Parenting

Couple both give birth days apart after using same sperm donor they found on Facebook


Becky and Georgia fell pregnant in the same month and had their children 13 days apart (Picture: Triangle News)

Willow and Woody Ashford-Singer are siblings born 13 days apart – after their mums got pregnant at the same time through the same sperm donor, who the couple found on Facebook.

Becky Ashford-Singer, 28, was inseminated first, with wife Georgia falling pregnant six days later.

The pair had been trying for months, so were amazed when they eventually both had positive pregnancy tests four days apart.

Now, the pair are both enduring sleepless nights after becoming mums to 6lb 12oz Willow and 6lb 15oz Woody – born on April 11 and April 24.

Georgia said: ‘Our families constantly joked about how hilarious it would be if we got pregnant at the same time. It was an ongoing joke the entire way through.

‘Little did we know that would actually come true.’

The couple went to the same secondary school in Bristol but didn’t know each other well.

The Ashford-Singer family (Picture: Triangle News)

Becky left school and came out at 18, while Georgia dated men.

They met up as friends in 2017, and soon after, Georgia realised she liked Becky.

When they started dating, they talked about how they both wanted kids.

Georgia explained: ‘Becky has been desperate to have children from the age of 18.

‘Her sister has two kids and Becky is wonderful with them so she has always wanted to have children of her own, it was a really big thing for her.

Becky, Georgia, and Woody three hours after his birth (Picture: Triangle News)
Becky Ashford-Singer during her cesarian with Georgia and baby Willow (Picture: Triangle News)
Becky with baby willow (Picture: Triangle News)

‘She got to the point where she thought that if she didn’t meet someone she would do it by herself so looked into being a foster carer.

‘It was a conversation we had early on because I think Becky wanted to establish whether the relationship was worth her while.’

After a year together, they started looking at how they could become mums.

At first, they planned to use a sperm donors via a fertility clinic and as Georgia had suffered some thyroid-related health problems, they planned to take one of her eggs, fertilise it with a donor and implant it into Becky.

Becky and Georgia Ashford-Singer on their wedding day in Sept 2019 (Picture: Triangle News)

But looking at the costs, they were shocked that it would cost upwards of £6,000. The pair couldn’t afford it on Georgia’s salary as a district nursing healthcare assistant and Becky’s as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities.

Instead, they turned to Facebook group for donors and at the same time, they planned their wedding for September 2019 so both could be named on the birth certificate.

Georgia explained: ‘We wanted someone with no family history of illness, no STIs, and a high sperm count.

‘We didn’t do the whole blue eyes blonde hair thing, we didn’t really care about what they looked like physically.

‘Me and Becky are really opposite – I’m short with dark hair and fair skin and Becky has olive skin and blonde hair and blue eyes.

‘We’re two women so we’re under no illusion the baby would look like the other one anyway!’

When they found someone suitable, Becky tried insemination for months with no success.

Georgia and Becky Ashford-Singer at 35 and 36 weeks (Picture: Triangle News)
Becky and Georgia Ashford-Singer at 39 and 40 weeks (Picture: Triangle News)

They decided to start both trying to get pregnant with the donor, which went on for four or five further months, before they decided to go for tests on the NHS to check for fertility problems.

In the mean time, they swapped donors.

On Georgia’s second try with the new donor and Becky’s first, they both fell pregnant.

‘Becky found out she was pregnant first. She was five days late and the test came back pregnant on the Wednesday,’ Georgia said.

‘We were so wrapped up in her being pregnant that we hadn’t actually realised I felt different too.

‘I did a test first thing on the Sunday morning before I went to work and I remember leaving it on the kitchen side and thinking “I’m pretty sure that looks like two lines.”

‘It was that utter shock where you almost don’t say anything, you just carry on as normal.’

Becky added: ‘I was really happy but also really scared.

‘We were still in shock from the fact we were pregnant with one and we couldn’t believe there would be two.

Willow and Woody chilling out together (Picture: Triangle News)
Willow and Woody now (Picture: Triangle News)

‘Everything about it freaked me out to be honest but when we got it into our heads that it was actually happening we were quite excited.

‘We’d get maternity together, theyd always have a close sibling, they will start school together.

‘It was actually quite nice. It was kind of like having twins, just from different bodies.’

Their experiences of pregnancy were very different. Georgia had lots of symptoms and severe morning sickness but Becky felt normal throughout.

The pair were allowed to their 12-week scans together but after that had to go alone due to NHS covid regulations.

‘We were comparing notes all the time. It was amazing how we both felt so completely different,’ Georgia said.

Woody at one week old and Willow three weeks old sharing a Moses basket (Picture: Triangle News)

As Becky’s due date approached, the couple were shopping in Aldi when she went into labour.

Willow was born on her due date of April 11, following a cesarean after a 28-hour labour.

Then eight days after his due date, Georgia had baby Woody on April 24.

The pair have been on maternity leave together, sleep with separate cots at either side of their bed and each mum has even been able to feed both babies.

Georgia added: ‘It’s a bit like two single parents living together, but it works fine.

‘My bond with Willow is brilliant and it’s the same with Becky and Woody. We swap a little bit but they do settle better with their biological mum.’

The couple encourages others to consider finding donors themselves and they loved the experience.

The donor asked for updates when the babies were born but does not wish to be involved.

And they say they are forever grateful to him for allowing them to start a family
Georgia added: ‘It’s amazing that men do this out of the kindness of their hearts. It is lovely.’

Eloise Stonborough, Associate Director of Policy and Research at Stonewall, said: ‘At Stonewall, we want to see a world where all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are free to be themselves, and that includes the freedom to start a family.

‘Accessible, inclusive and fair fertility services should be available to everyone who needs them but LGBTQ+ people too-often face barriers accessing NHS-funded care.

‘Research shows that same-sex couples looking to start a family often face a ‘postcode lottery’ for services, as well as lack of funding meaning that they need to rely on private healthcare which is expensive and inaccessible to many.

‘The NHS and Government must ensure that every LGBTQ+ person who wants to start a family has the support they need and we’ll keep working towards a world where all LGBTQ+ people who want to, can start a family of their own.’

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