Maddie & Tae Star Shares Her Harrowing Birth Story With Fans

Fans of country duo Maddie & Tae had much to celebrate at the start of 2022, with duo member Taylor giving birth to her first child, Leighton Grace Kerr. But it was also a scary time, because baby Leighton arrived a full three months ahead of schedule.

Since then, Taylor and husband Josh Kerr have kept well-wishers up to date, and even celebrated publicly when little Leighton finally came home in March. But like any family, they’ve kept most of the story to themselves — until now.

On April 6, her baby’s original due date, Kerr decided to tell the full story for the first time. Sharing a 20-minute video full of personal stories, and documenting the ordeal through photos and videos, she revealed all the harrowing details of bringing Leighton into the world. And while it’s not for the faint of heart, it also showcases the love and humor the family leaned on to get them through.

“My husband and I wanted to let you guys in a little bit on what life has been like these last four months,” she tells the camera, speaking with soft gratitude.

For background, Taylor was admitted to the hospital after a routine checkup in December, and says now it was because of an issue with her cervix. After just 28 weeks of gestation, she labored for five whole days before Leighton was born, with the baby arriving at 2 pounds 5 ounces. After that she was taken immediately to the NICU, and her parents settled into a new routine.

“Every single day, I would go in and hold Leighton,” Taylor explains. “I would sing to her, I would read to her, cuddle and snuggle, and that was our life. Fifty three days Leighton was in NICU.”

Thankfully, Leighton was released from the hospital and came home in March, and Kerr goes on to thank all the nurses, doctors and staff who never gave up to make that happen. But ultimately, she says it was Leighton who impressed everyone the most.

“She’s such a little fighter,” Kerr says. “She fought like hell, and I am so proud of her.”