Kim Kardashian West has said it was "so hard" not being able to carry her third baby with husband Kanye West after having their first two children naturally, but said her connection to their newborn baby "came instantly".
The couple welcomed the latest addition to their family, a baby girl, on Monday, January 15, via a surrogate. Their daughter joins four-year-old daughter North and two-year-old son Saint.
They chose to use a surrogate as Kardashian suffered from the high risk pregnancy conditions pre-eclampsia and placenta accreta during her previous pregnancies.
She said in a post on her app that "doctors said that it wasn't safe for my, or the baby's, health to carry my own".
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The 37-year-old reality TV star said that she and her husband decided to use a gestational carrier meaning the baby is "biologically mine and Kanye's".
She wrote: "Having a gestational carrier is definitely different, but anyone who says or thinks it's the easy way out is completely wrong.
"People assume it's better because you don't have to deal with the physical changes, pain or complications with delivery, but for me it was so hard to not carry my own child, especially after I carried North and Saint."
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She continued of their surrogate, whose identity has not been revealed: "We have a great relationship with her and trusted her completely throughout the entire process.
"I'm so grateful for modern technology and that this is even possible. It's not for everyone, but I absolutely love my gestational carrier and this was the best experience I've ever had.
"Our gestational carrier gave us the greatest gift one could give."
She added: "The connection with our baby came instantly and it's as if she was with us the whole time.
"Having a gestational carrier was so special for us and she made our dreams of expanding our family come true."
The couple have not yet revealed their daughter's name.
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According to E! News, both Kardashian and West were in the delivery room where their surrogate gave birth to their third child.
A source told the publication: "Both Kim and Kanye were in the delivery room. Kim witnessed the birth and had first skin-to-skin contact when she was born. Kanye was waiting behind a curtain in the room and held her immediately after Kim did."
The TV personality and businesswoman revealed that they would be using a surrogate on a trailer for her reality series Keeping Up With The Kardashians last September.
