Kandi Burruss shared a photo of her sleeping daughter, Blaze Tucker, with her followers on Instagram. The one-month-old baby was delivered by a surrogate using Kandi’s previously frozen egg, fertilized by her husband Todd Tucker’s sperm.
In the photo taken by baby photographer @weelovephotography, little Blaze sleeps peacefully while swaddled in a blanket. A headband ringed with intricate flowers and pearls adorns her head.
In another post on Thursday, Kandi shared her IVF journey with her followers. She explained her reasons for using a surrogate (pictured) to carry her and Todd’s second child after suffering complications during her pregnancy with her son, Ace Tucker.
“My pregnancy with Ace came with many complications, which is why our family decided to use a surrogate,” she wrote.
“My first daughter, Riley, was conceived and birthed into the world as easily as could be. Little did I know that 13 years later when I wanted to continue this story, that I would be faced with the struggle of infertility due to non-cancerous fibroids.”
The 43-year-old mother-of-three said she overcame her fears that the surrogate would keep her baby or that she wouldn’t bond with the child.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an expensive procedure for women who can’t conceive on their own. Each “cycle” can cost as much as $15,000 and is not guaranteed to produce results.
Below are excerpts from Kandi’s post:
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. At least that is what most of us are taught, but no one ever shares that the journey to the baby carriage can come with sadness, doubts, and fertility obstacles. My first daughter, Riley, was conceived and birthed into the world as easily as could be. Little did I know that 13 years later when I wanted to continue this story, that I would be faced with the struggle of infertility due to non-cancerous fibroids.
My pregnancy with Ace came with many complications, which is why our family decided to use a surrogate (pictured here!). When we looked into this I went through a series of emotions and questions like: how is this going to affect my bond with my child? what if the surrogate tries to keep my baby? what are others going to think? Will the baby share DNA with the surrogate from the pregnancy even though it is my eggs?
She continued:
“I’ve had an amazing husband to lean on, and my surrogate has been so encouraging, but it’s been great to talk to other women who really understand my fears and pain firsthand. All in all I have to say to each of you: your journey to the baby carriage may not be the same as someone else’s, but you are not alone in this journey to motherhood.”
