The Smelker Seven

Xavier Fernandez-Tello

I have been fairly quiet on my blog about my latest surrogacy journey. Last April I delivered Jackson, and then almost immediately the agency I was working with asked if I would consider being matched with another couple. I was initially a little hesitant, after all, I had just had a baby! But in June Terry and I met with Javier and Cynthia, and I knew I could not say no. After a few little bumps in the road we had our transfer set - November 30th. The pregnancy was confirmed in December and in January we discovered they were expecting a singleton. I was not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed - I really thought it was twins again. Perhaps, in retrospect I am glad it was just one baby.

At the ultrasound we had done at 21 weeks, Javier and Cynthia found out they were going to have a boy. "And a big one, too." said our OB. At that moment I began to ask whether we could induce a couple of weeks early. My reasoning was if I had to be induced anyway (the previous two pregnancies ended with inductions) let's do it sooner rather than later. We talked about for a few weeks and finally settled on August 13th for a birth date. That date has significance for me for two reasons - it is my only brother's birthday; and it is the date that Terry formally adopted Warrick back in 1997.

We got to the hospital early on Wednesday morning and after 81 minutes of contractions, Xavier Fernandez-Tello made his loud entrance into the world! Weighing a hefty 8 lbs 12 oz (3.9 kilios) and measuring 21 inches (53.34 cm), he certainly is no lightweight. According to his parents he only lost an ounce before leaving the hospital, and is a champion eater.

People ask why I do this, and whether it is hard to give the baby up at the end. Well, it was never my baby to keep in the first place, I am its keeper until it is ready to go home with its parents. When I look at photos like this one, I know I have become a part of something very special, something that all childless couples long for, and this is why I do this.

posted by The Smelker Seven @ 9:23 AM