Mum shares how ‘Tinder surprise’ baby changed her life

Speaking to Kidspot, Renae Carolan shared how she had recently moved back to Melbourne after ending a relationship on the Sunshine Coast with a man who didn’t want kids.

At 36 years old, she had been considering freezing her eggs. Unsure as to when she would be able to start a family. She had been out on a few coffee dates but hadn’t clicked with anyone she met.

Hanging out with some friends on New Years Day, 2014, a friend installed Tinder on Renae’s phone and that is how it all began.

‘I made contact with Avery’s father on Tinder and we’d been casually dating for some time, when I genuinely, accidentally fell pregnant the first time we had sex,’ Renae told Kidspot. 

Her relationship with Avery’s dad was new, and so she gave him the option to be as involved with the pregnancy as he wishes.

While their relationship never took off, Renae says he was more involved that she expected - he was there for the birth, and attended medical appointments and even met Renae’s parents who were delighted to be grandparents.

‘My parents were so desperate for grandchildren, that when I rang them to tell them, they said, ‘oh we don’t care how it happened as long as we’re getting a grandchild!’

Not only did little Avery bring joy into Renae’s life - she also inspired Renae to create her own business.

‘I was so frustrated with how crap bibs and smocks were at actually keeping her clothes dry and clean,’ she says, describing the drama of weaning Avery onto solids.

So Renae designed The Grubeze - a full-coverage, waterproof suit for bubs to wear during meal times to protect their clothes from mess.

Who knew one swipe could change a life so much!