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More and More Older, Single Men Are Becoming Dads Now (Like Andy Cohen)
The Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host announced his big news last week.
What's a baby at 50? No biggie these days — even for single men. Take Andy Cohen, who announced on December 20 that he is going to be a father with the help of a surrogate. The Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host spilled the beans on the show, saying, "In about six weeks time, I'm going to become a father thanks to a wonderful surrogate who is carrying my future." Mazel!
For now, he's been enjoying some downtime with his dog, Wacha. "Patiently waiting..." he captioned a Christmas Eve pic of the two.
"There are many reasons why some men don’t start a family in their 20s or 30s. But it’s not too late to have a child, even if you don’t have a wife or a female partner? Single men who want to have a biological child of their own, both gay and straight, are starting to turn to IVF and surrogacy," reports WINfertility, an organization which assists men in becoming single fathers.
It's not a simple process — basically, a single man who wants to be a dad needs an egg donor, a gestational surrogate to carry the child, and IVF to make fertilization of the egg and transfer of the embryo possible. There are hormones to take, sperm to donate, tests to undergo, egg testing to be done, contracts to be signed. It can be a years-long process. Which means that if you do it, you really want it.
Some things to consider:
Why do you want to be a father?
"For many, the urge of wanting and having a baby is a developmental task. It's part of human nature to want to have a baby," says New York City-based therapist Liz Lasky. "As times change, and the idea of 'family' evolves, more and more people are having babies on their own."
Lasky says that for most of the people she works with, they originally want to have a baby, but want to have a baby with a partner. "Sometimes, when having a partner isn't a reality for them, having a baby on their own outweighs the desire for partnership or marriage," she says.
It's a big deal (obvi).
Having a baby on one's own can certainly be an undertaking but it is one that often comes with a lot of thought and preparation," Lasky says.
Your bank account.
Is money important to raise a kid? "No, but resources can help single parents a lot," Liz explains. "Having someone to count on, like a nanny, babysitter, or baby nurse can help any parent, especially one going at it alone."
While Andy has all the resources he needs, it's really possible for anyone who wants to go it alone — if you know what you're getting into.
