December 31st 2023.
Until recently, surrogacy has often been seen as a taboo topic. However, with more and more celebrities speaking openly about taking this route to parenthood, it is becoming an increasingly popular alternative for those who are unable to conceive or carry a child themselves.
In England and Wales, the number of parents having a baby via surrogate has almost quadrupled in the last 10 years. It is illegal to pay a surrogate in the UK, apart from 'reasonable expenses'; but what motivates a woman to carry a child for a complete stranger?
For Rosie Mead, it was after giving birth to her second child in 2017 that she decided to revisit the idea of surrogacy, with the support of her husband Jon. After joining a Facebook group to connect with an intended couple living near her Dorset home, Rosie found the support to fulfill her ambition of becoming a surrogate.
Unfortunately, not everyone was at peace with their decision, and Rosie admits that she found it more difficult to convince some friends and family. On the day of the birth, both intended parents were by Rosie's side, and the new parents took their newborn home while Rosie returned to her family.
Rosie says the hardest part of the process was forcing herself to slow down to allow her body to recover after the birth, and accepting the change in dynamic with the baby’s parents. She also hadn’t expected to have to go to court to prove she was of sound mind to hand the baby over.
Amy Beere from Staffordshire, had a similar experience when she became a surrogate and gave birth to a baby boy for a mixed-sex couple in London earlier this year. She found that many people expected her to break down after being a surrogate, but she didn’t cry once, other than happy tears.
Overall, the rise of surrogacy is showing that it can be a rewarding experience for both intended parents and surrogates alike. It is becoming a more accepted route to parenthood, and one which isn’t just the preserve of the rich and famous.
For many years, surrogacy has been seen as a taboo subject, with few people openly discussing it as an alternative route to parenthood. However, in recent years, more celebrities have started speaking openly about taking this route to parenthood, which has resulted in an increasing number of parents having a baby via surrogate in England and Wales. The number of surrogacy cases has almost quadrupled in the last 10 years, with two-thirds of applicants being mixed-sex couples.
Rosie Mead from Dorset decided to become a surrogate after giving birth to her second child in 2017. She joined a Facebook group and connected with a mixed-sex couple who lived nearby. After getting to know them and their children, Rosie decided to be a surrogate for them. She faced some resistance from her friends and family, who were worried about the psychological impact it would have on her.
On the 1am at Dorset County Hospital, Rosie gave birth to a beautiful little girl into the arms of another couple. Despite the pain, Rosie remembers feeling a warm glow of accomplishment for fulfilling her life-long ambition.
Amy Beere from Staffordshire also decided to become a surrogate after seeing her friend become a parent via this route. She gave birth to a baby boy for a mixed-sex couple in London in February this year. Unlike many other surrogates, Amy and her partner Matt had already planned to have another child, but the high cost of childcare meant it was not possible at the time.
Both Rosie and Amy faced the same challenges and misconceptions surrounding surrogacy. Many of their friends expected them to break down after being a surrogate, and they had to go to court to prove they were of sound mind to hand the baby over. In spite of these challenges, both women managed to successfully complete their surrogacy journeys with a sense of joy and accomplishment.
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