Single Mom Welcomes Twins After Finding Sperm Donor Through Facebook: 'We Actually Became Quite Good Friends'
"At the sperm bank, you can only meet them when your child turns 18," said mom of two Sarah Mangat, adding that she "wanted to know the person before that"
A Canadian woman welcomed twins after finding a sperm donor in an unusual way: on Facebook.
Sarah Mangat, 34, began her motherhood journey alone in July 2020, according to SWNS. She initially hoped to work with a sperm bank, but said the process was "too impersonal" for her liking.
So, Sarah took her search to social media. Soon, she came across a Facebook group called "Canadian Sperm Donors," where she connected with one potential donor in particular.
"At the sperm bank, you can only meet them when your child turns 18," she said. "But I wanted to know the person before that."
Sarah and the sperm donor, who also underwent genetic testing and STI checks, met in person for the first time in Feb. 2021. "Of course, I was a bit wary of meeting someone from online," she said. Fortunately, their meeting went well.
That November, Sarah was "delighted" to learn that she was pregnant with twins. "I nearly had a heart attack when they told me there was two," she said, per SWNS.
But the pregnancy came with complications. Sarah said she was told she was at risk for premature birth or miscarriage due to her short cervix.
However, her sperm donor was with her every step of the way. "We actually became quite good friends," she said, "because he stuck with me through all my fertility issues."
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Despite having a cervical stitch to prevent it from opening early, Sarah went into premature labor last April.
Elora and Addison were born at just 27 weeks on April 30, 2022 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Both babies had a collection of health problems, including underdeveloped lungs, heart defects, jaundice, infections, and brain bleeds,
Doctors did all they could to save the newborns' lives. Sarah said Addison "had to be resuscitated" at one point, "which was terrifying."
The babies remained in the hospital for more than two months: Elora was discharged after 70 days, while Addison remained in doctors' care for an additional nine days.
The twins required a breathing machine for the first few months of their lives, and Sarah was only able to hold them "for a few hours a day" while they were hospitalized.
Related:Formerly Conjoined Twins, 6 Months, Get Their Own Baby Shower at Home: 'Everything's Good,' Says Mom
"Every day, I left the hospital at 5 p.m. and go home to an empty house," she said. "That was a difficult part about doing it by myself."
Though the twins' time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was "traumatic," Sarah is thrilled that they survived the ordeal.
It might not have been a conventional journey, but the mom of two is happy with where she is at.
"You can't wait forever for the right person to come into your life," she said. "If you're thinking about doing it alone, I say do it. It's the best decision I ever made."
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