Someone Else's Child: A Surrogate's Story

One woman's true story of giving the greatest gift of all

In her late thirties, with three children of her own, Sue Phillips chose to carry a baby for a couple who were unable to conceive. She didn't do it for money, or because they asked her to, or because she wanted the baby herself. She did it because she couldn't bear being in a position to help them and doing nothing.

Sue charts her unique journey: from the initial decision with her husband and children to leaping through bureaucratic hoops, grappling with legal complexities and ethical considerations, facing the challenges of becoming pregnant, and managing the conflict with her school employer. Often desperate for information and profoundly isolated, Sue still found comfort – and humour – in the most unlikely places.

In this powerful memoir, Sue faces up to the emotional truth of what it is to become a surrogate – the joy of giving, the complexity of relationships, the personal repercussions, the legal minefield of deciding whose child this was.

With a thought-provoking mix of the political and the personal – from someone who actually experienced the surrogacy process – this book is illuminating, challenging and incredibly moving.