A woman who had ten miscarriages and three stillbirths is determined to become single mum using a surrogate in Greece – months after she ‘cried herself to sleep’ because her relationship broke down while they were losing their 13th baby.
Samantha Rowe was eight years into a nightmare when her baby boy Cooper was born. Cooper was only 21 weeks old, too young to be outside of the womb.
Hudson was stillborn when he was 19 weeks old. Emma and Zoe were identical twins who tragically died in 2015 after becoming tangled up in their umbilical chords. Noah arrived in the world prematurely at 22 weeks.
Each year was dotted with miscarriages, so the Melbourne woman and her ex fiancée forked out $40,000 to use donor eggs in what they thought was a ‘miracle solution’ to their problem, but were left heartbroken when that pregnancy lasted only a week.
Now 42, the woman told Daily Mail Australia, that although she was happy when her third pregnancy test returned positive in November 2020, she experienced bleeding eight weeks later.
Samantha Rowe holding Noah, her baby boy. He was just 22 weeks old at the time.
Cooper was born at 21 weeks to Ms Rowe, who was then pregnant by Rowe. Cooper later died from complications.
As she lost her baby, her relationship with her fiancée broke down.
She said, “I was devastated.”
Ms Rowe claimed that breaking up was more painful than losing a child because even though they lost many children, they were still close.
“I thought that we were one team. However, then I lost him too and became alone.”
The woman, who couldn’t afford to rent their house, was left devastated and had to move into a tiny two-bedroom apartment.
Samantha Rowe (pictured), moved from the house she lived in with her ex-financee to her apartment.
Samantha and baby Noah are pictured in 2018 In 2018, Samantha was pictured with baby Noah.
This was at one of Melbourne’s Covid-19 lockdowns. She cried for three months, despite being able to keep her job as an executive secretary for a disability service.
She said, “I thought long about whether or not I would be willing to have children, and I also considered how important it was for me to make this my life.”
“The longer I kept that up, the more miserable I got.”
Even though she wasn’t able to use a surrogate woman as her single life, Ms Rowe said that “if I had $120,000 I could pay for a baby surrogate, it would be possible”.
Surrogacy Australia helped her connect with single parents and couples who were using a program from Greece that was designed for women who can’t have children.
Samantha asked Eleni, her best friend (pictured right with Samantha), to make biscuits for her boxes.
Samantha contributes time, money, and gifts for charities. Samantha is pictured helping to compile NICU cheer packs for parents of premature babies.
She said, “They held a meetup. I met with these families that all traveled to Greece. They brought back their joy-filled children and no regrets.”
“It has rekindled my passion, even though I pay a lot.”
Ms Rowe purchased an investment property prior to meeting her ex and must refinance the loan to cover $120,000 in surrogacy fees.
She explained that the prospective mom will be using donor eggs and embryos. However, she is confident that her child will love her.
The Greek courts could process her application as soon as February. This means that she may have a baby in her arms within a little over a year.
In the interim, Ms Rowe celebrates the births of her five stillborn children.
Samantha purchased her twins Emma and Zoe bicycles and helmets as a birthday gift. They were donated to charity.
Pictured are gifts for children who need them. Samantha sells used items throughout the year, and then donates to charity.
It depends on their age, she buys birthday gifts for them and then donates them to kids in need.
She said, “It’s very special to be in a position to purchase Noah’s first bicycle and know it will go to somebody who truly needs it.”
‘It doesn’t take away the pain but it does heal my heart a little.’
This hopeful mother also spends around $1000 per year on toys, gifts and other items to gift to children who can’t even afford shoes or uniforms at Christmas.
‘I try to buy as much as I can when it’s on sale. When I’m in the store I always check out what is on sale. Then I purchase as many as possible of those items and everything goes into a box until Christmas.
Ms Rowe started Memories of an Angel to help others who lost infants.
Photo: One of the samples in the gift box. Each item was carefully chosen by her.
She has been a ribbon supplier to stillbirth charities all around the world. A South Australian cemetery wanted her to help them send thousands of ribbons each week to families that had lost a child.
A new website for the company is being developed, which will include an online shop with items and keepsakes to be given as a gift to deceased infants.
However, her greatest accomplishment will be to launch a support package for parents who are grieving the loss of a baby.
She said, “It’s our first national pay-it forward program for infant loss survivors.”
Pictured is one of her favorite biscuits that she created to include in gift boxes for parents who have experienced infant loss.
“People have two options: they can buy a giftbox to give to hospitals or nominate someone to receive the box.
Ms Rowe stated that the package will contain a note with the death of the child, as parents often lose their children’s names in writing.
“Mums who leave hospital without their baby often have nothing to go with them, so that is what I focused on. They need something to comfort them and that acknowledges that they are a mom.
Ms Rowe stated that the launch was delayed by Covid but she hopes it will launch soon next year.