Meghan Trainor and her husband, Daryl Sabara, welcomed their third child on January 18, but the joyful milestone was quickly overshadowed by backlash over their decision to use a surrogate.
Trainor announced the birth of their daughter, Mikey Moon Trainor, in a January 20 Instagram post.
In her caption, Trainor spotlighted the people who made their growing family possible, writing:
"Our baby girl Mikey Moon Trainor has finally made it to the world thanks to our incredible, superwoman surrogate. We are forever grateful to all the doctors, nurses, teams who made this dream possible."
"We had endless conversations with our doctors in this journey and this was the safest way for us to be able to continue growing our family."
Trainor, whose seventh album, Toy With Me, drops April 24, and Sabara tied the knot in 2018 and are already parents to two sons, Riley, 4, and Barry, 2.
She also shared the joy of watching her sons embrace their new roles as big brothers:
"We are over the moon in love with this precious girl. Riley and Barry have been so excited, they even got to choose her middle name. We are going to enjoy our family time now, love you all."
You can view her social media post below:
While Trainor framed the moment with gratitude and love, the family’s choice to use a surrogate sparked intense online scrutiny, much of it unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing commentary about Trainor’s body, her use of GLP-1 medication, and her recent weight loss.
The “All About the Bass” singer has been candid about using the weight-loss drug Mounjaro and working with a dietitian after her second pregnancy.
She also revealed that her Spy Kids husband joined her on the journey as well:
“Daryl and I both do everything together. And we started that journey.”
Despite that shared experience, much of the criticism landed squarely on Trainor. Internet trolls speculated that she opted for surrogacy to maintain her weight loss, while others labeled her “performative” for sharing a topless photo while lying in bed with her daughter, though it's widely understood that skin-to-skin bonding is beneficial for newborns and parents alike.
The loudest debate, however, centered on whether surrogacy itself is ethical. The backlash became significant enough to prompt a People interview, during which Trainor forcefully pushed back and reframed the conversation around compassion, autonomy, love, and choice.
She said:
"I want people to know that surrogacy is just another beautiful way to build a family. It’s not something to whisper about or judge. It’s rooted in trust, science, love, and teamwork."
"Every family’s journey looks different, and all of them are extremely valid."
Even as debate continued online, with some invoking dystopian comparisons with The Handmaid Tale's memes and making extreme claims without a factual basis, Trainor continued to emphasize the care, connection, and respect involved in her experience.
She praised the surrogate again, noting that they “felt so connected throughout the entire journey,” and described working with her as “incredible.”
Trainor added:
"Our surrogate is one of the most selfless, strong and loving people I’ve ever met. We felt so connected throughout the entire journey, and I’ll always be grateful for the care and love she showed our daughter."
"She gave us the greatest gift of our lives. She graciously answered our many check-in texts to make sure she was doing okay."
In reality, surrogacy is often a medically recommended option for people facing serious physical or mental health risks. It can be vital for individuals with high-risk pregnancies, traumatic birth histories, or conditions that make carrying a child unsafe. For many families, it is a way to expand their lives without jeopardizing a parent’s health.
Trainor has been candid about her own complicated postpartum experiences. After Riley was born, he was diagnosed with breathing issues and spent several days in a neonatal intensive care unit.
In a 2023 People interview, Trainor revealed that she developed post-traumatic stress disorder following the birth, recalling how Riley was rushed to the NICU with Sabara while she remained on the operating table.
She has also spoken openly about reaching a “breaking point” after the birth of Barry.
In a January 2025 essay for Today.com, she wrote:
"I was alone with Barry and he would not stop crying and then I was crying. I was having a panic attack and I was just over-exhausted, but I felt like I was dying."
"I felt if I stood up, I would pass out. I didn’t feel safe holding the baby and at the same time I felt like my body was giving up on me.”
Beyond individual health considerations, surrogacy remains a transformative path for many LGBTQ+ couples to build families, offering legal clarity, emotional involvement, and, in some cases, the possibility of a genetic connection that adoption does not always provide.
Despite the criticism, Trainor has long been vocal about her desire to grow her family. In a 2021 People interview, she said, “I’m ready for three more kids!”
And here’s how readers are reacting across social media:
In 2023, while pregnant with Barry, Trainor—who also authored the parenting book Dear Future Mama—reflected on how motherhood reshaped her sense of self. She revisited that theme in a February 2025 People feature, where she spoke about her hopes of having a daughter.
She said at the time:
“I always wanted a family. Check. Now I need some daughters. But I never thought I could be a pop star because I didn’t believe in myself."
"Now 19-year-old Meghan putting out ‘All About that Bass’ is stoked; she’s so proud, like, ‘I didn’t know you could do that.’ It took 10 years to become brave, but I’m finally thriving.”
Trainor recently debuted a new era with the rollout of Toy With Me and announced plans for The Get In Girl Tour, launching in June. A portion of tour proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth through its free, 24/7 hotline, advocacy, and research initiatives.
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