"It was nothing short of devastating," Hargitay says in the May issue of Good Housekeeping about having to give back a newborn after being at home with her for two days and even naming the child.
"But ... this is what I've come to understand about life: It was probably the greatest, happiest ending," she adds. "I mean, it was so painful for us, but it was deeply joyful and deeply right for her."
Things definitely took a turn for the better in April 2011when Hargitay and Hermann were on hand for the arrival of Amaya.
"Peter and I held her, and then the birth mother and I hugged for a long time," the actress recalls. "That was profound. That was one of the most meaningful moments I've ever had in my life."
Then, six months later, the couple heard about a boy that had been born prematurely and decided to adopt him as well.
"I don't really know what to say about it, other than it was a no-brainer," says the mother of three. "It was like...a miracle."
Hargitay and Hermann also have a biological son, 5-year-old August.