Help Bring Baby Alba Home To Australia

A Melbourne couple has been left stranded, unable to reach their baby in the Ukraine, who was born via surrogate, 11 weeks early.

Jess van Nooten and her husband Kevin were on their way to visit their daughter Alba Isobel Joan Middleton. She was born via surrogate on 22 February – helping them realise their almost decade-long dream of becoming parents. But she arrived just one day before Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.

Jess and Kevin

Jess and Kevin were on their way – getting as far as Dubai. They were about to board their flight to Odessa, when the airspace was closed. They were achingly close to finally being with their child they’ve so longed for. But she may as well be on another planet.

The couple is now stranded in Poland, desperately trying to figure out how they’ll get to their little girl. Baby Alba is in neonatal intensive care, and her surrogate is also recovering in hospital.

Bring baby Alba home

Friends and family of the couple are rallying to raise money for the couple, as they try and navigate a way to bring baby Alba home. More than $50,000 has already been raised to help with the possible medical evacuation of Alba and to support the couple’s bid to get her to Australia.

Donations can be made at My Cause.

38 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 13 Aug 2024
    10:24 am
Oh I would love an update on this story. I hope it has all worked out

- - Zmijka86 said
  - 30 Mar 2022
    7:28 am
I hope everything will turn ok and they soon will be together.

- - Lovesthecuddles said
  - 02 Mar 2022
    9:24 pm
How horrible, what bad timing ????

- - mom485904 said
  - 02 Mar 2022
    10:08 am
Awwww so sad ???? hope you can bring your precious baby home soon.

- - rovermum said
  - 02 Mar 2022
    9:33 am
This is heartbreaking and scary for all concerned. I hope they get to come home safely.

- - Ellen said
  - 02 Mar 2022
    4:52 am
Praying protection over this baby and all young and old in Ukraine. Lord have mercy !

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    11:06 pm
This is such a heart breaking story.

- - ashblonde said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    3:12 pm
Praying for this couple to finally have the child they dreamed of having, I do hope somehow their baby will be escorted out of war torn Ukraine & into their arms were little Alba belongs.

- - tessie said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    1:02 pm
I pray that they get their baby home soon and into their arms safe and sound where she belongs. Speedy recovery to the surrogate and baby Alba

- - Mum2904 said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    12:54 pm
I couldn’t even imagine having to live through this

- - sharna_booth_weinrowski said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    9:44 am
This child deserves a better life.
So many do.
War is not something we should have now.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    8:49 am
Those poor people, that would be so terribly hard and dangerous.

- - Ellen said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    8:30 am
I can imagine this is very hard, their hearts must be yearning !

- - mom223151 said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    2:33 am
What a sad saga for this couple. My heart is bleeding for them as I know the struggle and heartbreak they must be going through. I watched my sister go through so many IVF attempts.
I wish them all the best and may they keep safe . Good Bless them ????????

- - mom101628 said
  - 01 Mar 2022
    1:06 am
Do hope they manage to get to their baby and bring her home soon.

- - Jessica said
  - 28 Feb 2022
    11:22 pm
This is heartbreaking to read! Hopefully they can get her soon!

- - mom460227 said
  - 28 Feb 2022
    9:54 pm
So sad I hope they get their bubba home

- - mom265671 said
  - 28 Feb 2022
    9:48 pm
Heartbreaking! I hope she finds her home back to Australia the poor darling.

- - mom160270 said
  - 28 Feb 2022
    9:37 pm
This would be so stressful. Best wishes to this family.

- - yahoo_lou said
  - 28 Feb 2022
    8:58 pm
My heart goes out to them. The stress and all the worry they must have. it is worrying enough for their little one to be born premature, but to also be trying to get to her, and then try and organise passports etc, once she is cleared for travel.