Four surgeries and three egg retrievals later,
The Young and the Restless star Michelle Stafford finally arrived at the surrogate option and is now expecting a baby girl.
Stafford, 43, who plays scheming Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime drama for which she has won two Emmy awards, has never considered being single as a hindrance from starting her own family, just like Kate Jackson, Calista Flockhart and Diane Keaton, single celebrities who adopted to become mothers. "I never wavered in my desire to be a mother,"
The Young and the Restless actress tells
People. "But I did waiver on aspects of the process. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."
"After a three-year journey through hell, I'm elated, ecstatic and feel ultimately lucky to be able to announce I'm expecting my own child via surrogate in December," Stafford says in a statement.
Before deciding at the surrogate option, Stafford has tried artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and also looked into adopting. Stafford, who worked with Los Angeles-based IVF specialist Dr. Buylos and the surrogate agency Fertility Miracles, intends to be in the delivery room when her daughter is born later this year.
Stafford may be getting the child she wished for but that doesn't mean she's no longer in need of a partner. In fact, she's ready to dip into the dating world but not without some adjustments.
"This entire process has been very, very difficult to do on my own," Stafford said, "and has made me realize the importance and reason for a partner. Dating men and telling them I'm expecting in December is a little different. I know I just need to find someone who wants the same things as I do."
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist(Image courtesy of CBS)