Eivind Ertesvag 
Julie Loving carried her daughter’s baby—her own grandchild. Her daughter, Breanna, was initially hesitant about the idea, but eventually, both she and her husband, Aaron, agreed it was a good solution.
Breanna and Aaron Lockwood, a couple from Chicago, Illinois, married in 2016. Due to Breanna’s grandfather being gravely ill with cancer, the couple started trying for a baby soon after their wedding. They wanted to have a child before her grandfather passed away.
“I always thought it would happen quickly,” Breanna told Oprah Mag.
“You spend your whole life trying not to get pregnant, and when you finally try, it doesn’t happen right away.”
A Difficult Journey
After months of trying to conceive naturally, the couple sought help from a clinic and explored fertility treatments. They embarked on a long and challenging journey after receiving recommendations for assisted reproduction.
Breanna reacted poorly to the treatments, and the couple endured months of setbacks and two miscarriages. Eventually, Breanna was diagnosed with Asherman’s syndrome, a condition caused by uterine adhesions.
Surrogacy as an Option
At this difficult point in their journey, their doctor suggested surrogacy as a potential alternative.
Although Breanna and Aaron were determined to become parents, the cost of surrogacy—nearly $100,000 USD—was prohibitively expensive. Their dream seemed unattainable until Julie Loving, Breanna’s own mother, offered to help by becoming their surrogate.
“I felt like I had gone through the process with her from the beginning. I shared all her pain and grief. I knew I was a healthy 51-year-old, and that I could do this for her. I take good care of myself. I honestly don’t feel 50—more like 30.”
When Breanna introduced her mother as a potential surrogate to their clinic’s doctor, she noticed his initial hesitation. However, after extensive tests and evaluations, Loving was approved, despite her age.
“This is obviously a very unique case, carried out following careful medical, psychological, and ethical considerations,” said the couple’s doctor.
Staying Healthy for the Journey
Before the birth, Loving focused on staying in excellent physical shape. She has run the Boston Marathon twice and invests considerable effort into preparing nutritious meals and maintaining her health.
“The Baby Book Looks Pretty Crazy Right Now”
Breanna kept most of her struggles private during her journey to conceive. However, after her mother carried Breanna and Aaron’s biological child—her biological grandchild—Breanna decided to share the heartwarming story with her 31,000 Instagram followers.
“The baby book looks pretty crazy right now,” Breanna told Oprah Mag.
“I decided to share our story to celebrate my mom and everything she’s done.”
