Reality star Kandi Burruss almost became a mother of five but then tragedy struck.
On the season 12 premiere of Real Housewives of Atlanta on November 3rd, 2019, Burruss
revealed that the surrogate she and husband Todd Tucker are using was initially pregnant
with twin girls - but one of the embryos didn't survive.
The news was bittersweet for the couple.
"I was sad at first, but then I just had to be grateful that the one made it."
According to Us Weekly, news broke in September 2018 that the couple was expecting their second
child together through a surrogate something that was new to both of them.
Burress welcomed her son Ace with Tucker in 2016 and gave birth to her daughter Riley
with her ex in 2002.
Tucker also has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Fans have been with the couple every step of the way of the surrogacy as Burruss and
Tucker documented their journey during season 11 of Real Housewives.
So, why did Burruss opt for a surrogate in the first place?
After facing fertility struggles, the pair turned to in vitro fertilization to conceive
their son Ace.
However, it wasn't without its own set of struggles and scary moments.
She told People,
"[I had] a couple of scares during my pregnancy with Ace.
I was a high risk and I did have bleeding a few times.
So my womb is just, it's not the best place to have a healthy pregnancy with no issues."
Around the time of her pregnancy, Burruss also suffered from fibroids.
With those factors in mind, Burruss' OBGYN, Married to Medicine star Dr. Jackie Walters,
called surrogacy "a great option,” according to People.
Typically, one embryo is implanted in the surrogate, but Burruss had two embryos left
from the IVF process with Ace. Tucker told Dr. Walters that he only wanted to do it if
they could use both, and Dr. Walters explained that their options were two separate surrogates
or one surrogate with twins, with Burruss and Tucker ultimately choosing the latter.
Although Burruss understood that surrogacy was her best chance for having another child,
that doesn't mean she was completely onboard from the get go.
"I just feel like this whole situation is strange.
I don't get to be excited about the first kick.
I don't get to be excited about, 'Oh, now my baby bump is showing.'"
In an interview with The Daily Dish, she confessed that even though both she and her husband
were nervous about having a child through a surrogate, it weighed on her a little differently.
She explained,
"I think it's easier for Todd to handle or deal with because as a man he's used to somebody
else carrying the baby.
But for me it's a little bit harder for me to deal with the thought because I'm supposed
to carry my own kids in my mind."
When Burruss went through the IVF process, even though it wasn't smooth sailing, she
wasn't completely in the dark about what to expect.
Not knowing anyone who had gone through the surrogacy process that she could lean on made
the experience all the more daunting.
She told Us Weekly,
"When we were going through the IVF process, I did have a couple of friends who had done
it, so, you know, I could talk to them, but this is a situation where I don't have anybody
I can talk to."
Despite her initial hesitation to fully embrace the idea of surrogacy, the television personality
revealed that Bravo host Andy Cohen who welcomed son Benjamin through a surrogate in February
2019 offered some kind words that helped her get through it.
Burress told former Busy Tonight host Busy Phillips that she had made a comment to Cohen
about how she was going to have a, quote, "baby mama" - and he had a strong reaction.
"He said to me, 'Don't you ever say that because you are the mother.
And to say she's your baby's mom is taking away from you.'"
Burress hadn't known at the time that Cohen was also using a surrogate.
"When he announced it, he hit me up immediately and said, 'Now you see why I felt so strongly.'"
Tucker and Burruss' child is due in November 2019.
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Nicki Swift videos about your favorite celebs are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.