Surrogate mother responds to viral post: 'I think it has confirmed why I love this'
— -- A photo of two women and a baby boy has touched thousands on social media.
Australian mom, egg donor and surrogate Melissa Holman posted the photo to the Facebook page of Constance Hall, a popular blogger.
She wrote: "A few weeks ago I gave birth to a baby boy. This is me holding him. He was perfect - a screaming newborn mess, lifted off my stomach and put gently into his Mother’s loving arms. Those arms were not mine."
Holman told ABC News she's been "overwhelmed" by the response to her post. "I think it has confirmed why I love this," she said. "I've had countless letters from women struggling to conceive and also other mothers who want to help. I learned when I was young to focus on what you can change rather than what you can't. And with this, I can make a difference."
In Australia, surrogates do not benefit financially.
"There's a shortage of women willing to do something like this for someone without payment," said Holman. "But there's women out there that will and want to and if some of those women read my story and consider it, then it's worth it."
In eight years Holman has been the surrogate for two babies and an egg donor for 18 babies.
"I know and keep in touch with all of my recipients and they're amazing women," she said. "We are friends. They could have taken the donation and run, but they haven't. Things work beautifully."
