Mother-of-eight, 50, reveal she offered to act as a surrogate for her daughter

A mother-of-eight is pregnant with her own grandchild after discovering her daughter was struggling with infertility.

Chalise Smith, 50, from Utah, offered to be a surrogate for her daughter Kaitlyn Munoz, 24, after she was told she could no longer have children due to a devastating auto-immune disease.

Kaitlyn, who lives in El Paso, Texas, was diagnosed in 2019 with disease that attacks healthy parts of her body called Sjogren’s Syndrome, and she also suffers from endometriosis -a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tube.

She was lucky enough to conceive her first born Callahan, now two, through IVF, before being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome.

Now, Chalise, who lives in Utah, is pregnant with IVF with Kaitlyn’s second child, a girl, who is due to be born in May. 

Chalise Smith, 50, offered to be a surrogate for her daughter Kaitlyn Munoz, 24, after she was told she could no longer have children due to a devastating auto-immune disease. This means Chalies is now pregnant with her own grandchild 

The mother-of-eight was heartbroken when her daughter Kaitlyn, 24, (right) was diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome

The mother-of-eight was heartbroken when her daughter Kaitlyn, 24, (right) was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome

Kaitlyn said: ‘In 2019, I was already struggling with infertility because of my endometriosis, and had been trying for three years to have children to no avail.;

The stay-at-home-mother and her husband Miguel, 30, a law graduate, decided to go ahead with an IVF round that resulted in four embryos.

‘I had two embryos implanted which resulted in my son Callahan being born,’ Kaityln explained.

‘The pregnancy was going really well, until I had a flare up at 30 weeks which lead to my diagnosis.

Kaitlyn, centre in the dotted dres, with her siblings, from left to right: Colby 27, Chloe 16, Cambrie 11, Janessa 13, Jessica 28, Kaylee 19, Jaxon 21

Kaitlyn, centre in the dotted dres, with her siblings, from left to right: Colby 27, Chloe 16, Cambrie 11, Janessa 13, Jessica 28, Kaylee 19, Jaxon 21

‘I was told by health professionals that it wouldn’t be safe to carry anymore children.

‘I was crushed, it’s always been my dream to have a big family, it’s been my dream to be a mother with lots of kids ever since I was a young girl.’

Chalise, an entertainment farm owner of Hee Haw Farms in Utah, was devastated when Kaitlyn told her the news.

‘In October 2019, Kaitlyn came to visit me whilst pregnant with Callahan, as we live in different states,’ Chalise recalled.

‘On her way home, she had issues breathing and got extremely tight chested and was told that she had pleurisy inflammation in her lungs.

Kaitlyn with her husband Miguel, left, at the gender reveal party they had for their second pregnancy, where they announced they are expecting a girl

Kaitlyn with her husband Miguel, left, at the gender reveal party they had for their second pregnancy, where they announced they are expecting a girl 

Kaitlyn also used her gender reveal party to announce that her mother was acting as her surrogate

Kaitlyn also used her gender reveal party to announce that her mother was acting as her surrogate 

‘Two weeks later, she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s, something which she had actually had since she was 16 but was never correctly diagnosed.

‘She was incredibly lucky to carry Callahan to an almost full term, as Sjogren’s often causes early miscarriages.

‘I thought for a long time about how she wouldn’t be able to have any more children.

‘I kept my thoughts to myself while I made sure I wasn’t making an emotional decision to be a surrogate and knew it was the right thing to do.

Chalise enjoys a close relationship with Kaitlyn, and immediately offered to be her surrogate after she was diagnosed with the condition in 2019

Chalise enjoys a close relationship with Kaitlyn, and immediately offered to be her surrogate after she was diagnosed with the condition in 2019

‘But a few months after she told me, I gave her a call and offered to be her surrogate.

‘She was in shock at the idea as she had just been sitting in her car waiting for her son to wake up wondering how she’d be able to have more children.

‘My call was like a moment of fate for both of us and the beginning of our journey’

After having eight perfect pregnancies of her own, Chalise saw no other option than to offer to be her daughter’s surrogate after watching her dreams be broken.

Chalise said: ‘I told Kaitlyn that everyone needed to be 100 per cent on board, Kyle, Miguel, and Kaitlyn herself.

Kaitlyn, pictured during her pregnancy announcement,

Due to her age, Chalise, right, admitted she had to go through a lot of health checks before she could become a surrogate

Due to her age, Chalise, right, admitted she had to go through a lot of health checks before she could become a surrogate for Kaitlyn, pictured during her pregnancy announcement, 

‘I was already 100 per cent in, but if there were any single doubts from anyone involved in the decision, I didn’t want to keep pushing.

‘Everyone agreed and my husband was 110 per cent with me all the way through.

‘With my age, I had to go through a lot of health checks before I could get the all clear for becoming a surrogate.

‘But once we were given the all clear, I had two embryos implanted in September, and that has resulted in me now being pregnant with my granddaughter.’

Kaitlyn dreams to have a big family like her mom.

Chalise pictured during her surrogate pregnancy announcement

The mother-of-eight said she was 100 per cent sure about her decision to be a surrogate for Kaitlyn and is now expecting her granddaughter for May, right

Chalise pictured during her pregnancy announcement, right. The mother-of-eight said she was 100 per cent sure about her decision to be a surrogate for Kaitlyn and is now expecting her granddaughter for May, right 

Mother-of-eight Chalise wearing matching Christmas jumpers with Kaitlyn as a toddler in the 90s

Mother-of-eight Chalise wearing matching Christmas jumpers with Kaitlyn as a toddler in the 90s

Kaitlyn got pregnant with her first son Callahan via IVF before she was diagnosed with the condition

Pictured with Callhan, who is now two, and her husband Miguel

Kaitlyn got pregnant with her first son Callahan via IVF before she was diagnosed with the condition. Pictured with Callhan and Miguel 

Toddler Callahan is very excited to soon meet his baby sister. Kaitlyn admitted Chalise's offer to be her surrogate came as a shock

Toddler Callahan is very excited to soon meet his baby sister. Kaitlyn admitted Chalise’s offer to be her surrogate came as a shock

Kaitlyn said: ‘I was so shocked when my mom offered to be my surrogate, she’s always been so supportive of what I want to do in life and my dreams of having a big family.

‘I know that all of her pregnancies went perfectly and that she is extremely healthy, so I never doubted that there would be any issues with her being my surrogate.”

Kaitlyn’s daughter is due in May, and the whole of the Munoz and Smith family are extremely excited for her arrival.

Chalise said: ‘I’m super excited to see my granddaughter for the first time.

‘I think the highlight of the whole surrogacy experience will be seeing my daughter’s face light up as she welcomes her own daughter into the world alongside me.

‘In my heart and soul, I just see this picture of having a beautiful girl for my daughter and her husband.

‘They’ve longed for this so much, to see the joy and love in their faces on their arrival will fill my heart.’

Mother and daughter both sporting florals a few years ago. Kaitlyn, left, said Chalise has always been supportive of her dream to have a big family

Mother and daughter both sporting florals a few years ago. Kaitlyn, left, said Chalise has always been supportive of her dream to have a big family

Chalise checked that her husband Kyle, Kaitlyn's father, was on board before she went on to be a surrogate for her daughter

Chalise checked that her husband Kyle, Kaitlyn’s father, was on board before she went on to be a surrogate for her daughter 

The mother-of-eight when she was in her 30s carrying Kaitlyn when she was just a baby in the 1990s

The mother-of-eight when she was in her 30s carrying Kaitlyn when she was just a baby in the 1990s 

Chalise with Kaitlyn when she was a teenager. Chalise said the highlight of the surrogacy will be to see her daughter's face light up when the baby is born

Chalise with Kaitlyn when she was a teenager. Chalise said the highlight of the surrogacy will be to see her daughter’s face light up when the baby is born 

The mother-of-eight with Kaitlyn and two of her older siblinbs in hospital after she gave birth to her middle daughter

The mother-of-eight with Kaitlyn and two of her older siblinbs in hospital after she gave birth to her middle daughter 

Kyle, Kaitlyn and Chalise when Kaitlyn was a teenager. Kaitlyn's daughter will be Chalise's newest grandchild

Kyle, Kaitlyn and Chalise when Kaitlyn was a teenager. Kaitlyn’s daughter will be Chalise’s newest grandchild 

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk