Moments of Contemplation

After years of researching and writing about Surrogate parenting I find myself thinking about a boy who for all intents and purposes has no mother.  His parents solicited and contracted with a Surrogate Mother, but when the prospective adoptive parents’ marriage failed, the mother walked away.  The Surrogate who in good faith contracted with this couple to provide this life giving service, finds herself the mother of record on the birth certificate.  She is also, according to reports liable for child support.  The mother, Sherri Shepherd who arranged and contracted for this baby decided to walk away from the child.

There are many marriages that unfortunately fail, however, seldom do the mothers walk away.  I don’t know the father’s side of all this, whether or not he’s using the baby as a way to blackmail Sherri to support him for the rest of the child’s life.  I only know that the innocent child had nothing to do with the parent’s problems.  The baby deserves to be wanted, loved and treated as the God giving gift that he is.

Lastly, the father is not the first single parent and he should be responsible enough to work and support his child.  The Surrogate Mother should not be held responsible for the financial support of this child.  My prayers are with this little boy and I hope this situation will be resolved happily for all involved.

While this is a sad situation, I hope that it is cautionary warning for prospective couples who wish to use a Surrogate Mother and women willing to become surrogates.  The decision to have a child through a surrogate should be considered long and hard with thought given to potential situations that could occur.  This is not the first, nor, do I believe the last time that a well-meaning surrogate mother has been left ‘holding the bag.’

The Surrogates is a fictional story that follows the lives of three women who become Surrogate Mothers.  After bearing five children who are adopted, years later, their lives are changed forever as a result of tragic situations they couldn’t anticipate.  Ultimately, as a result of the murder of two of the principals with the Lake Shore Parenting Group, the surrogates, children and adopted parents become embroiled in a murder investigation that threaten their lives forever.