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American Morning
Woman Gives Birth to Twin Granddaughters
Aired October 18, 2002 - 08:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We have something different in our House Call today. Our next guest has done what very few women have done. She actually gave birth to her own twin granddaughters. You heard us right. Sharon Dunn was the surrogate for her daughter, Trish, who could conceive, but not bear children. The twins, young Kaitlin and Shelby, are being called a miracle by the family, and the whole family joins us this morning from Sturgis, South Dakota.
Grandmother and surrogate mom Sharon Dunn, her daughter, Trish Roberts, her husband, the twin's father, Mike Roberts, and the babies of course.
Good morning. Thanks for joining us. Congratulations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
ZAHN: Trish, how are the babies doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're doing great. They have very healthy appetites. They like to sleep when they want and be awake when we want them to sleep.
ZAHN: So, dad, have you gotten any sleep at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I've gotten a little.
ZAHN: Yes, well, it's going to be like that for about the next three months. This a little warning from a mother of three here.
Sharon, let's talk about how all of this happened. It had been 23 years since you had your last child, and, now, you've just successfully gone through this pregnancy. What was it like?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it was a little different than when I carried my youngest, Serena. It's been quite a few years, and two babies, it makes a big difference as opposed to one. But it was really a good pregnancy. I never had morning sickness, never had any major problems, never got put on bed rest, carried to 37 weeks, and we just kind of sailed through it. We did really well, I think, so.
ZAHN: Sharon, you've known since Trish was 14 that she was not going to be able to carry a child. How long had you thought about giving this extraordinary gift to her and to Mike?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When Trisha was diagnosed, the day we came home to tell her that she would never be able to carry a child, I told her at that time that if the good Lord was willing, I would carry for her when she was ready, and then her sister, Trina, who was 12 at the time, told her if I couldn't do it, she would do it for her. So we've always knew this is what we wanted to do if we were able to do it.
ZAHN: Trish, before you went this option, I know you tried a bunch of different things, none of which worked. How -- I know this is probably very difficult to put this into words, but how grateful are you to your mother that you and Mike have these two beautiful gifts from your mom?
TRISH ROBERTS, TWINS'S BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: There is no words to describe it. I've tried, but I just -- there are no words. She has given us something that nobody ever could, and it's the most amazing thing in the world and the most precious thing.
ZAHN: It's just beautiful. We haven't taken our eyes off these babies for the last five minutes. Sharon, I know you've given Trish some advice on motherhood, and I think this is extraordinarily beautiful. You have said that carrying a baby under your heart does not make you a mom, it's carrying a baby or a child in your heart that makes you a mom. Pretty powerful words of wisdom, right, Trish? You have a tough act to follow there.
ROBERTS: Yes, it is.
ZAHN: How much of a role is Sharon going to play in raising these children?
ROBERTS: Well, she says the one thing about being a grandmother is she can take them and spoil them and give them right back.
ZAHN: That is the greatest thing about being a grandmother.
Mike, as you went through this process, I know that you had highs and some lows. Kind of walk us through the emotional roller coaster you must have been on as Sharon went through this pregnancy for you and Trish.
MIKE ROBERTS, TWINS BIOLOGICAL FATHER: Well, it was different. You know, you never anticipate anything like this. It was just -- it was so wonderful. The Air Force did the whole procedure for us. And Sharon did great. She took care of herself, and here is the result.
ZAHN: Well, you can tell from talking with you all, these babies will be surrounded by an abundance of love. We just wanted to congratulate you all again and thank you for sharing your story with us.
You know, with everything awful that's going on in the news, this is such a nice thing to celebrate.
Sharon Dunn, Trish and Mike Roberts, congratulations and, hey, Kaitlin and Shelby, why don't you sleep a little and give your parents a break. I remember those sleepless nights those first couple of months, so I can't imagine having two of them at one time. So continued good luck to you all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
ZAHN: And thanks again for getting up at a very early hour there to join us this morning. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 18, 2002 - 08:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We have something different in our House Call today. Our next guest has done what very few women have done. She actually gave birth to her own twin granddaughters. You heard us right. Sharon Dunn was the surrogate for her daughter, Trish, who could conceive, but not bear children. The twins, young Kaitlin and Shelby, are being called a miracle by the family, and the whole family joins us this morning from Sturgis, South Dakota.
Grandmother and surrogate mom Sharon Dunn, her daughter, Trish Roberts, her husband, the twin's father, Mike Roberts, and the babies of course.
Good morning. Thanks for joining us. Congratulations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
ZAHN: Trish, how are the babies doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're doing great. They have very healthy appetites. They like to sleep when they want and be awake when we want them to sleep.
ZAHN: So, dad, have you gotten any sleep at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I've gotten a little.
ZAHN: Yes, well, it's going to be like that for about the next three months. This a little warning from a mother of three here.
Sharon, let's talk about how all of this happened. It had been 23 years since you had your last child, and, now, you've just successfully gone through this pregnancy. What was it like?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it was a little different than when I carried my youngest, Serena. It's been quite a few years, and two babies, it makes a big difference as opposed to one. But it was really a good pregnancy. I never had morning sickness, never had any major problems, never got put on bed rest, carried to 37 weeks, and we just kind of sailed through it. We did really well, I think, so.
ZAHN: Sharon, you've known since Trish was 14 that she was not going to be able to carry a child. How long had you thought about giving this extraordinary gift to her and to Mike?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When Trisha was diagnosed, the day we came home to tell her that she would never be able to carry a child, I told her at that time that if the good Lord was willing, I would carry for her when she was ready, and then her sister, Trina, who was 12 at the time, told her if I couldn't do it, she would do it for her. So we've always knew this is what we wanted to do if we were able to do it.
ZAHN: Trish, before you went this option, I know you tried a bunch of different things, none of which worked. How -- I know this is probably very difficult to put this into words, but how grateful are you to your mother that you and Mike have these two beautiful gifts from your mom?
TRISH ROBERTS, TWINS'S BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: There is no words to describe it. I've tried, but I just -- there are no words. She has given us something that nobody ever could, and it's the most amazing thing in the world and the most precious thing.
ZAHN: It's just beautiful. We haven't taken our eyes off these babies for the last five minutes. Sharon, I know you've given Trish some advice on motherhood, and I think this is extraordinarily beautiful. You have said that carrying a baby under your heart does not make you a mom, it's carrying a baby or a child in your heart that makes you a mom. Pretty powerful words of wisdom, right, Trish? You have a tough act to follow there.
ROBERTS: Yes, it is.
ZAHN: How much of a role is Sharon going to play in raising these children?
ROBERTS: Well, she says the one thing about being a grandmother is she can take them and spoil them and give them right back.
ZAHN: That is the greatest thing about being a grandmother.
Mike, as you went through this process, I know that you had highs and some lows. Kind of walk us through the emotional roller coaster you must have been on as Sharon went through this pregnancy for you and Trish.
MIKE ROBERTS, TWINS BIOLOGICAL FATHER: Well, it was different. You know, you never anticipate anything like this. It was just -- it was so wonderful. The Air Force did the whole procedure for us. And Sharon did great. She took care of herself, and here is the result.
ZAHN: Well, you can tell from talking with you all, these babies will be surrounded by an abundance of love. We just wanted to congratulate you all again and thank you for sharing your story with us.
You know, with everything awful that's going on in the news, this is such a nice thing to celebrate.
Sharon Dunn, Trish and Mike Roberts, congratulations and, hey, Kaitlin and Shelby, why don't you sleep a little and give your parents a break. I remember those sleepless nights those first couple of months, so I can't imagine having two of them at one time. So continued good luck to you all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
ZAHN: And thanks again for getting up at a very early hour there to join us this morning. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
