Michigan mom carries twins for daughter

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Jun 30th 2008 11:00AM

How far would you go to help your child have a child? A Michigan mom recently showed the world exactly how far she would go when she gave birth to her daughter's twins.

Crystal Sirignano, 52, gave birth last week to two healthy children, a boy and a girl. Crystal's daughter, Kendra, and her husband Aaron Simpson, struggled with infertility for years before turning to surrogacy. Though they were both hesitant at first, Crystal ended up being a healthy and helpful candidate. She moved from her home in Goodrich, where she owns a fitness center, to Arizona to be near her daughter and struggled with all the usual pregnancy symptoms at an age when pregnancy is the last thing on many women's minds.

Would you serve as a surrogate?
Sure! It would be a wonderful gift.	4011 (33.7%)
Maybe -- it would depend who asked.	5720 (48.1%)
Absolutely not. Why go through that?	2157 (18.1%)

Kendra and Aaron are reveling in the special gift they were given. "I couldn't believe they are mine," Kendra said, "I could stare at them forever." The family's situation has been getting them a lot of attention, including an appearance on Good Morning America.

In this day and age of reproductive technology, it's becoming more and more common for friends, sisters, aunts, and even mothers to surrogate for infertile couples. Crystal Sirignano said that nothing was worse for her than watching Kendra suffer, not even morning sickness and a c-section. That sounds like a true mom to me. What about you -- would you ever consider making a sacrifice like this for your child?

ReaderComments (Page 5 of 11)

Add Your Comments

7-01-2008 @ 2:48PM

Jenn20030 said...

WOW! I hope you, Velouria don't have any children yourself. It would break their hearts knowing what an "emotional and financial" burden they are to you. I don't have any children of my own yet, but when I do and one day they come to me with a problem I would do whatever it took to help them. How sad for you. I would change your way of thinking or your going to end up a very old lonely bitter person!

7-01-2008 @ 3:14PM

Donna said...

Jenn20030......Great response to Velouria!!!

7-01-2008 @ 3:58PM

Rachel said...

By "emotional and financial" I think that she meant all the infertility treatments, not the children.

7-01-2008 @ 2:47PM

Carrie said...

I think its wonderful that this couple were able to have such a loving family that was willing to help bring life into this world. My husband and I would love to have a baby, we each have children from previous marriages, but due to an illness I cant have any more. We cant afford surrgant or adoption, and dont have any one that is healthy enough or wanting to carry a child for us. We have talked about adoption, and if it was an option for us we would do it in a heart beat. I give 10 kudos to this mom and the parents of these twins. I think it gives a new meaning to being a Grandmother, Im sure she will have a special life long attachment to this beautiful miracle babies.

7-01-2008 @ 2:50PM

That Mother is a wonderful person. To go through a pregnancy for her daughter she must be a thoughtful, generous person. I'd rather have my Mother give birth to my child than a stranger.

7-01-2008 @ 3:59PM

Francesca said...

I agree with you 111%......She is a very unselfish person and deserves props for this act.

Pickles said...

I think some of you aHopefully all the bashers are taking their own advice.re heartless. I would do anything to help my daughter become a mother. Yes, at 51 I would carry the baby. Children are a precious gift.

7-01-2008 @ 2:53PM

shilohlady07 said...

AS A MOM I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR MY KIDS. EVEN AT MY AGE I WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO A CHILD FOR ONE OF MY GIRLS IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO HAVE ONE. I CAN NOLONGER HAVE KIDS BECAUSE OF A EARLY SURGERY BUT IF IT WAS POSSIBLE I WOULD GIVE THEM THAT WOUNDERFUL GIFT.

7-02-2008 @ 9:57AM

sophia Brooks said...

I think everyone should calm down and stop hating on that first lady so much. I mean if i couldn't have a kid, i wouldn't want my mom to carry one for me. I mean which ever way you look at it, it can cause a lot of long term conflict within the family. Grandma, MA. (..what do i call you) Mother , daughter fighting over whose child it really is. I mean technically the child is not really Kendra's it's really her mom's.
I think we have lost focus as a people. While we might want to be helpful to each other in all circumstances and we should when you can, thinking with our emotions is not always the best way to make decision.
As for the person who commented about needing an organ..you need a heart in order to live. You can adopt and still be a mom. Sometimes, when we can't have a child, maybe God does want us to adopt someone less fortunate. Sometime we are selfish and want what we want. If we want to have a child we go to any length, well go a length further and adopt some poor kid. No, i am not a mother, no i have not adopted any kids, but i also never said i wanted to have children at all but i do support less fortunate kids b/c that's all i feel i can handle and i don't feel badly that i haven't adopted one b/c i know my limits.
Am not hating on the person who had the kids for her daughter? no. I am just saying . " Having Children is a privilege not a right." If you find out that you can't have one, it's time to talk to your maker, creator to find out the next step he wants you to take so that you don't endanger someone else's body, or parental relationship, or the craziness that might accur when the child gets older and you have to do explanation that could divide the family.

7-02-2008 @ 5:16PM

I said that I would do anything for my kids even have a baby for one of them. I believe that god would bless me for a unselfish act. As for adopting one if that is what my kids wanted. You said you didn't have childern so how do you know how you would feel about this subject. I believe that god will bless this woman for what she did as for caling her mom or grandma thats up to the daughter. it is her child not her mothers........

7-01-2008 @ 2:54PM

clwbchbabycakes said...

I would do it for my daughter OR my son and daughter-in-law

7-01-2008 @ 3:08PM

MaryAnn said...

I've known Crystal, for about 30 years. She lives down the street from us. Kendra went thu school with my son. What a wonderful gift to be able to give your child. I just wonder why others don't understand. God does work in mysterious ways doesn't He.

7-01-2008 @ 3:09PM

Amy said...

This is not something I would do, but good for this woman and her daughter. But, she isn't the first mother to be a surrogate for her daughter. I remember a movie based on a true story years ago with Anne Jillan and Tracy Gold that dealt with this very topic. So what this mom did is nothing new.

April said...

Velouria, so you are saying it is OK for couples out there to have children and then decide to give them up be it drugs, alcohol, financial, or other reasons for someone to take care of their responsibility, but it is NOT ok for couples who desperately want children of their own to love by means of medication and possibly surgery ? What a HYPOCRIT you are !!

7-01-2008 @ 3:23PM

mebsss said...

My oldest daughter and her husband were married for seven years before she got pregnant without aid. They struggled and were about to consider fertility treatments when they were blessed with a son. They now have three healthly children. Unlike Velouria I would have gladly given birth for them. There is certainly nothing wrong with fostering or adopting children, however with all the medical advances available there is no reason for a couple not to try to have a son or daughter born from their own seed.

I hope no one you care about goes through this struggle.

7-01-2008 @ 3:16PM

shoshie said...

I think it is a wonderful thing that the mother did. I was robbed of the right to have children at the age of 42. Even though I had children of my own already, knowing that I could not have anymore made me very depressed. I have no siblings and my mother was too old to help me. Kudos to thsi mother that was able to bring happiness into her daughter's and son-in-law's lives.

7-01-2008 @ 3:15PM

wiliam said...

Ok haveing a kid I guess is a wonderful thing. I don't know I don't have any. But most of my friends do. I even have one friend who thought she couldn't have kids do to one working orvary and scar tissue from surgies. But she gave birth 2 years ago. But to say don't have sympathy couples should just adopt is wrong. Don't get me wrong I'm for adopting a child, but you know how hard it is to do that its not like going to petsmart and pickin out a pet it's a long process and a waitning list. So I just want to say I am happy for this family and I hope there new babies grow up to be healthy

7-05-2008 @ 5:39PM

Anne said...

I just delivered my surroson 4 weeks ago, and I would do it all over in a heartbeat!!!!

7-03-2008 @ 2:23PM

If this were my daughter I would do anything for her... I have been through the pain of infertility... My daughter is now 20 and she is a product of IVF... I lost 2 children before her and by the grace of God I was able to conceive a child 3 years later... For someone to call it selfish, well they have no idea... as far a money... I was fortunate that in Massachusetts infertility is covered by my medical insurance... I thank God everyday for the gift I was given and I am sympathetic to any couple going through this personal hell... My husband and I looked into adoption, the idea that I could pay $10,000 and know the mother, and knowing that she could change her mind and take my money with her bothered me... The idea of paying $25,000 plus to buy a child hurts... I chose to go through 6 cycles of IVF and I had tears and frustration but I have never quit on getting something I wanted including a child...

So if Velouria thinks this is selfish,,. then yes I am selfish,, selfish for the love my children... but who are you to complain about the cost? It is not your money.. or your hell to go through....

To those who are dealing with infertility miracles happen,,, I have 2 of those miracles.. oh my daughter is going into her Senior year of college with a 4.0 average and she has a wonderful future in front of her...Was it worth it??? YOU BET IT WAS

7-01-2008 @ 3:21PM

wordlethehobo said...

Velouria is right. The last thing the world needs right now is two more people walking it.

Previous 20 Comments 3 456 7 Next 20 Comments

Hot on HuffPost Parents:

Michigan mom carries twins for daughter