Create A Happy Family

What starts as one surrogate saying yes grows into something much bigger. In this episode, Whitney sits down with Cassie, a three-time surrogate whose journey didn’t just help create families — it sparked a growing community of surrogates who support, celebrate, and carry one another through every stage of the process. Cassie shares how her desire to become a gestational carrier began long before...

Egg donation is often discussed in clinical terms — procedures, timelines, and compensation — but for some donors, the experience goes beyond the calendar and includes unexpected relationships with the intended parents. In this episode, Morgan shares what egg donation was actually like for her, including what surprised her most and how her experience challenged common assumptions about donors, bou...

In this episode, Whitney talks with Korbet Annis, a stem cell expert, to explain the key differences between cord blood banking and newborn stem cell banking. From how each is used to the misconceptions families often hear, Korbet breaks down the science in a clear, approachable way. This episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to make informed decisions before birth. For more information, visi...

In this episode, Whitney talks with Amy Huston, who shares her experience building a family through egg donation and surrogacy after medical challenges made pregnancy impossible. From IVF setbacks to releasing the need for genetic connection, Amy reflects on “borrowed trust,” letting go of control, and finding peace on an unexpected path to parenthood.

In this episode, Whitney is joined by Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, known as The Egg Whisperer, for a clear and practical conversation about what to do before starting fertility treatment. From simple testing and the TUSHY Method to egg freezing, embryo quality, and egg donation, Dr. Aimee explains how to approach fertility with knowledge, confidence, and self-advocacy. This episode is a must-listen for a...

Parenthood doesn’t always look the way we plan — but it can still be everything we dreamed of. Whitney talks with Liz & Brian Goulding and Brandon, three intended parents who built their families through egg donation. Their stories are filled with honesty, hope, and courage — from facing fertility realities and heartbreak to finding peace and joy in a different path to parenthood.

In this special episode, Whitney talks with the Surrogate Education and Matching Team at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions — the women who help connect surrogates and intended parents every day. Through transparency, trust, and compassion, they show how every family begins with people who care deeply about making the journey personal and meaningful. 🌿

Two women — 2,700 miles apart — connected through surrogacy and built a lifelong friendship. After loss, Jackie found hope through Kaitlin, a first-time surrogate who carried her daughter and helped her become a mother. Their story is proof that love creates family in the most unexpected and beautiful ways. 🌷

Two women share how becoming egg donors changed their lives in ways they never expected. From emotional surprises to lasting connections, they reveal how giving the gift of life gave them something even greater — a deeper sense of purpose and love. 🌿

When Lisa and Aaron McDonnell began their first surrogacy journey, they never imagined they’d be back here — years later, starting again with the same surrogate who made them parents the first time. In this heartfelt conversation, host Whitney Hall sits down with Lisa and Aaron to talk about what it’s like to grow your family through surrogacy twice — and with the same person who helped bring your...

Faith and fertility aren’t opposites — they can work together to create new life. 🌿 Whitney talks with Pamela Brantley Dunnings — attorney, theologian, cancer survivor, and mother of twins through surrogacy — about how God can work through science to build families with love, grace, and purpose. A conversation about hope, ethics, and the miracles that happen when faith meets fertility.

Ever wonder what happens to your eggs after retrieval? Or what those mysterious embryo grades actually mean? In this eye-opening episode, Whitney sits down with Lucille Little, a traveling embryologist with nearly a decade of experience in human IVF, to break down the behind-the-scenes science of fertility treatment. Lucille has worked in top labs across the country and brings a unique blend of ex...

What does it mean to live a life of service? For Bridget Romero, it began with military discipline and sacrifice — and it continues today through the selfless act of surrogacy. In this inspiring episode of Create a Happy Family, Bridget shares how a quiet whisper became her calling. From being inspired by her cousin’s infertility journey, to balancing single motherhood, to walking through the shot...

In this moving episode, Whitney talks with Whitney Kuhn Lawson, who became a mom through two surrogacy journeys. After facing infertility due to a medical diagnosis, Whitney and her husband built their family with the help of two incredible surrogates — and formed bonds that went far beyond the births of their children. Her story is one of love, resilience, and the lasting connections that come fr...

What can nearly two decades in surrogacy and egg donation teach us about trust, connection, and creating families? 💛 In this milestone 100th episode, Whitney sits down with Executive Director Katy Encalade of Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions to reflect on 18 years of guiding families through assisted reproduction. From early lessons learned to the evolving landscape of ethics, education, and s...

What happens when you trust your intuition — even when the world tells you not to? In this powerful Breast Cancer Awareness Month episode of Create a Happy Family, you’ll hear the extraordinary journey of Caroline, an intended mother whose gut instinct led to a life-saving breast cancer diagnosis, and Janna, the surrogate whose intuition during postpartum complications saved her from a stroke. Tog...

After years of infertility, failed treatments, and finally choosing egg donation, Jody and Jennifer carried the joy of pregnancy—only to face the unimaginable loss of their babies. In this deeply honest conversation, they share what it was like to move through shock, grief, and feelings of shame, and how faith, community, and small moments of gratitude carried them forward. You’ll hear Jody’s stor...

What do you do when IVF fails, and the path to parenthood feels impossible to navigate? That’s the place Christi once found herself—heartbroken, overwhelmed, and unsure of what came next. But her determination to become a mom never faded. Through surrogacy and egg donation, she found not only a way forward but also a bigger circle of love than she ever expected. In this episode, Christi opens up a...

What makes a surrogacy journey thrive? In this episode, Whitney is joined by Rachel Goldberg, LMFT and perinatal mental health specialist, to explore the crucial role of communication between intended parents and gestational carriers. Rachel explains how setting clear expectations, understanding attachment styles, and practicing self-awareness can reduce anxiety, build reassurance, and foster trus...

If you’ve ever felt lost in the world of IVF, surrogacy, or egg donation—this is the guide you’ve been waiting for. Joining Whitney is Dr. Carrie Bedient, one of the three renowned fertility specialists behind the hit podcast Fertility Docs Uncensored and now co-author of their new book The IVF Blueprint—the very first comprehensive guide to IVF. Alongside Dr. Abby Eblen and Dr. Susan Hudson, she’...

Okay, so you’ve harvested eggs—now what? 🤯 That question is exactly why Dr. Carrie Bedient is joining us today. As Southern Nevada’s first female board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, a fertility expert at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas, and co-host of the Fertility Docs Uncensored podcast, Dr. Bedient has a gift for simplifying what often feels overwhelming. In this episode, we break...

Heather shares the raw truth of her surrogacy journey—from saying “yes” to IVF, managing gestational diabetes, and giving birth during a hurricane. Discover the emotional highs, unexpected challenges, and the powerful connection between surrogate and intended parents. Takeaways: Why Heather chose surrogacy IVF challenges and medical realities The importance of advocacy and communication Trust betw...

Are you navigating the emotional rollercoaster of infertility or surrogacy—or supporting someone who is? This episode will make you feel seen. Whitney is joined by fertility counselor and licensed clinical social worker Kelli Johnson, who has helped countless intended parents work through the mental and emotional load of building a family. They dive deep into the often unspoken truths about this j...

What’s it really like when your wife decides to become a surrogate? In this unique and candid episode, Whitney sits down with five husbands whose wives are not only surrogates but also team members at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions. These dads and partners pull back the curtain to share what the surrogacy journey looks like from their point of view. They talk about everything from their first...

In today’s episode, Whitney is joined by Dr. Audrey Puentes, a board-certified OB-GYN and intended parent who brings a rare and valuable perspective to the surrogacy conversation. As someone who has supported patients through pregnancy and delivery, and also walked the surrogacy journey herself, Audrey understands both sides in a way that few can. This episode is packed with helpful, practical inf...