Kim Kardashian West has said that not being able to carry her third child herself was difficult, but that the connection to her new daughter “came instantly”.

The reality TV star and her husband, rapper Kanye West, welcomed their third child on Monday via a surrogate.

Kardashian West carried her older two children, four-year-old daughter North and two-year-old son Saint, herself, but was advised against it for a third time.

She said in a post on her app that, due to struggles with high risk pregnancy conditions pre-eclampsia and placenta accreta, “doctors said that it wasn’t safe for my, or the baby’s, health to carry my own”.

The 37-year-old said she and her husband decided to use a gestational carrier, meaning the baby is “biologically mine and Kanye’s”.

She wrote: “Having a gestational carrier is definitely different, but anyone who says or thinks it’s the easy way out is completely wrong.

“People assume it’s better because you don’t have to deal with the physical changes, pain or complications with delivery, but for me it was so hard to not carry my own child, especially after I carried North and Saint.”

Of her surrogate, whose identity has not been revealed, Kardashian West said: “We have a great relationship with her and trusted her completely throughout the entire process.

“I’m so grateful for modern technology and that this is even possible. It’s not for everyone, but I absolutely love my gestational carrier and this was the best experience I’ve ever had.

#momofthree

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“Our gestational carrier gave us the greatest gift one could give.”

She added: “The connection with our baby came instantly and it’s as if she was with us the whole time.

“Having a gestational carrier was so special for us and she made our dreams of expanding our family come true.”

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star announced that her daughter was born at 12.47am on Monday and weighed 7lbs 6oz.

She has not yet revealed the baby’s name.