Meredith Grey’s kids are just one aspect of life she juggles as a doctor and a mother at the center of Grey’s Anatomy. But she has the support of her colleagues, as well as her family tree. Here’s the lowdown on each of Meredith Grey’s kids.
How many kids does Meredith Grey have?
Meredith Grey has three children. Each of Meredith’s three kids comes from her relationship with Derek Shepherd. Meredith was with Derek since the show premiered — at least on some level — and they eventually married.
In season 6’s finale, episode 24, Meredith had a miscarriage, losing her first child with Derek. This would lead to struggles in their relationship as they dealt with infertility.
Season 8: Zola Grey Shepherd
Meredith Grey’s kid Zola first joined the Grey’s Anatomy cast toward the end of season 7 as a 6-month-old orphan who was part of a group of patients traveling from Africa. She was being treated for spina bifida.
Derek was her doctor and ended up falling in love with her. He suggested to Meredith that they adopt her. There were a lot of things that stood in the way of it becoming official, such as Meredith putting Derek’s Alzheimer’s trial in jeopardy when she swapped Adele Weber’s placebo for the trial drug.
Eventually, though, the social worker and court granted the adoption, and Zola officially became Zola Grey Shepherd in season 8.
Season 9: Derek Bailey Shepherd
At the end of season 9, Meredith Grey gave birth to their first biological kid. She first kept the pregnancy a secret, fearing she’d miscarry again, and only told Derek. She didn’t even tell Christina Yang, her best friend.
She shared the news with Derek early in the season by buying a shirt for Zola that said “World’s Best Big Sister.” The timing was special because it was just a few months after Mark Sloan, Derek’s best friend, died (in the season premiere).
Of course, she didn’t miscarry, but that doesn’t mean things went smoothly. She gave birth during a superstorm without any power. Bailey ended up in the NICU, and Meredith ended up suffering from a massive hemorrhage. In stepped Miranda Bailey, who saved Meredith’s live. And Meredith and Derek ended up naming their son Bailey after the doctor.
Is Meredith’s third baby Derek’s?: Ellis Shepherd
This pregnancy might have been unplanned, and fans sure didn’t see it coming. That’s because it came at the end of Meredith and Derek’s relationship timeline. He died during one of the final episodes of season 11. And in the following episode, Meredith took the kids and left home.
It turns out that she was pregnant with Derek’s child, a girl who would later be named Ellis after her mom. She left because she didn’t think she could do it all again and didn’t want people to tell her how to mourn Derek’s death.
In the end, though, Alex was by her side, and she eventually came home with Ellis and Meredith Grey’s kids in tow. Sadly, Derek never got to meet Ellis. But Meredith still saw Derek in Ellis, and she kept Derek’s memory alive in all her kids.
