Like hundreds of women in the UK, mum-of-one Josie wanted to help other couples have children.
But sadly, her surrogacy experience ended bitterly when, just days after giving birth, she visited the new family to find the baby, Aimee*, hadn’t been fed or changed.
Worried for Aimee’s safety, Josie refused to sign a parental order – which would legally transfer her right as mother to the intended parents – and launched a bid for custody.
Shockingly, after going through the family court, Josie discovered the couple had lied about their background – they’d told her they had three children, but she discovered they’d also had another three children, now grown up, who’d been taken into care more than 20 years ago.
SURROGATE MUM: "I WAS OFFERED £6K TO ABORT DISABLED BABY - BUT I REFUSED"
Josie was horrified, but to make matters worse, the court ruled she couldn’t adopt Aimee because it would be "emotionally damaging" for her five-year-old daughter.
Aimee has since been adopted by another family.
Full-time mum Josie, 28, says: “Finding out the parents lied to me was devastating, I felt betrayed.
"I’d put my trust in them and felt it was my fault Aimee hadn’t been taken care of properly.
"I’ll never be a surrogate again, there need to be stricter regulations and laws brought in to make background checks on intended parents compulsory to ensure the child is going to be safe.”
Josie speaks out as surrogacy – which is currently a private agreement between parties and isn't legal until the parental order is signed – is becoming increasingly popular.
Recent figures from the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service show that there were 167 surrogate babies born in the UK last year, more than triple the 47 born in 2007.
Josie – who is eight weeks pregnant with her current partner and has a five-year-old with her ex – decided to be a surrogate in July 2012
She says: “I loved becoming a mum, it was the best feeling in the world and it broke my heart that couples out there who weren’t able to conceive.
"I breezed through my pregnancy and after a lot of research, I decided to help others become parents.”
After signing up to a reputable surrogacy website she began chatting to an intended couple in their 40s who said they had three young children and were desperate for another – but were unable to conceive naturally.
“They seemed very genuine,” admits Josie. “We spoke over Facebook or on the phone, then after a month we decided to meet. We got on really well, both of them said they didn’t have any health issues or a criminal record.
"Looking back I should have made checks and taken more time to get to know them, but I trusted them.
"They seemed like the perfect parents and they desperately wanted to have another baby to complete their family. I felt so sorry for them and felt such a connection too. I just wanted to help them.”
So, in August 2012, using the intended father’s sperm, Josie became pregnant using a home insemination kit on the first try.
She says: “The couple were thrilled and wanted to be really involved with the pregnancy – they came to scans and called every day. We agreed to £7k expenses, which would be paid in weekly instalments.
"Surrogacy contracts aren’t legally enforceable so we agreed everything on trust.
“I also wanted to be able to see my surrogate child once a week, which isn’t customary, but for me it was important my daughter grew up knowing her sibling, and they said they were fine with that.
“During the pregnancy it felt different to having my first daughter, but I still loved every second and couldn’t help but bond with the baby. But I always made sure to remember that I wasn’t going to be the one bringing the child up.”
In May 2013, Josie gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
“The mum was at the birth,” recalls Josie. “The look on her face when she held her daughter for the first time was incredible. I was sad to see Aimee go with them. But I knew she was theirs."
But when Josie visited Aimee just four days later she was shocked to discover the baby in a dirty nappy, hungry and dressed in clothes that were too small.
“I was horrified and told them I wasn't happy,” admits Josie. “I fed her with a bottle while I was there and then they ushered me out.
"Afterwards I was in floods of tears and felt panicky for Aimee. I was so uneasy that I called and texted to arrange another meeting – but they stopped replying to me.”
After more than a week, Josie was then told they no longer wanted her in touch with them.
Devastated, and worried for her child’s safety, Josie refused to sign the parental order and launched a bid for custody.
Josie says: "It took months for the case to be heard at the family court and I worried every day about Aimee - but it was out of my hands."
During the court case, it emerged the couple had three other children who had been taken into care in 1991 although they'd been allowed to keep the three children they'd gone on to have.
But in court the judge ruled they wouldn’t be able to meet Aimee’s emotional needs.
And, heartbreakingly, Aimee was adopted by strangers after Social Services decided that because Josie had given up Aimee at birth she had a lack of emotional attachment, and it would be damaging to her five-year-old daughter.
“They said bringing up Aimee would affect my other daughter emotionally,” confesses Josie. “I couldn’t stop crying.
"They said that because I had photographs of Aimee in the house that I had emotionally neglected my other daughter, I couldn’t believe it."
And, in March this year, Josie’s appeal to win Aimee back was quashed.
Josie adds: “I’m devastated about what’s happened, I trusted them and they lied to me.
"I just hope Aimee is having a good life. I don’t know anything about her adoptive family but at least I know that she has been given to a family who want her very much.
“I’m eight weeks pregnant at the moment, so I’m hoping that having a second child while help me move on from the pain of losing Aimee.”