On February 15, MSNBC host and political commentator, Melissa Harris-Perry, tweeted a picture of her and a baby girl with a caption that read, “Best Valentine Ever! @JamesHPerry and I welcomed our daughter yesterday!…”
In an editorial piece on MSNBC titled, “How we made our miracle,” Harris-Perry shares the journey it took to get her little one here.
At age 28, Harris-Perry gave birth to her first daughter, Parker, with ease. She explains avoiding serious complications along with a natural, unassisted labor. What followed would prove more difficult. She spent years dealing with uterine fibroids, which led to having her uterus removed in 2008. In 2010, she and now husband, James, discussed a way to have their own biological children. Through a friend, they learned the pros and cons of surrogacy and decided to give it a try in 2012.
Through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Harris-Perry and James were on their way to having their first child together.
“My pregnancy with my first daughter was blessedly uneventful; this one, however, was indeed an event. It took two families, three states, four doctors, and five attorneys to get this little girl here. And while our gestational carrier has no genetic tie to our little one, she is now our family.”
Starting in May, Harris-Perry will write a monthly column for Essence magazine chronicling her adventures in parenting.
“Now begin the sleepless nights, anxious moments and inexpressible joy of new parenting. We strive to be worthy of the miracle we have received. We are grateful for the support of family and friends that has brought us this far and will see us on through the next chapter of our story.”