we here at Same Love Surrogacy find lucky. You see, although surrogacy journeys involve a whole lot of science, they also require a little bit of luck. When an embryo transfer happens, it is not a guaranteed thing that the embryo will stick and continue to grow, although everything is done scientifically to give the very best odds. Because of this, many Intended Parents and Surrogates turn to superstitions and lucky charms to give that little extra boost.
Before transfer day, many surrogates will choose a specific outfit that they feel a little extra lucky in. This might include a fun shirt saying something like “Knock Me Up, Doc!” 
or “Hip, Hip, Hooray! It’s Transfer Day!”, a pair of socks covered in something lucky like four-leaf clovers or the words “good vibes” or even a bracelet or other piece of jewelry they consider lucky or that means something to them. Many also carry special charms or lucky items with them, like four leaf clover adorned trinkets or a small stone of rose quartz, which many people believe increases fertility for its wearers.
Many surrogates also turn to foods they find bring luck or increase fertility as well. For example, one of the big focuses on transfer day is the “sticking” of the embryo in the surrogate’s womb. Because of this, many surrogates eat foods that are sticky like McDonald’s French fries 
or sticky rice to represent the stickiness within. Many cultures also have old wives tales about the fertility powers of fruits like pomegranate, so many surrogates will consume this on or around their 
transfer days. Some foods, like pineapples, are believed to help with implantation because of the nutrients in the core, so they have become symbols of luck and fertility within the IVF community and are embraced by many surrogates.
All these lucky charms, outfits and meals, help surrogates feel much more relaxed about the process, which in turn is very beneficial for the
implantation. The less stressed a surrogate is about everything, the higher the chances that the transfer will stick, and the journey will continue. Because of this, prior to transfer day, we try to send as much luck as we can to our surrogates and intended parents. Our surrogates each receive a “Transfer Kits” full of lots of lucky items to help wish a smooth and successful transfer. We also send personal messages of encouragement, luck and “sticky vibes” or “baby dust”.
So, on this St. Patrick’s Day, if you find yourself with lots of extra luck, feel free to send some of those lucky vibes to our surrogates, or consider becoming one yourself! We always feel LUCKY to be in this position of helping others on this amazing journey!
