Paris Hilton surprises with a baby via surrogacy
Congratulations to socialite and businesswoman Paris Hilton and husband Carter Reum on the birth of their first baby. It came as no surprise to us when Paris revealed the news this week that they had a boy via a surrogate.
When Paris married long term friend, businessman Carter Reum in a lavish wedding held at her grandfather’s Bel-Air estate in November 2021, they both made it clear they were trying for a baby straight away. It’s rumoured Paris underwent unsuccessful IVF after the wedding.
Their success via surrogacy was announced on Instagram, which included a photo of her clutching the hand of her cute new baby. “You are already loved beyond words” wrote Hilton, followed by a blue heart emoji.
So who inspired Paris to use a surrogate?
It’s believed she took advice from her friend Kim Kardashian who has had two babies via surrogacy.
Kim conceived and carried her first child – daughter North, nine – naturally, and had her second child – son Saint, seven – via IVF. It’s believed she used Beverly Hills IVF ‘magician’ Dr. Andy Huang.
Due to high-risk and difficult pregnancies, she decided to opt for surrogacy to have daughter Chicago, five, and son Psalm, now three.
She discussed her idea to have a surrogate during the filming of her reality show ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’, and was clearly very nervous about the first surrogacy journey. It obviously went well because she was a lot more confident about her decision to have a follow up journey the second time.
Her sister Khloe Kardashian also had a difficult pregnancy with her daughter True, now aged 4, so opted for a surrogate to have a second child, a boy in August 2022, with now ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson. The new arrival came just months after the former couple sadly split due to infidelity on the part of the NBA star because of the birth of his then third child with another woman.
With positive surrogacy experiences to draw on, it’s therefore not surprising that the 42-year-old Paris realised this was probably her best option of successfully conceiving.
The new baby will be the latest addition to a very illustrious family, with her great-grandfather being the hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels.
Her husband Carter Reum also comes from a successful family with his father running Chicago based global manufacturer, Amsted Industries.
Carter followed his lead, graduating from New York’s Columbia University in 2003 with a degree in business and managerial economics. Today he runs several successful companies including investment firm M13 and alcohol brand VEEV Spirits.
The venture capitalist is already dad to a daughter whom he shares with former reality star Laura Bellizzi, and has made no secret of his desire to expand his brood.
Family has always been very important to him, and he chose to go into business with his brother Courtney, and is always very supportive of his mother Sherry Reum since she became a widow in 2017, when his father died of cancer.
Paris herself first attracted public attention in the late 1990s, when she ventured into modelling at age 19, signing with Donald Trump‘s agency Trump Model Management.
But global fame only came after a sex tape (no surprise these days) and a successful reality television series The Simple Life (2003–2007), which she starred in with her pal Nicole Richie.
Her life hasn’t been as easy as some may think it’s been. Like so many wealthy celebrities, fame didn’t bring a happy relationship until Paris decided to take her families advice and start a more mature relationship than her previous ones with her long-term friend.
Carter and Paris knew their biological clock was ticking as they’re both in their 40’s, so she froze her eggs before they decided to get married.
Fortunately being millionaires the cost of their surrogacy journey’s won’t have been an issue.
So how much is the average surrogacy journey?
In the USA it varies widely but generally starts at around $95,000, excluding medication. The laws surrounding surrogacy vary throughout the world but California is regarded as a highly surrogacy friendly state, both for heterosexual couples as well as for same sex couples.
Where do we recommend you go in the USA?
If money isn’t your main priority and you want a first class service in the USA we recommend, Circle Surrogacy. They have an international representative based in the UK, Brett Griffin Young who we know is extremely supportive and has had two of his own surrogacy journeys. See our Little Black Book recommendation on our website for more details.
An alternative option is ‘Happy Beginnings’ based in Illinois, run by former egg donor Jamie Smith, who started the agency with her sister who is a nurse, after she was herself an egg donor and felt she could do it better.
We’ve found her to be very caring and conscientious, and offers value for money. The local laws allow the surrogate to sign over the legal rights to the baby before birth, as soon as there is confirmation of heart beat.
An average surrogacy journey with Happy Beginnings is negotiable depending on which surrogate you choose and can start as low as $60,000 excluding medication.
What if you are looking for a surrogacy journey in the UK?
There is a shortage of surrogates in the UK because it is against the law to advertise for surrogates and to pay for them, so you will find it is a very different experience. Agencies in the UK tend to list themselves as non for profit so they can still charge fees for expenses, the cost of which varies wildly.
The leading non for-profit company is Surrogacy UK. But be prepared to be put on a waiting list!
There is however an app in the UK which people use to find someone who is willing to be an altruistic surrogate which is called ‘Just A Baby’.
What if you are looking for a surrogacy journey in Australia?
Commercial surrogacy is also illegal in all states in Australia so only altruistic journeys are permitted. In most jurisdictions a medical need for surrogacy is required (although NSW, TAS, QLD and VIC allow surrogacy for social reasons such as same sex couples).
Check out the full laws surrounding surrogacy through the charity Growing Families
Someone whose surrogacy journey inspired us is Jennifer Robertson. She lives in Australia and her sister became her surrogate. Shortly after the birth she found out she was pregnant herself!
With Kim Kardashian having a successful second surrogacy journey, it seems a safe bet to predict we’re likely to see Paris and Carter having a sibling journey some time soon. We’re guessing 2025. Any bets anyone?
