A couple has a desire to have children - and the whole family helps with the implementation. In Omaha, a city in the US state of Nebraska, a grandmother gave birth to her own granddaughter at the age of 61.

On March 25, Uma Louise was born, as reported by several media, including CNN and NBC. Photos show her two fathers, Matthew Eledge and Elliot Dougherty, holding the little one in their arms.

The happiness of the gay couple made two women of her family possible: Dougherty's sister, Lea Yribe, donated her eggs, which were fertilized with sperm from Eledge. Then Eledge's mother, Cecile Reynek Eledge, carried the baby out.

In college, many offered to help with family planning, Matthew Eledge told TV channel CNN. But as soon as it got serious, many would have felt a great commitment.

photo gallery


6 pictures

Family from Nebraska: loan and grandmother at the same time

After Dougherty's sister offered to donate her eggs, the two men wondered where to find a surrogate mother. But Nebraska was a bit conservative and they were reluctant to involve agencies in their search, Eledge told NBC. Reason for that was a little bit their concern that they could be held as a gay couple.

"It was just unconditional love"

Eledge's mother had then offered to help the two: The 61-year-old proposed to be the surrogate mother of her baby. She would not have hesitated, said Cecile Reynek Eledge. "I was just excited to be part of her adventure, it was just unconditional love."

Her son was skeptical at first, he says. But after doctors had confirmed that his mother could still have a child at her age, they started family planning together. The men are more than happy that they have women of their family "who are selfless enough to do that," Eledge said.

What he will answer Uma Louise, how she came into the world, he already knows. "I'll tell her that Aunt Lea gave a piece of herself, she donated the seed (...) and her grandmother prepared the loving garden for her to flower."