Research says that everyone does better when there is an ongoing positive relationship between the surrogate, the prospective parents and the baby. Research. Not guesses and wishes. Actual studies.
It would be better for the baby because they wouldnt go from one caregiver to the other suddenly. They would transition slowly from 2 people doing their care, to 1 main carer and a loving Aunt. In my culture, women help each other this way anyway.
Court is not the least damaging way to separate a child
Look, I know that a lot of you do not have women in your life that you would help become a mother if you could. A lot of women do not have these types of positive loving relationships with other women. Your own mothers wont even look after your children on occasion. Not all cultures are like that. Many of us still live in close extended families. We know our cousins.
One of my kids is my cousin's kid who I raised from a few months old and eventually adopted to ensure she would not go back into care. She still sees her mother but she is legally my child. That's why you'll see me talking about raising 4 kids but not birthing 4.
I get that in your fractured, distant families, this might mess kids up because you hardly see each other and go NC at the drop of a hat. We have greater bonds than that. We are family.