Grandmother, 56, Who Gave Birth to Son and Daughter-In-Law’s Baby Has Never Felt ‘More Loved’ By Her Husband

“This experience has truly changed us and sealed our relationship,” Nancy Hauck, who served as a surrogate for her son and his wife, tells PEOPLE

When Nancy Hauck, 56, volunteered to serve as a surrogate for her son and his wife, it had been over two decades since she had welcomed a child. Her husband, Jason Hauck, was immediately touched by her selflessness — although he admits he had some fears in the back of his mind. But after nine months of foot rubs and support, he was right there by her side as she gave birth to Jeff and Cambria’s daughter Hannah on Nov. 2.

“The past year has forever changed me,” Jason, 59, tells PEOPLE. “The love I have for my beautiful wife has never been stronger.”

Nancy agrees that “this experience has truly changed us and sealed our relationship.”

Jason and Nancy Hauck with baby Hannah. SHALLI ALDRED

“I have never felt more close, more loved, or more understood by Jason,” she says. “It has brought out the best and most noble traits in each of us.”

Nancy, an associate provost at Utah Tech University, first brought up surrogacy about a month and a half after Cambria, 30, had a hysterectomy following the birth of twin sons Diesel and Luca in 2021.

Although her own life was on the line, Cambria says deciding to undergo the procedure “was a hard choice.”

It took four years of fertility treatments before the couple conceived their first children — twin girls Vera and Ayva, now 4 — with the help of IVF. In one round, they were able to fertilize seven embryos, so the couple knew that having the procedure would mean they might not be able to “use all of our embryos.”

However, ultimately they “both decided that we would just move forward in faith,” she says.

When Nancy broached the subject with her son, 33, she didn’t think it would be possible due to her age, but she “wanted Jeff to know that I would have been willing to do it.”

The following day, when she brought it up with her husband, Jason says he was “really touched,” but ultimately “didn’t think it would be an option” either.

“But we were so blessed that it was,” adds the optometrist and author.

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A few weeks later, Jeff and Cambria agreed to discuss it with their fertility specialist at an upcoming appointment. There, they learned that so long as Nancy was healthy and willing to do it, surrogacy wasn’t off the table.

Although it is “unusual for a mother to carry her grandchild,” Dr. Russell Foulk — who supervised and implanted the embryos that resulted in both of Cambria’s pregnancies, and did the same for her mother-in-law — says that “age is really not the limiting” factor.

“Really, it goes to health,” he shares, explaining that with age, there’s a higher chance of having “more medical problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.”

Fortunately, Nancy got a clean bill of health from her OB-GYN, and so on Feb. 17, the embryo transfer took place — and just six days later, her pregnancy test came back positive.

Hauck family. LAURA SHEPPARD

Of course, Nancy and Jason had their concerns.

“While I had the least to risk and sacrifice in our gestational journey, the fear that I might lose my wife over her selfless act lingered in the back of my mind,” says Jason, who says they “did a lot of research.”

Meanwhile for Nancy, her “greatest fear was that I would lose the baby and feel that I had taken the chance for that baby’s life because of my age.”

“But as we began our journey, my worries calmed and I marveled at her determination, grit, and love,” Jason adds.

In the process, the couple found that their relationship deepened. “Each day seemed like a small miracle as Nancy’s sacrifice took shape,” Jason says. “Our connection grew, and our love expanded. Even a simple touch was filled with love and acceptance.”

Although the couple had welcomed five children together, the pregnancy experience felt completely different this time around.

“When you’re young,” he explains, “you don’t really appreciate it.”

“But now, our children are grown, we have our grandchildren, this just means so much more,” he adds.

Jason and Nancy Hauck. SHALLI ALDRED

As they spent time together, the couple also developed some nightly routines.

“She gets a foot, leg rub every night when we’re watching The Great British Baking Show, and just a lot of care,” says Jason.

“He’s been amazing,” Jeff adds of his father.

And while Cambria says there’s “no way that we can really repay Nancy and Jason for this miracle,” she and her husband cooked them dinner every week and always offered to help clean.

“I’ve never been this spoiled in my whole life,” says Nancy.

(L-R) Jason Hauck, Nancy Hauck, Baby Hannah, Cambria Hauck and Jeff Hauck. SHALLI ALDRED

When it was finally time for baby Hannah’s arrival, Nancy had her family by her side, supporting her every step of the way.

“I held Nancy’s hand as she gave birth to each of our five beautiful children,” Jason says. “This time she had a team of support with Jeff and Cambria holding and helping her through the contractions.”

“Love and tenderness filled that delivery room,” he adds.

“After just three pushes, sweet Hannah was born,” he recalls. “She was flawless. With a perfectly shaped head full of dark hair, she wasted no time opening her eyes and looking around.”

In addition to deepening his relationship with his wife, Jason says his “appreciation for the miracle of life, something we take for granted, has never been greater.”

“It is what we do, how we live, and how much we love that makes this life special,” he adds.

Sources:people.com