Lily Collins welcomes a baby girl via surrogate as Charlie McDowell hits back at cruel comments

The couple announced the birth of their first child together on Friday.

Lily Collins’ husband Charlie McDowell is speaking out about the negative comments regarding surrogacy following the arrival of the couple’s first child together.

After the couple announced the birth of their daughter via surrogate in an Instagram post last week, they were met with mixed reactions from users on the platform.

In the comment section, McDowell addressed the criticism and stigma surrounding surrogacy.

“Thank you for all the kind messages and love. We are overjoyed and very grateful,” he wrote. “In regards to the unkind messages about surrogacy and our path to having a baby — it’s ok to not be an expert on surrogacy.”

He continued, “It’s ok to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It’s ok to not know the motivations of a surrogate regardless of what you assume. And it’s ok to spend less time spewing hateful words into the world, especially in regards to a beautiful baby girl who has brought a lot of love into people’s lives.”

“That’s all for now because she just pooped and I need to change her diaper,” he added.

Collins later replied to McDowell’s comment with three white heart emoji.

Surrogacy is a type of assisted reproductive technology where a surrogate carries and delivers a child for another person who is the intended parent. There are a number of reasons why a person or couple may need to use a surrogate to conceive a child, including infertility, medical contraindications to pregnancy, and biological and psychological barriers, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the use of a surrogate has increased in the U.S. over the last decade, recording 9,734 embryo transfer cycles that used a surrogate in 2022, compared to 3,517 in 2013.

Surrogacy laws vary by state, as there are no federal regulations. Paid surrogacy is legal in 48 states, with Nebraska and Louisiana as exceptions. In March 2024, Michigan also decriminalized paid surrogacy contracts.

Collins and McDowell first announced their daughter’s arrival on Friday with a sweet photo of the newborn.

“Welcome to the center of our world Tove Jane McDowell,” Collins wrote in the caption. “Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way. We love you to the moon and back again.…”

The “Emily in Paris” actress married McDowell, a director and screenwriter, in September 2021.

While the post drew some negative reactions, it was also filled with well wishes from fans and celebrity friends.