Max is part of the gay and lesbian family baby boom. After nine years together, they decided they were ready and had Max within a year. In some cases, couples choose to adopt.
Some lesbian couples ask male friends to donate sperm.
Like many lesbians, Finch and Raymond used alternative insemination to get pregnant, buying an anonymous donor's sperm from a sperm bank. Finch was the birth mother and Raymond has legally adopted Max. Now, they are trying to get pregnant again, this time with Raymond as the birth mom. While the women have no idea who their donor is, they do know quite a bit about his health history and something about his personality and interests. Using an anonymous donor can also protect lesbian mothers from future custody issues.