I've been a surrogate twice, and helping someone else build their family gives me overwhelming joy. Here's what the process is like.

Katherine Reinhart has been pregnant twice with surrogate babies.

Courtesy of Katherine Reinhart

German politician Jens Spahn resigned after announcing he had a baby via a surrogate in the US. It's brought surrogacy back into the headlines as it's illegal in Germany, but legal in the US. This story is based on an interview with Katherine Reinhart, 31, a stay-at-home mom with three children from Midwest Ohio. It has been edited for length and clarity.Five years ago, a close friend confided in me that she was battling infertility. It was heartbreaking to hear her story.She longed for a baby, while I was lucky enough to have three children, who are now 12, 8, and 6.Each pregnancy had been easy for me, and I enjoyed the whole nine months. My friend eventually decided on adoption, and her delight about growing her family got me thinking about helping other couples start a family.My husband was supportiveI knew some other women who had been surrogate moms, and in June 2022, I reached out to the Ohio-based agency Carrying Dreams because I knew the owner, Emily Westerfield, through mutual friends.Of course, I consulted my husband, Jordan, a 31-year-old machinist, first. He was apprehensive. Then, after doing some online research and seeing how passionate I was, he was supportive.The intake involved filling out a lot of forms about what I expected from the experience. They asked if I wanted a relationship with the intended parents, known as IPs, and the baby, and the type of delivery I'd want to have.