Becoming a parent doesn’t always mean you have to follow the traditional path, just ask Cecile Eledge.
The 61 year-old has made headlines after she gave birth to her own granddaughter, but before you freak out, it was for a rather sweet reason.
Cecile gave birth to Uma Louise Dougherty-Eledge as a surrogate for her son Matthew and his husband Elliot.
“There was no moment of hesitation,” Cecile said in a statement by Nebraska Medicine Center. “It was natural instinct.”
What makes the baby’s arrival even more unique is the fact that Matthew and Elliot used an egg donated by the baby’s aunt and Elliot’s sister, Lea Yribe while Matthew donated his sperm.
The birth was captured on camera by photographer Ariel Panowicz who shared a sweet tribute to the family on her Instagram account.
61 year-old Cecile Eledge acted as a surrogate for her son and son-in-law. (Image: Instagram @arielpanowicz)
Baby Uma is a product of dad Matthew’s sperm and her aunt’s (Elliot’s sister’s) egg. (Image: Instagram @arielpanowicz)
“There was no moment of hesitation,” Cecile reportedly said when she was told the couple wanted to start a family. (Image: Instagram @arielpanowicz)
“Well, holy smokes, y’all. Little tiny Uma Louise has ventured into this world and let me tell you, she is simply perfect,” she posted.
“Carried and birthed by her 61 year old Grandmother, and created by her two Dads and loving Aunt, Uma is surrounded by an immense amount of love. Being a part of today was amazing. Cele, you are a warrior. @matt_eledge + @ephemeral.elliot, you’re already the best Dads.”
She even asked everyone to tag Ellen Degeneres in the snaps so if the viral powers of the Internet are strong enough, we could be seeing the family on TV soon too.
Talk about proud parents! (Image: Instagram @arielpanowicz)
The proud new parents are clearly besotted with their little one and took to social media to share the new pictures.
“Uma is officially home with us. We are a little pack now and this home is our little den,” Elliot penned alongside a photo of their newborn daughter.
“I have spent months getting this space ready, cleaning and organising and meditating and clearing the energy so it could be such a dreamy space to welcome her into. She is taking it all in and so are we. I cannot even begin to explain how grateful and excited and blessed I am feeling. This is heaven.”
“We are a little pack now and this home is our little den.” (Image: Instagram @ephemeral.elliot)
Matt also shared a message of thanks to their supporters with a candid snap of little Uma sleeping.
“I have to take a moment to publicly say THANK YOU for the absolutely ridiculous amount of support so many of you have given me and my family these past couple of days: the texts, the gifts, the online support, the love!”
“I really need to respond to all of you individually, but the whirlwind of this media attention as well as the whirlwind of being a brand new parent has been an intense and all-consuming undertaking. Please know that I’m endlessly grateful. @ephemeral.elliot is much better at online updates, but for now, I give you this: our precious Uma Louise peacefully sleeping on my chest (and even better, after my first night of actual sleep). This is bliss. Not sure I deserve this joy I’m feeling right now, but I’ll take it.”
“This is bliss. Not sure I deserve this joy I’m feeling right now, but I’ll take it.” (Image: Instagram @matt_eledge)
While this happy story happened in the US, over here in Australia our surrogacy laws are a little tougher.
According to IVF Australia both the surrogate and intended parents must be at least 25 years old with the surrogate being ideally aged between 25-40 years old with no medical, obstetric or psychological issues.
On top of that, the surrogate has to have given birth to a live child, preferably completed her own family and live a healthy lifestyle, not abuse drugs or alcohol and be in a monogamous relationship.
Speaking exclusively to Now To Love in 2018, TV personality Sally Obermeder opened up about her surrogacy experience with her youngest daughter Elyssa and the relationship she maintains with her surrogate.
“I still speak to Rachel all the time and I think that bond will be there for life. It’s so deep and so unique and unlike any other relationship because who else has anyone ever been through something like that with? That’s something that’s very unique to our family and their family and we will be forever connected in that way, it’s very special.”
WATCH: Sally Obermeder’s surrogate gives birth.
