The gift of giving has a whole different meaning for me after speaking with Airdrie resident Carmen Fuller.

Fuller is expecting her fourth baby mid-March for an international couple she has met once at a fertility clinic south of the border.

The unborn baby girl will be raised by her two dads and sister who was also born through surrogacy. Fuller, a doula by trade has always been fascinated by the world of surrogacy. "As a birth doula of the past nine years, this has come up every now and then and I always felt it would be a cool thing to do as an extension of how I have helped people and their families."

With her own youngest child almost six, she decided timing was right. "If I want to do it, now is the time because I don't want to be much older and pregnant."

Camen's husband and children have been very supportive of her personal decision. While all three kids have enjoyed watching her belly grow and the baby kick there is no confusion in regards to who the baby will be going home with. "They understand we're just helping out another family to have a baby that can't have one."

There is no genetic tie to Carmen as she was implanted with one of the couple's preexisting embryos. "It's not a part of me at all, I am just the host for a little while."

Many inquiries have been made surrounding Carmen's ability to cut ties with the baby she is carrying. "I have no attachment whatsoever and I know that's weird to say. It's different because I don't spend any time thinking about it. With all my other kids' during the pregnancies, there is so much you think about what you're going to do when the baby's born, stuff you need to get, names and the finances, and all the life changes that come around having a baby." Fuller shares without having to worry about the long-term details, she is able to concentrate on making sure she is just healthy as well as the baby she is carrying. 

Keeping herself in emotional check will help as she draws nearer her due date. While she can try to prepare herself as much as she can, she knows she won't be fully prepared. "Your body knows one thing and your mind knows the other, as much as my mind knows this is going to be fine my body will be like...wait. So many people want to know how am I going to be able to just give the baby away? But I'm not giving the baby away, I am just giving it back. It was never mine, to begin with. There's never been a chance that it was ever going to be our's so there is none of that thinking process."

Fuller and the couple decided early on they will remain in long-term contact and continue their relationship.

There is no financial gain for surrogacy in Canada, besides making sure any pregnancy associated costs are covered. Fuller has been working with an agency that handles the finer details.

Carmen looks forward to having the international couple join her in early March as she prepares to birth their awaited child. "They will be here in Calgary beginning of March and we can have some time to hang out and get photos, sightseeing and connections done."

Looking to enhance awareness around the notion of surrogacy and the different ways to create a family, Carmen, would be happy to answer questions regarding her journey carm_king@msn.com