Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are on the surrogacy journey once more — with a few tweaks.
Namely, as a source tells PEOPLE, their gestational carrier for baby No. 4 on the way is not the same one they connected with for daughter Chicago, who turns 1 on Jan. 15.
“Since they had another embryo, Kim and Kanye always knew they wanted to try and implant that embryo too,” the insider says. “They hoped to work with the same gestational carrier, but it didn’t work out this time. They are working with a second carrier now that is pregnant and will give birth in the spring.”
“Everything so far has been smooth,” the source continues. “Just like the last time, Kim is very involved with the carrier. Kim goes to doctor’s visits with the carrier and makes sure that she has everything she needs. She is a local woman with a family. Kim’s OB/GYN is overseeing her pregnancy.”
Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Parents newsletter.
RELATED: Did Kim Kardashian Drop a Major Hint About the Sex of Her Fourth Baby on the Way Weeks Ago?
The source tells PEOPLE that Kardashian West “was surprised” by how much she enjoyed the surrogacy process when she was expecting Chicago.
“After Chicago was born, Kim was very open about how much she loved that they used a gestational carrier,” says the insider.
“Kim didn’t really have another option since it was physically dangerous for her to carry another baby,” the source goes on.
“But Kim was surprised how happy she was with everything. She loved the whole process and will always be very grateful to the carrier.”
RELATED VIDEO: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Expecting Fourth Child Via Surrogate
PEOPLE confirmed Wednesday that Kardashian West, 38, and West, 41, would be adding a sixth member to their family that includes Chicago plus son Saint, 3, and daughter North, 5½.
And while they “seem very excited” for their new family member, “Kim and Kanye have yet to prepare for the baby,” the insider tells PEOPLE.
“They don’t have a nursery set up, but Kim plans on having a baby shower for No. 4 too,” the source adds. “They are looking forward to another baby.”
RELATED: Kim Kardashian “Likely Won’t Have Any More” Kids After Baby No. 4: Source
While her first two pregnancies resulted in healthy babies, Kardashian West endured a life-threatening condition during childbirth called placenta accreta, which led her to turn to surrogacy for her third child and fourth on the way.
Also known as retained placenta, placenta accreta occurs when part or all of the placenta remains connected to the uterine wall after childbirth. Under normal circumstances, it detaches, which allows the mother to push it out after the baby. The condition affects three in 1,000 pregnancies, and often results in severe blood loss. In rare cases, the hemorrhaging can be deadly.
The reality star and KKW Beauty mastermind initially opened up about the experience with her first child, North, born in 2013, in a post on her website.
“My doctor had to stick his entire arm in me and detach the placenta with his hand, scraping it away from my uterus with his fingernails,” she wrote. “My mom was crying; she had never seen anything like this before. My delivery was fairly easy, but then going through that — it was the most painful experience of my life!”
Source: Read Full Article