Kourtney Kardashian is opening up about undergoing emergency fetal surgery while expecting her first baby with husband Travis Barker.
During The Kardashians season 5 premiere, which started streaming on Thursday, May 23, Kourtney, 45, offered an update on her pregnancy.
“I feel great. I feel the oxytocin and all the good pregnancy hormones,” Kourtney, who was “31 and a half” weeks pregnant while filming, shared. “I have, like, pinch-me moments all day long where I am like, ‘Wait, we are really having a baby.’”
Despite her excitement, Kourtney faced complications leading up to her now-6-month-old son Rocky’s arrival.
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“We had planned a scan at home, so all the kids could see the baby, and Travis was about to leave for tour,” she said in a confessional. “The doctor who will come to the house to do the scan is a high-risk doctor who is really detailed and thorough, and something caught his eye where he wanted me to see a couple of specialists.”
Kourtney called the fetal surgery “terrifying,” and her fear was compounded with her husband, Travis, 48, not being able to be by her side.
In September 2023, Travis abruptly flew to California while touring with Blink-182 overseas, which he later explained had to do with his wife’s emergency procedure. According to Kourtney, Travis couldn’t get in contact with her while on his way home.
“By the time he got home, I had already had my surgery because they had to do it right away. So my mom took me and Travis came to the hospital as soon as he landed,” she noted on Thursday’s episode. “He slept at the hospital with me.”
Kourtney had nothing but praise for the medical team who supported her.
“It was quick. The timing of it was miraculous. That saved everything,” she added. “I just feel so grateful how everything played out and for the doctors who really helped make the best decisions that saved our baby.”
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Referring to the health scare as a “trauma” for her and Travis, she continued, “So many people were so grateful that I posted something about it because they said so many people don’t feel comfortable even telling their friends or their family because they are worried they did something wrong. But my doctor said there’s nothing that you did wrong. It is not age related. It is just a super rare thing that happened.”
Kourtney’s medical procedure required her to take it easy before welcoming Rocky in November 2023. (The reality star also shares kids Mason, 14, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 9, with ex Scott Disick.)
“Because of the emergency fetal surgery that I had to have, I am now mostly on bed rest because there’s a hole in the amniotic sac where they had to go in during the surgery,” she detailed. “I am not allowed to drive or stand for more than 20 minutes. I am really not leaving the house.”
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Before filming the confessional for The Kardashians, Kourtney took to social media to reflect on the health scare.
“I will be forever grateful to my incredible doctors for saving our baby’s life. I am eternally grateful to my husband who rushed to my side from tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterwards, my rock,” she wrote via Instagram in September 2023. “And to my mom, thank you for holding my hand through this. As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery.”
Kourtney continued: “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant. Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing.”
Later in the episode, Kris Jenner threw a baby shower for Kourtney and Travis, which they initially thought they couldn’t attend when they both tested positive for COVID. The couple eventually arrived before the other guests and ultimately decided to sit far away from everyone else during the celebration.
Kourtney was especially thrilled with the way Kris recreated Disneyland, providing churro carts, Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzels and custom Mickey Mouse ears for the attendees.
Before the baby shower, Kris reunited with Kourtney’s ex Scott. The pair discussed his weight loss before the topic shifted to Caitlyn Jenner’s involvement in the House of Kardashian doc, which aired in 2023.
Hulu releases new episodes of The Kardashians every Thursday.
