Marie Schultz’s son, who will be born in July, is being carried by his colleague Amber Peters, who has offered to be his surrogate mother.
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Marie Schultz finally has something to celebrate Mother’s Day. Her first child is on the way, after years of struggling to conceive, thanks to a colleague who offered her to be her surrogate mother.
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Schultz had never considered surrogacy before, but when her colleague Amber Peters told her she would be ready to bear her child, Schultz couldn’t refuse the generous offer.
“I was fully on board. I was ready to do it then, â€Schultz said. “I was like, I want to have a baby and I’m not ready to stop, and if you’re willing to help, yes, please.”
The two women, both residents of Regina, met two years ago while working at SGI. Peters is currently 28 weeks pregnant with the Schultzes’ baby boy, due on July 27.
While the Schultzes didn’t choose a name, they have some idea of ​​how far to go. Motorbike enthusiasts, Schultz and her husband Taylor plan to share their passion with their son as soon as he learns to ride a bike.
Schultz and Peters have cultivated a close friendship through this process and they share their story in the hope that others will learn from their experience.
“It’s such a personal decision and I think only the individual knows if the emotional experience is one they can handle … But if you think it is.something you can do, I can say it’s one of the most rewarding experiences, â€explained Peters.
The two women met when Peters accepted a short-term position at SGI to cover someone on maternity leave. At the time of her arrival, Schultz was with her husband Taylor in Calgary undergoing fertility treatment. Upon her return, Peters asked about her trip in an effort to get to know her better, and Schultz confided in her about her pregnancy issues.
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“There was just something about her,” Schultz explained. “I just had this feeling about her where I felt I could just tell her where I was. I kind of choose who I share this with because some people sometimes don’t always say the right one. thing or ask too many questions.
The next day, Peters gave Schultz a flower and an affirmative note to cheer him up and from there was born friendship.
“She became the confidante I could talk to,†Schultz said. “She always had the right thing to say. It was very heartwarming. “
A few months later, Peters approached Schultz and asked her if she had ever considered surrogacy. Schultz said no, but she wouldn’t oppose it.
“I kind of said out of the blue, ‘Well I’m going to carry a baby for you,’†Peters explained.
The rest was history.
Before meeting Peters, the Schultzes had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for seven years. Initially, Schultz had two IVF treatments, but her body did not respond, so they decided to try an egg donor instead. On two occasions they used eggs donated by Schultz’s cousin and a family friend. The implantation procedure worked both times and Schultz got pregnant, but she miscarried.
The surrogacy arrangement Schultze made with Peters was their fifth attempt. They used an egg from Schultz’s cousin, which was fertilized in the lab and implanted in Peters.
Peters said she has been fondling the idea of ​​being a surrogate mother for years.
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“I had really easy healthy pregnancies with my two boys,†she explained. “I was fortunate enough to have very easy jobs, so I enjoyed the process of being pregnant and even giving birth.”
Peters said she will no longer have the chance to be a surrogate as she approaches 40 and believes she doesn’t have the energy to repeat the process. Right now, she’s focused on making the most of the experience and she’s excited for what’s to come.
“It is not only the future parents who take this trip with me, it is also their families. Seeing how excited future grandparents are for this much anticipated arrival often makes me cry, â€she said.
Schultz wants other women to be inspired and comforted by his story.
“I want women to know that they are not alone… I know it’s very personal and very difficult to talk about it, but I don’t want people to be ashamed,†she said.
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