“There are grandmothers out there who would move heaven and earth for their grandchildren.” – Janice Elliott-Howard
This might be the perfect quote for this heartwarming story that went viral a few weeks ago. A young woman named Breanna Lockwood, 29, always wanted to be a mother. She knew she would be a great mother, and nothing would fulfill her dreams than to have her own children.
Unfortunately, she suffered losses.
For four years, Breanna and her husband, Aaron, 28, tried so hard to conceive. They tried different methods, even opting for IVF, but still, all their efforts failed.
Can you imagine having to wait for the results of each method? To continue trying pregnancy tests only to see negative results? Can you imagine the pain of this couple?
“Struggling with infertility was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through,” said Breanna Lockwood with GMA. “When you have a plan for your life and then something like infertility gets in the way, I felt like I couldn’t see what I pictured anymore, that it could be taken away from me.”
Breanna’s mother, Julie Loving, has seen her daughter’s pain. Her heart breaks every time she sees her daughter crying because of her pregnancy losses. That is when she thought of an idea to help the couple.
Breanna’s doctor then suggested that there’s another method they could try. If they could find someone, like a family member or a friend, to act as their surrogate, then it could work.
It was Breanna’s mother, Julie, then 51-years-old, who offered to become the surrogate for her daughter’s baby.
“I’ve run 19 marathons and done many triathlons,” said Julie Loving, who also has a son. “I felt like health-wise I could do it and I had really easy pregnancies with my two kids.”
Her offer gave Breanna and Aaron hope.
“Once she had the miscarriage with the twins I started to talk to her about it,” Julie said. “She was not on board and thought I was crazy, but I just kept pursuing it.”
The doctors knew that Breanna’s mom was fit and healthy, and one doctor even said that she’s the perfect candidate for the process of surrogacy.
The long process started, and Julie started undergoing lab tests, seminars, and many visits to the OBGYN. She passed everything, and that’s the first step!
The next milestone was the successful embryo transfer last February. Then, last March, they got a positive pregnancy test result! Another milestone for the family!
“I feel like my mom is the closest place to home she can be, rather than my own body,” Breanna shared, happy with the continued success of their journey. “My mom wants to be a grandma just as much as I want to be a mom, so she’s doing everything she can.”
Still, they silently waited and prayed. They didn’t want to celebrate just yet.
Then, the due date was announced. Julie Loving was set to give birth on November 12! Halfway through the pregnancy, everyone started getting really excited. Breanna was there every step of the way.
Before the lock-down started, Julie was able to confirm the pregnancy, and of course, they made sure that they took care of Julie more because of the pandemic.
Soon, they were given one of the best news that they ever received. Julie was carrying a granddaughter.
Their Instagram post went viral, and so did their unique but beautiful story. People felt happy and hopeful for this grandmother who helped her daughter have a child.
On Nov. 2, Julie Loving, the 51-year-old grandmother gave birth to Briar Juliette Lockwood — her miracle granddaughter!
Breanna shared beautiful news on her Instagram page, sharing to everyone how her dream of becoming a mother came true – thanks to her mother, her surrogate!
She said that seeing her newborn daughter “has filled our hearts with so much joy.”
And yes, seeing the photo of this beautiful baby will surely make anyone cry. If you look back through all the heartache, all the challenges, the medications, everything that they went through, it was all worth it.
She’s here, she’s finally here. The baby that they have all been waiting for is here!
Can you just imagine the happiness that they are feeling?
According to Breanna, being a mother now allows her to recall how her mom raised her. Now, she wants to become like her, a great mom to her daughter, Briar Juliette.
Breanna plans to share their birth story soon, but right now, they’re enjoying every moment of Briar’s newborn moments.
What a wonderful story of love, sacrifices, and hope that will make you believe in miracles.
Don’t forget to follow Breanna’s story on her Instagram account where you’ll see their beautiful but tough journey.
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