Jeff Lewis Wants to Have a Second Child in the Next Year 'With or Without' Partner Gage Edward

The Flipping Out stars, who separated two weeks ago, had previous expressed they wanted another baby together in 2017

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Published on February 12, 2019 01:27 PM

jeff-lewis-9 — Photo: Jeff Lewis/Instagram

Jeff Lewis is planning to give his daughter Monroe, 2, a sibling, with or without his partner by his side.

The Flipping Out star announced via his SiriusXM radio show, Jeff Lewis Live, that he wants to have a second baby, regardless of his relationship status with estranged partner Gage Edward.

Edward, 33, moved out of their family home nearly two weeks ago, according to Lewis, 48, who has since referred to himself as “a single dad.”

“Within the next year, with or without Gage, I’m going to pursue having another child,” the Bravo star said on Tuesday. “I think Monroe needs another sibling.”

“I do want to have another child for Monroe. Not just for Monroe, but for me,” he added. “Because I always thought that I would never, ever do it if I didn’t have a partner. But I think I can. I need to hire a few more nannies.”

The couple chose to use one of Lewis’s embryos for their first child, who was carried by a surrogate.

On his show, he joked that he may use one of Edward’s embryos, which the partners of ten years already had frozen when they were planning for their family.

“I was wondering if [Gage] doesn’t mind if I use his embryo,” Lewis said with a laugh. “I’m going to use his embryo and then I’m going to ask for child support.”

Edward told PEOPLE he had no comment on the situation.

This isn’t the first time Lewis has discussed his hope for another baby. A year before he announced their separation, Lewis revealed that he and Edward had plans to add to their family through IVF.

“We have five frozen embryos,” Lewis revealed on an October 2017 episode of Jeff Lewis Live.

“The next baby will be Gage’s embryo and his strongest embryo is a boy. So hopefully we are going to have a boy,” Lewis continued. “Not yet though. We’re not pregnant yet.”

Edward joked, “We just had our gender reveal party. He’s a week-old—frozen.”

Following those statements, the pair did not publicly discuss their plans further, and it’s unclear whether they took any additional steps toward having a second child.

WATCH THIS: Flipping Out’s Jeff Lewis and Gage Edward Are Trying for Baby No. 2 — a Boy!

Lewis will have to find a new surrogate however, as the woman who carried Monroe has since filed a lawsuit against the couple.

In June 2018, Alexandra Trent claimed that Flipping Out filmed her delivery without permission and that Edward and Lewis made “disgusting” remarks about her. Although Lewis has strongly refuted these claims, the legal action is ongoing and will likely go to trial.

jeff-lewis-4 — Jeff Lewis and daughter Monroe. Jeff Lewis/Instagram

He may also need to find a new candidate to be the baby’s godparent.

In September 2018, Lewis also had an explosive fight with his costar and friend of nearly 20 years, Jenni Pulos, who is Monroe’s godmother.

“I will always pray for her,” Pulos, 45, said on Watch What Happens Live in November. “I don’t feel as though I will never love her, it’s just for now, it’s from afar.”

When Lewis originally announced that Edward had moved out of their family’s home on Jan. 31, he explained that the two — who have been together for a decade — had been sleeping in different rooms for the better part of a year, and said of their separation, “This has been a long time coming.”

Since the separation, Lewis has said that no matter how bad things may get between the pair, he would never put their daughter in the middle of it.

“Whatever happens, if there’s bumps in the road — and there could be, and this could get a little contentious — I just want to vow that I will never use our baby as a weapon,” the Bravo star said on his radio show.

“[Gage] can see the baby whenever he wants to see the baby,” Lewis continued. “And I don’t care what any judge says. He needs to know that. He has 24-hour access. He’s just got to text me, ‘Hey, I’m on the way over.’”

Following the news of their potential split, a source close to the family told PEOPLE that the couple was going to continue to amicably co-parent their daughter.

“Monroe’s happiness is Jeff and Gage’s top priority,” the insider said. “She’s their world.”

Another source told PEOPLE at the time that the pair are still figuring out their next steps with Monroe.

“Jeff and Gage aren’t talking about long term custody plans just yet,” the source said. “This is just a temporary break — they’re still trying to work on their relationship, and Gage will still come and see Monroe.”

“Everyone in their lives are hoping they come back together,” added the insider. “Hopefully this time apart will help them both realize why they were together for so long.”

Jeff Lewis Live airs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (11 a.m. ET) on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy (Ch. 102.)