Iza Calzado opens up about fear, love, and motherhood in light of her previous remarks on surrogacy.
Read also: Newbie mom Iza Calzado: "I think motherhood is a great workshop"
On May 3, 2023, Iza was launched as the first-ever Mombassador of edamama, a popular shopping platform for moms.
Shortly after the event, Iza sat down for an exclusive interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), where she revisited a statement she made in 2019 about considering surrogacy.
At the time, the idea of using a surrogate to have a child was something that she mused about. In hindsight, she can now chuckle and admit that it was born out of fear and uncertainty about her future as a mother.
"That's so funny. You know, the things you say out of fear," she recalled laughing.
"I mean, really. I mean, I said that because I was so fearful. And am I open to it? If I want more and I'm no longer able to carry, of course.
"It's still a viable option, I think, for me or for anybody who wants to take that route. However, not now. Not now."
At 40, Iza gave birth to Deia Amihan Wintle, her daughter with husband Ben Wintle.
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"You know, love is a very, very powerful emotion," she remarked.
"This journey [pregnancy] has filled me with so much love, and carrying a baby is part of that journey for me.
"So, because I'm able to, I've already carried, we'll see where that journey leads."
While surrogacy remains "a viable option" for Iza, she does have some reservations about conceiving a child this way.
This is because, coming from her own pregnancy experience, chances are high that she will fret about every health-related provision the surrogate mother should take.
Read also: Iza Calzado opens up about postpartum struggles
"Because, you know, I'm quite specific about certain things," she declared.
"What to eat, what to do, this and that...
"I'm very specific kasi about what I eat, you know, how you want to go about it.
"I mean, the energy that I want the child to absorb... di ba?
"Hindi mo mako-control iyan, yung emotions ng ibang tao e," she cited.
Besides, Iza realized that the "connection that you have when your child is in your body is also priceless"—something that surrogacy cannot provide.
She continued, "But again, if you can't for any reason, or for whatever reason, you choose that as an option for you, then it's still a viable option. That's why it's an option.
"Because I know we are never in control of things that can happen, so, it's still a viable option.
"If that's what God wills."
Read also: Iza Calzado, feeling lucky dahil hindi dumaan sa depression pagkapanganak
FUTURE PLAN WITH FROZEN EMBRYO
Part of the reason Iza is firm on her stand about surrogacy being a viable option is because she is already halfway through the process.
Apparently, harvesting her eggs is out of the issue, since she and Ben already have a frozen embryo together.
She spoke, "I have an embryo, yeah.
"But God wanted this [natural pregnancy]...But then even with that [surrogacy], we don't know how that's gonna pan out because I actually know somebody na hindi nag-work out. So it's not also a hundred percent.
"It happens, may cases where it fails. So it's really God's will, di ba, kung saan ka niya dadalhin."
For the original Sang'gre, she believes that beyond destiny, it was all by God's design that she was led down this path.
Read also: Iza Calzado, first time ipinakita ang mukha ng anak na si Deia Amihan sa Instagram
"Like with me, and all these whatever, tapos binigay niya [Deia], 'Oh, ito yung will ni Lord.'
"He made me realize that I was just operating from a place of fear before.
"The opposite of that is love, so He filled me with that love and now, oh, it opened my eyes and my heart."
Regarding her stored fertilized egg, Iza hinted about the high possibility that she is going to go through with it after all: "Siyempre, embryo yun. Buhay din yun, sayang naman."
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