Photo:courtesy harper grae
courtesy harper grae
Harper Graeis a mom of three!
Son Gresham Castle Gates was born on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 5:53 p.m., weighing 7 lbs., 4 oz., and measuring 20 ½ inches long.
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“Dawn and I began our Reciprocal IVF journey in the spring of 2020. I always knew I wanted to carry my partner’s child, so we began to look for a donor and started the process of harvesting her eggs for fertilization,” Grae tells PEOPLE.
“After a few tests, we found out it would be safer for me to carry my biological child first and then do RIVF after,” she explains, referring to the pregnancy which resulted in daughterDeclan Monroe, now 22 months.
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Though they are grateful for the results, Grae called the process “grueling,” adding, “Fertility treatment is no joke.”
“I was taking shots right before walking on stage to perform night after night. Thank the good higher being that I have such a committed partner who was with me for every one of them, minus three where my best friend, Abigail Berard, stepped in for her.”
Though she admits she had “a ton of anxiety building up for the process,” after experiencing a pregnancy loss in the past, Grae says this pregnancy was a “breeze in comparison to my pregnancy with Declan.”
“However I battled double kidney infections and passing kidney stones during the last four months, which made for an interesting journey.”
“I am still processing this birth story, as I experienced some scary complications, but I will say it is crucial to have an OBGYN that you trust,” she says of welcoming Gresham. “I could never say enough about Dr. Iwelu and how she stayed calm during my post-labor difficulties and continuously made me feel safe.”
Harper Grae’s son Gresham.courtesy harper grae
Through it all, Grae, who cited “many reasons” for keeping the pregnancy quiet says she had the “support and stability that my wife offered every day and night.”
In October, Grae chatted with PEOPLE about being one of few LGBTQ artists in the country space, along withJenna DeVries.
“Being LGBTQ artists in the country space in Nashville is who we are,” Grae told PEOPLE. “It’s not even something that’s this conversation point anymore, which is such a beautiful space to be in. It’s just about supporting and uplifting women.”
When it comes to life as a mom, Grae hopes to share those ideals, no matter what. But time is moving quickly, she noted.
“I didn’t know what to expect having a kid,” admitted Grae. “She’s my first one, so I didn’t know how fast it goes. All of a sudden, she’s walking and she’s saying words like, ‘I love you, Mama.'”
“She’s incredible and she is fiery and she’s just incredible,” Grae raved at the time. “She is really smart, and she loves music.”
source: people.com
