Kourtney Kardashian has opened up about the heartbreaking and frightening journey that came before the birth of her son Rocky, revealing that she endured a miscarriage and five unsuccessful IVF cycles before eventually conceiving naturally.
The reality star, 47, also faced a terrifying medical emergency late in her pregnancy when doctors discovered that fluid was building up in Rocky's lungs. The complication required emergency fetal surgery, leaving Kardashian and husband Travis Barker fearing for the safety of both their unborn son and Kardashian herself.
A Devastating Miscarriage
Kardashian and Barker's journey to becoming parents together began with heartbreak.
Around six months into their relationship, Kardashian became pregnant, but during a first-trimester appointment, doctors discovered that the baby no longer had a heartbeat. The couple had planned to name their daughter Tulip.
'When we lost the baby, we were devastated,' Kardashian recalled. 'We just lay in bed and cried for days. All we wanted was to have a baby together.'
The loss came before the couple embarked on a lengthy attempt to conceive through IVF, hoping to welcome a child together after starting their relationship in 2021.
Five Failed IVF Cycles Took Their Toll
Kardashian underwent five IVF cycles over eight months, as well as three egg retrievals. But the treatment proved far more difficult than she had expected, taking a significant toll on both her body and her mental health.
'It felt like my body was shutting down,' she said.
The repeated disappointment became increasingly difficult for the star, who eventually told Barker that she could not continue.
'Each time we would try it, it just felt so disappointing,' Kardashian explained. 'It really did something that messed with me mentally. I remember crying to Travis, "I can't do this anymore".'
After the failed IVF attempts, Kardashian and Barker ultimately conceived naturally.
For Barker, the unexpected pregnancy felt like a turning point after everything they had endured.
'It was a miracle,' he said.
But even after Kardashian became pregnant with Rocky, the couple's ordeal was far from over.
Rocky's Terrifying Pregnancy Complication
Seven months into Kardashian's pregnancy, doctors discovered that Rocky's lungs were filling with fluid. At the time, Barker was touring in Europe when Kardashian called him with the alarming news.
'She says, 'Trav, I went to my doctor and the baby's lungs are filling with fluid,' the Blink-182 drummer recalled.
The condition meant doctors needed to intervene before Rocky's birth. They performed fetal surgery, inserting a needle through Kardashian's stomach to drain the fluid from her baby's lungs. For Kardashian, who had already experienced the loss of a pregnancy, the procedure was terrifying.
'It was terrifying going in for the surgery,' she said.
Barker immediately cancelled four shows so he could return to his wife's side and stay with her in the hospital. The drummer has also explained why the experience was particularly difficult after their previous miscarriage.
'Once you've experienced a miscarriage, you're just waiting for something awful to happen,' he said.
That fear added another layer of anxiety to an already high-risk moment, as the couple waited to see whether their unborn son would be safe.
A 'Miracle' Baby Finally Arrives
Despite the frightening complication, Kardashian's pregnancy continued, and Rocky was born on 1 November 2023. Barker later described his son as 'the healthiest, happiest little human I've ever met', calling his arrival a miracle after the couple's difficult path to parenthood.
Rocky's birth also marked the beginning of a new chapter for Barker, who is already father to Atiana de la Hoya, Landon Barker and Alabama Barker. Kardashian said having Rocky gave her husband another opportunity to embrace the role he loves.
'Having Rocky gives him another chance to do what he loves most and does best: being a father,' she said.
The toddler has since appeared occasionally in family photographs shared by Kardashian and Barker, including snapshots from holidays, Disneyland trips and life on the road with his father.
But behind those happy family moments lies a much more complicated story.
Rocky's arrival followed a devastating miscarriage, months of unsuccessful IVF treatment and a pregnancy emergency that required surgery before he was even born. For Kardashian, the journey was physically and emotionally exhausting enough to make her feel that her 'body was shutting down'.
For the couple, Rocky's safe arrival was therefore about far more than welcoming their first child together. It represented the end of a deeply painful journey and, in Barker's words, a 'miracle'.
