Couple reveal their plans to have another child after fertility treatment success
When Cole and Abbie Howat decided to have a baby together, they never considered hiding what they knew could be both a physically and emotionally painful journey.
The couple, who have more than four million followers across social media, wanted to raise awareness of reciprocal IVF, where one female in the relationship carries the genetic baby of the other. Both women, from Dumfries, started their fertility treatment together before Cole donated an egg that was fertilised by a sperm donor for Abbie to then carry. To their joy, Abbie conceived at first attempt and in January last year the couple’s miracle son Hudson was born. Now the pair – who are also doting mums to Abbie’s two children from a previous relationship – are hoping to expand their family further.
Abbie is set to have a second of Cole’s embryos implanted and, as the couple excitedly look forward to the year ahead, they want their journey to inspire others. Cole, 31, said: “From when we first met, we always knew we wanted children together. We decided to do reciprocal IVF to make it really feel like we were both involved. “It was so special for me that Abbie was carrying ‘our’ baby. The fact it was my egg made it feel even more special as we were creating him together” Abbie, 33, added: “We happily shared our story on TikTok mainly to show people how two women can make a baby together.
“We want to try to normalise two mums hav ing a baby, educate the younger generation and help others going through the same thing.
“Now we are sharing our journey again and, no matter the outcome, we will be honest and open with people. If we can help anyone, we will.” Hairdressers Cole and Abbie first met 11 years ago when Abbie was running a barber’s shop in Dumfries. It wasn’t until they met again four years later that romantic sparks began to fly. Cole said: “I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with someone so quickly. “I’d been single for seven months after coming out of a long- term relationship and was s c rol l i ng through Facebook and added Abbie. Five minutes later I received a message from her and we began talking.
“I met her the next night and, from then on, we just couldn’t be apart.”
Abbie added: “I told Cole I loved her in the first week we started seeing each other. Everything just felt right.”
Aside from falling in love with Abbie, Cole also fell in love with her new partner’s children, daughter Ghianna, then aged four, and two-year-old son Kai.
Cole said: “We were only together six months when I asked Abbie to marry me. I blindfolded her and took her back to the first place we kissed. When she took her blindfold off, I was down on one knee.”
The couple married at Mabie House hotel in Dumfries.
Abbie said: “As we are both female, we both walked down the aisle. Cole had her dad and Kai walk her down the aisle, then waited for me at the bottom. Then my dad and stepdad walked me down the aisle.”
Cole added: “I remember turning round and seeing the most beautiful woman in this world walking towards me with the most stunning dress. I couldn’t hold back the tears. I think I cried from start to finish saying our vows.”
The couple soon decided they were ready to have a child together.
Init ial ly they turned to their GP and were referred for fertility treatment through the NHS but a long waiting list, not helped by Covid-related delays, led to them seeking private medical care.
They attended the GCRM fertility clinic in Glasgow where a decision was made that Abbie would attempt to become pregnant using an egg that had been retrieved from Cole, then ferti l ised via an anonymous donor.
Abbie said: “It was so important for us to do reciprocal IVF this way because we wanted to both feel as involved as possible.
“We a lso thought it wou ld fe el r i ght for
Ghianna and Kai if they