Why Lucy Liu Chose Gestational Surrogacy

Lucy Liu welcomed son Rockwell Lloyd via gestational surrogacy eight months ago, but the actress remembers it like it was yesterday.

“I cried when he came out,” Liu, 47, told PEOPLE while promoting Tylenol’s #HowWeFamily campaign on Wednesday.

“I think ‘How We Family’ is about how we as a modern family are connecting now. Whether it’s your gay parents and you’re doing it that way, or you have a child that’s transgender, it’s more about how you love.”

She adds, “I think that’s a really wonderful way to support non-traditional families and make what we are doing now what is tradition.”

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With a hectic schedule, the Elementary star knew she was destined to be a mom, even if she didn’t take the traditional route.

“It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn’t know when I was going to be able to stop,” Liu says of her decision to turn to gestational surrogacy. “I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great.”

With her little one growing at a rapid pace, Liu admits that she is loving everything about motherhood.

“I didn’t realize how quickly babies progress,” she says. “Very basic things that you just take for granted. They’re just this little lump of flesh, and then all the sudden they’re turning around, they’re observing you and they’re smiling and they’re interacting. It’s a magical experience.”

At 8 months old, Rockwell already has a best friend: Apple, the family dog.

“She’s really gentle,” Liu explains of her chocolate lab. “She’s protective, too. She’ll sit between him and whoever else comes in just to make sure they don’t step on him. It’s really beautiful to see how they interact.”

— Mollie Cahillane

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