Adrienne Bailon has been an open guide about her struggles to conceive with husband Israel Houghton.

However when she discovered on Dec. 11, 2021, that the surrogate she privately employed was pregnant, she determined to shock these closest to her by doing issues in a different way.

“Actually, everybody was shocked,” Bailon, who solely instructed six others about the excellent news, shares with PEOPLE solely. “Even my sister, who watched The Actual all through the entire final season, actually stated to me, ‘Adrienne, I’m impressed.’ She’s like, ‘I’m so pleased with you. You might be actually holding this.’ I did that as a result of it was actually sacred to me.”

Whereas the previous speak present co-host, 38, had beforehand gone into element about her struggles hoping it could assist viewers in her footwear, she did not notice how exhausting it was going to be when she did not have comfortable information to share.

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The highs and lows have been so troublesome that they have been mentally taking a toll on the actress, prompting her to remain mum.

“It was vital to me for my very own psychological wellbeing and for my household,” Bailon says. “I used to be identical to, ‘I am simply not going to say something.’ It was really very peaceable that means. You did not have different folks’s opinions.”

After eight failed in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles and a miscarriage, Bailon discovered herself with what she thought was just one viable embryo. Taking her physician’s recommendation, the couple determined to discover surrogacy which got here with a brand new set of feelings.

“I obtained to be trustworthy, even the method of surrogacy may be fairly nerve-wracking,” she shares. “Any person else has your little one with them. We name it excessive babysitting for 9 months. It could possibly trigger you to be actually anxious. You are simply considering, ‘Oh, is all the pieces going okay? What’s taking place?’ I really feel like having folks ask me, ‘How’s all the pieces going?’ That was going to make me that rather more anxious, so I simply wished to have peace and have slightly pleasure that I may maintain for myself day by day and one thing to stay up for.”

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RELATED: Adrienne Bailon Houghton Reveals Her Most important Motivation to Lose Weight Was to Begin a Household

With their households by their aspect, Ever James, whose title got here from the couple’s wedding ceremony hashtag #happilyeverhoughton, was born throughout a house start at an Airbnb in Lake Tahoe, California, identical to Bailon at all times wished.

“It is an absolute miracle,” Bailon shares of the second her son got here into the world. “The birthing expertise was unimaginable. We had a number of doulas. I had a doula for me. She had a doula for her that sorted her for aftercare. Similar for me, somebody that was there for me emotionally, something that I wanted bodily. It was a household affair and completely lovely.”

Upon additional testing, Bailon obtained excellent news when docs found she has 5 embryos left. Regardless of the emotional journey she’s already endured, Bailon hopes to strive once more — and this time change into pregnant herself.

“That is the last word dream for me,” Bailon says. “I am not giving up on that dream. Perhaps I’ll carry at some point and I am unable to look ahead to that. I am nonetheless hoping for that.”