5 Key Takeaways From Khloe Kardashian's Surrogacy Confession

Khloe Kardashian has opened up about her surrogacy journey. Last year, the Good American founder welcomed Tatum -- their second child -- via surrogacy with Tristan Thompson (father of True, now 5). At the Season 3 premiere of Kourtney and Scott Disick, Kourtney confirmed her baby's name during an emotional confessional. In hindsight, she wishes someone had been more forthright about the experience. 1. It’s a Transactional Experience Khloe Kardashian opened up about her surrogacy experience with Kim and Kourtney during the season 3 premiere of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. According to Khloe, 38, she experienced guilt for using a surrogate to carry her second child and struggled to bond with Tatum Thompson who was born last year. Khloe Kardashian also addressed the difficulty of choosing a name for her son, whom she chose not to name out loud. Naming a human can be hard," Khloe notes before going on to reveal Tatum Thompson as his name. Khloe and Tristan Thompson, 31, parted ways after Tristan fathered a baby with fitness model Maralee Nichols during her surrogacy pregnancy - something Khloe did not find out about until after Tristan fathered another baby with fitness model Maralee Nichols during her surrogacy pregnancy - leaving Khloe feeling helpless at making decisions regarding naming their children's names during conversational pieces on reality TV shows such as MTV reality TV shows like MTV reality shows such as Khloe did not reveal his identity either ; his name will always remain Tatum Thompson! Khloe and Tristan Thompson (31), whom she parted ways after Tristan fathered another baby boy from fitness model Maralee Nichols who is carrying his son by surrogacy pregnancy. Although she feels connected with her son now, she was not as emotionally connected with him at birth like with True Thompson who came naturally into their family. "It was just different experience," says Thompson. "That doesn't make it bad or good; just different." Parents of newborn babies often struggle to connect emotionally with them at first, especially when they were not involved with birthing the child themselves. Cheryl Groskopf, a licensed marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor tells PEOPLE that birth gives rise to oxytocin production which aids bonding; when given as part of surrogacy arrangements this task becomes even more daunting because you never experienced physically carrying it inside yourself! 2. It’s Not About Him Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's son was announced via surrogate birth during the premier episode of Hulu series The Kardashians; but rather than an occasion for celebration, Khloe revealed during her confessional that she does not feel close to him like she does True. She describes feeling as though her child is "transactional", even though they're biological. Yet this doesn't indicate any bad intentions in regards to its life or future prospects; reality star Lisa Rinna even admits to still struggling to comprehend all aspects of the situation. Revenge Body host Sarah is clearly struggling with not feeling connected with her son, yet doesn't let feelings of inadequacy ruin the moment. Instead, she strives to be a positive influence for younger sister while asserting that eventually, they'll both feel closer. Khloe shares in her confessional that in addition to her surrogacy struggles, she also has a lump on her face which might be melanomas - according to doctors it appears rare for someone of Khloe's age. Khloe Kardashian has had a tough few months following Tristan Thompson's cheating scandal, just days before their surrogate gave birth. With support from family, Khloe seems to be getting her life back on track. 3. It’s Not Easy Khloe Kardashian opened up about her difficult surrogacy experience during Hulu's The Kardashians season three premiere. At 38, Khloe revealed she's had difficulty bonding with Tatum (her son born via surrogacy in July 2022). As co-founder of Good American and Good American co-owner, Khloe admitted feeling less connected with Tatum than True (also delivered through surrogacy). Kardashian revealed she wasn't prepared for the challenge of surrogacy to become a mother, though many might perceive it as an excellent option for parents. Many factors must be considered before making this decision -- such as cost of surrogate and how much money can be afforded towards its completion. Kardashian revealed in this episode that she felt pressured and rushed when choosing a surrogate, using music taste and other personal criteria as criteria to narrow down potential candidates for surrogacy. She goes on to explain her frustration that she wasn't given enough time to bond with the baby before it was born and was in shock after its arrival. Additionally, she wishes someone had been upfront and honest with her regarding the transactional aspect of surrogacy. Importantly, this decision does not reflect poorly on Kardashian's surrogate, who did an exceptional job of carrying their child. Instead, this shows how surrogacy is often not in the best interests of a child; its presence forces infants through early mother-loss experiences for adult desires alone. Parents have an obligation to prioritize the needs of their children before any adult desires; such inversion of principle should never happen. 4. It’s Not Easy for Everyone Khloe Kardashian revealed her feelings of vulnerability in the season three premiere of Hulu's The Kardashians when she revealed how difficult using a surrogate for the second son she has with Tristan Thompson has been for her, calling the experience one that was "transactional". She asked people to be more forthcoming with what can sometimes be an uncomfortable reality of using surrogates as part of the birthing process. She went on to note how she feels less close to her son than to True, whom she carried herself and has now turned five. Additionally, she admitted feeling guilty for trusting a surrogate with giving birth after it became evident her first partner's behavior wasn't good enough for motherhood. Reasons behind why it can be more challenging for parents of children born via surrogates to bond are many. According to marriage and family therapist Cheryl Groskopf, during birth the body produces oxytocin which aids emotional and physical intimacy - something surrogates don't experience, making connecting to your child even harder. Additionally, some parents can experience increased levels of anxiety when selecting a surrogate mother, which can affect how they bond with their kids. Kim Kardashian opened up about how difficult it was for her to establish bonds with Chicago and Psalm through surrogacy birthing. Note, though, that the Kardashians have an established history with surrogacy and that many women opt for in vitro fertilization instead due to complications during gestation - so their experience shouldn't necessarily reflect how other families will react; what matters most is making sure the child arrives safe and sound. 5. It’s Not Easy for Everyone Khloe Kardashian has shared details of her surrogacy experience that many other celebrities have not. But it is important to keep in mind that not all surrogacy experiences are equal: surrogates don't produce biological bonding hormones like oxytocin that parents do during labor and this may create difficulty for mothers if they feel disconnected from the child they're surrogating for. According to Insider reports, celebrities such as Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and Priyanka Chopra experienced similar issues despite developing strong bonds with their offspring. As she shared during Thursday's season 3 premiere of Hulu's The Kardashians, Good American founder Mary Kate Good revealed her surrogacy experience has been difficult. While sitting next to Kim and Scott Disick she admitted feeling distant from Tatum (her baby boy name). Khloe Kardashian made history this year when she used a surrogate to bring another baby into her family - sharing it with former flame Tristan Thompson (of whom they share daughter True, born 2018). Khloe revealed her struggle during her initial pregnancy after sister Kim advised her to find one and encouraged Khloe to search for one herself. Khloe revealed to her sisters and Disick that it took until she arrived at the hospital for it all to sink in that she would become pregnant with Thompson fathering Maralee Nichols' child. Khloe also disclosed during this episode that she has been diagnosed with rare skin cancer called Melanoma which is an aggressive form of skin cancer.