What emotional challenge might a surrogate experience after giving birth?

The emotional challenge a surrogate might experience after giving birth often includes feelings of loss. This is primarily due to the fact that surrogates have carried a child for nine months and may have developed a bond with the baby during that time. Even though the surrogate's role is to carry the baby for the intended parents, the act of giving up the child they have nurtured can evoke a sense of sadness and grief. This emotional response is natural, as surrogacy involves complex feelings tied to attachment, separation, and the relinquishment of the baby once born.

While joy and fulfillment, excitement for the intended parents, and relief from pregnancy might also be emotions a surrogate can feel, they do not encapsulate the nuanced emotional journey that may follow the delivery. The process of surrogacy is inherently tied to an emotional dichotomy: the joy of helping another family contrasted with the potential for grief over losing the child they have carried. Hence, feelings of loss are a significant emotional challenge that surrogates often navigate after the birth.