Grandmother Will Be Daughter’s Surrogate for a Second Time
Last year, Megan Barker made headlines for being her daughter’s surrogate and giving birth to her grandson, Gus, on October 22, 2016. Now, Barker is getting ready to do it again — the family is planning on implanting Megan Coleman’s embryo in her mom in January 2018.
Barker isn’t worried about carrying a child at 49 years old. “It’s not a concern to me,” Barker told KRCR. “I’ve already done it once; the pregnancy was fantastic,” she said.
When Coleman was only 14 years old, she learned devastating news — she’d never be able to carry a child because of a disorder affecting her cervix and uterus. Her mom made her a promise that she would carry her daughter’s child one day.
Coleman, 25, admitted to PEOPLE that when she was a teenager, she thought it was weird that her mother would carry her baby. But last year, after doctors had to remove a tumor on her ovaries, she changed her mind about her mom’s offer. “At first, I couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea of mom carrying our baby,” she told PEOPLE. “It was a bit weird, but I was mostly excited and so grateful, but it took a minute for me to understand.”
Coleman had her eggs frozen, and in March 2016, Barker became pregnant through in vitro fertilization. If they go ahead with their plan and transfer Coleman’s embryo in January, the baby will be due sometime in September.
Although their story is certainly unique, Coleman is happy her mom is willing to carry another baby for her and her husband, Tyler. “We thought about Gus growing up by himself conceived the way he was, and him wondering why his parents wanted him conceived this way,” Coleman told KRCR. “I feel like being able to relate to someone so close to him will be great as far as a sibling goes,” she added.
If the couple plans on having a third child, they’ll have to find another surrogate. Barker said this will be her final pregnancy. She carried three kids of her own, one grandchild, and is planning on one more future grandchild.
At 49 years old, not all women would want to carry a baby. But Barker is thrilled to do it for her daughter. “Just getting to see Tyler and Maddie hold Gus is the greatest reward,” Barker told PEOPLE. “Knowing they can be the mommy and daddy they would not have otherwise been able to be is the best prize. This has been the best experience of my life.”
h/t PEOPLE
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