Stu and Dan’s Surrogacy Story so far....
As told by Dan.
#TeamGaby
We’re Dan (that’s me) and Stuart, both 39. Originally from Yorkshire in the UK, we’ve called Sydney home since 2016. We also share our lives with two much-loved fur babies — Sidney (6) and Bailey (5).
Stuart is a General Practitioner based in Bondi Junction, and at the start of our surrogacy journey, I was working for Qantas as an international flight attendant. Since then, life has taken me in a new direction — I’ve returned to study and am now completing my Bachelor of Nursing.
Becoming a dad has always been a lifelong dream of mine, one I never truly thought possible until I met Stuart 11 years ago. Together, we explored all the options and agreed that pursuing gestational surrogacy here in Australia felt like the most meaningful and ethical path for us.
Family means everything to us. We adore our two nephews and one niece — they’re our world, and we spoil them rotten whenever we get the chance. Since moving to Australia, we’ve also built a beautiful community of friends — a mix of familiar faces from the UK and amazing new Aussie mates — and we love spending time together whenever we can.
Here is a brief summary of our journey so far…
The date was September 15th, 2020. The world had shut down because of COVID-19, and I had been stood down from Qantas for six months. After months of talking about growing our family and a lot of late-night Facebook “research,” we finally took the plunge and posted our first message on the Australian Surrogacy Community (ASC). We had researched various surrogacy options, but we felt strongly that altruistic surrogacy was the right choice for us, as we wanted a close connection to our surrogate and family, as we did not have any family here in Australia.
Looking back, we were so naïve. Despite people warning us that the process could take years, we (well… mostly me, haha) thought it would just happen quickly.
We quickly became engrossed in the surrogacy world, joined SASS as members, and started attending the monthly Zoom meetings and NSW catchups.
Our amazing egg donor reached out to us through a Facebook group, and from the very first conversation, everything just clicked. There was an instant sense of connection, trust, and shared purpose; it truly felt like fate had stepped in. Before we knew it, we were deep in planning for the egg retrieval and beginning to imagine what our future family might look like.
However, with our donor based in Western Australia and the country still under strict COVID-19 border restrictions, what should have been a straightforward process turned into a two-year journey of patience, coordination, and determination.
When the retrieval finally went ahead, it was such a surreal and emotional moment. After everything we’d been through, to finally see those embryos created felt like the first real step towards becoming parents.
We met our first team through a Facebook group, and things progressed quickly. Within 11 months, we were approved by the IVF Australia ethics committee. However, due to COVID restrictions in WA, we couldn't create our embryos, and sadly, our team fell apart because of our surrogate's marriage breakdown. But the bright side, we were able to create our beautiful embryos in May 2022.
Looking back, we both realise that the breakdown of our first team really took a toll on us, more than we admitted at the time. I was fortunate enough to be a guest on a SASS podcast with Anna, where I opened up about the experience. Talking about it so openly gave me a real sense of closure. But Stu wasn’t ready, and we never truly unpacked it together as a couple. In hindsight, that was a huge learning curve for us and a reminder of how important it is to process the emotional side of this journey, not just the practical steps.
For most of 2023, we dated an amazing couple from Canberra, but unfortunately, in early 2024, that journey ended when they realized they weren’t quite ready for surrogacy and maybe wanted to have another baby of their own. We’re still friends, and things ended on very good terms.
By this point, we truly felt like it just wasn’t going to happen for us. We’d spoken with a few different people about possibly forming a team, but nothing ever quite worked out. From the start, we’d promised ourselves we’d keep trying until the age of 40, our self-imposed “cut-off” (haha) before considering surrogacy overseas, and as that milestone crept closer, our posts on ASC became fewer while I shifted focus toward university.
There were nights we quietly wondered if it was time to let the dream go, but something deep inside, probably maybe stubbornness, kept us believing that our time would come. And then, out of the blue, in July 2024, a message from the incredible Corrine appeared in our inbox, and everything changed.
"We approached this journey completely differently this time. We said, “Let’s just go with the flow, expect nothing, and let them see us be our messy selves, hahaha!” And wow — what an incredible 15 months it’s been.
This team, our team, #TeamGaby, just felt different. Everything about it felt natural, easy, and genuine. The connection came so effortlessly that sometimes we had to remind ourselves, “Oh right, we’re actually here to talk about surrogacy!”
Our incredible surrogate, Corrine, and her equally wonderful partner, Aeron, have been nothing short of extraordinary. With two beautiful children of their own born through IVF, they knew exactly what to expect and guided us through every step of the process with patience, humour, and kindness.
Once we received the green light from IVF Australia’s ethics committee in July, everything moved quickly, and Corrine barely had a moment to breathe! After a heartfelt team chat in Jervis Bay the weekend after, we all agreed we were ready to take the next step. Just a few weeks later, in early August 2025, we had our very first embryo transfer, a moment we’ll never forget.
Looking back, I think we could have let ourselves enjoy each milestone a little more. But it was hard to silence that quiet voice whispering, “What if something goes wrong?” Through every moment of hope and hesitation, Corrine and Aeron were our constant anchors, understanding, patient, and endlessly supportive. We’ll be forever grateful for how they shared in every nervous wait, every sigh of relief, and every joyful celebration right alongside us.
We feel incredibly lucky, humbled, and thankful that they initially reached out and this journey simply wouldn’t have been the same without their love, openness, and trust.
And that brings us to now — as of October 16th, 2025, we are absolutely thrilled to share that Little Baby Morris is on the way! Our tiny miracle is due to arrive in April 2026, and after a perfect 12-week scan, we’re now officially 13 weeks along.
At the age of 40, we’re finally going to be Dads. Every moment of waiting, hoping, and holding our breath has been worth it. It still feels surreal to say those words out loud, but our hearts are overflowing with love, gratitude, and pure excitement for the incredible journey ahead.
Our friends and family have been endlessly supportive throughout this entire journey, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We know there’s still a long road ahead, but we’re so excited to walk it together with Corrine, Aeron, and their wonderful kids.
Looking back on everything so far, the waiting, the heartbreaks, the hope, and the laughter, we realise this journey has shaped us in ways we never imagined. It’s taught us patience, resilience, and the power of connection. Most of all, it’s reminded us that family isn’t defined by genetics or geography but by love, trust, and shared dreams.
As we move into this next chapter of our team’s journey, preparing to welcome Little Baby Morris into the world, we feel nothing but gratitude. Gratitude for the lessons, the laughter, the late-night tears, and the unwavering support that carried us here, and most of all to Corrine and family. We know there’s still a journey ahead, but for the first time, it feels like we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.
Dan, Stu & #TeamGaby
We'll keep you posted on baby Morris' arrival! :)