An Australian man has made history after he became a single father via surrogacy for the first time.
In March 2022, 45-year-old Shaun Resni completed his three-and-a-half-year battle to welcome his child, Eli Michael, into the world.
Despite 100 babies being born to surrogates across the state each year, only altruistic, gestational surrogacy is legal in Victoria, meaning no payments other than expenses and two months of lost income can be exchanged.
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Under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008, parents must also be “infertile or unable to carry a baby or give birth, or there is a likely medical risk to the mother or baby if pregnancy is carried out.”
It is also stipulated that a surrogate can not use their own eggs.
Due to the complicated and strict nature of Victoria’s laws, Resnik is the first single father to have an application for surrogacy approved by the Patient Review Panel.
Speaking to 7Life, the father-of-one said, “It’s a love like I’ve never experienced before.”
As per the MailOnline, the 44-year-old was single when he began his journey to parenthood and joined a local surrogacy Facebook group.
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After enduring three unsuccessful surrogacy attempts with other women, he befriended Carla Pincombe, who later offered to carry his child.
Due to surrogates in Victoria being unable to use their own eggs, Resnik went on to meet mother-of-two Bree, who kindly donated one of hers to Pincombe.
“This is huge! It's time society got to see single gay men as dads,” he previously said. “I have always wanted to be a dad, I just didn't know how I was going to make it possible.”
Speaking about Eli Michael, who was named after the Australian man’s grandfather, he said: “He's a good bubba. As long as there is a bottle in his mouth he's calm, relaxed and chilled.
“But he has a scream that will pierce your soul! He's keeping us up at night and if I wasn't bald, I would have lost my hair already,” he joked to Sunrise.
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Elsewhere, the father said that he always ‘wanted to be a dad’ and was inspired by the ‘wonderful’ relationship he currently shares with his parents.
“Some of my fondest memories was growing for walks with my dad and the dogs and we just have this amazing bond.
“I just wanted to have that connection with my beautiful kids and that's why it was worth it. It was hard work but worth it.”
Resnik, who was single at the time Eli Michael was born, has also revealed that he is now in a relationship after ‘yearning for a family’.
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“I'm now in a relationship. He's just joined us on this journey. The house is full with two dogs, a baby and a partner. All of those dreams have come true.”
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/shaunresnikTopics: Parenting, Sex and Relationships, Pregnancy, Australia