Daughter Carrying Mum’s Baby

No, this isn’t some sick, twisted story wherein someone will end up their own grandpa. It’s actually kind of sweet.

A New Zealand woman has gotten the go-ahead to act as a surrogate for her own mother. In other words? She’ll carry her baby brother or sister in her belly for nine months.

Though officials are largely quiet on the details (including the identities of the women involved), the Ethics Committee for Assisted Reproductive Technology officially placed its seal of approval on the surrogacy, the first ever in that country at least. And since I haven’t heard one of these stories before (lots of grannies carrying their grandbabies, but none of sisters carrying their siblings), I took notice.

The surrogate is one of four children who has two kids of her own. Why her mum can’t carry a fifth child is unknown, as is the AGE of these women (which might be why Mum/Grandma can’t get pregnant, but who knows?).

The surrogate is said to be in a steady relationship, and has not yet decided whether she will have any more kids of her own. But she’s willing to carry her mother’s child, apparently, to give her mom another chance at parenting.

Let’s assume then that she was pretty happy with how she was raised? Because I don’t know that I could act as surrogate for someone I thought would do a crappy job at it all.

Aside from the weirdness at family parties down the line (”hey mom, I mean sis…”), the set-up sounds pretty sweet. The surrogate will not be paid for the service beyond her medical expenses, and nothing pays tribute to your own mother like carrying her baby (not that I’d know – my daughter is very much my daughter!).

What do you think? Could you carry your mum’s baby?