Mai FM radio host K'Lee McNabb has revealed she's expecting a baby, sharing her "rollercoaster" journey of being a "high-risk" mum and undergoing a variety of stressful tests.
The former pop star announced she and her partner were "adding one more to their tribe", which already includes four children.
"Who knew having a baby at 36 would make you old though?" she captioned a photo of an ultrasound scan.
"The last five months have been a rollercoaster of emotions, from severe morning sickness (thank the lord for ad breaks on the radio!) to being told I was high risk, and having to have extra tests for baby."
K'Lee, who also co-hosts Newshub's Māori current events podcast R&R, said the "stress and emotional wait" for results was "unbearable", as she held herself back from too much excitement for fear that something could go wrong.
"[We] set ourselves up for accepting whatever God threw at us, good or bad," she wrote.
"After having our nuchal scan, I was told I had a 1/150 chance that baby had a genetic disorder.
"The tears flowed, the 'what ifs?', the heartbreak and wondering 'what did I do wrong?' took hold. [Then] the long arduous wait to get an appointment to get extra tests done set in - it was the longest two weeks of my life," the broadcaster added.
During an amniocentesis procedure, where amniotic fluid is withdrawn by a needle and tested to assess the risk of genetic abnormalities, K'Lee said she wondered if she was doing the right thing.
"I didn't want to look at the screen, I didn't want to get attached to something I may have to say goodbye to," she wrote.
"I was a wreck, luckily I had my man there to support and remind me that it's going to be OK (even when he saw the size of the needle lol)."
The former Dancing With The Stars contestant said that after a 16 day wait, they were told they had a healthy baby.
"But this is not the case for many other women, couples, families trying to conceive," she added.
"The reality that many go through worse struggles and get horrible results and have to make huge life changing decisions everyday, shouldn't be shunned upon.
"We shouldn't feel ashamed for having these thoughts, these feelings, or feel we have to hide the hurt. I admire your strength, your resilience, hope and faith. I wanted to bring awareness and share about our situation/our journey because I feel we are very blessed. Where others are not. And that my heart, prayers and strength goes out to you who have struggled," she concluded.
Earlier this year, K'Lee shared a video of the moment her partner surprised her by proposing on the shores of Lake Taupo on a family holiday.
The singer and radio host has been open about her "blended family", blogging about escaping an abusive relationship with the father of her first two children before meeting her current partner who she had her third and fourth children with.
