{"id":226051,"date":"2026-01-10T02:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T02:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/226051\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T02:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T02:43:08","slug":"tvnz-presenter-jenny-suo-welcomes-miracle-baby-after-ivf-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/226051\/","title":{"rendered":"TVNZ presenter Jenny Suo welcomes \u2018miracle\u2019 baby after IVF journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jenny smiles as she recalls Maisie\u2019s birth story, which began when her waters broke during dinner the night before her September 3 due date. Instead of rushing to the hospital, the couple played their favourite board game Wingspan \u2013 \u201cYes, we\u2019re huge nerds!\u201d \u2013 and headed to bed early in the hope of catching an hour\u2019s sleep before Jenny\u2019s labour ramped up.<\/p>\n

But she was shocked to open her eyes eight hours later and find it was the next morning! <\/p>\n

Jenny laughs, \u201cIt was like, \u2018What?!\u2019 I was expecting to have the baby in the night, but instead I woke up and nothing had happened at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JennyJenny with her daughter, Maisie Xiaoli Walker-Suo. Photo \/ Amalia Osborne<\/p>\n

She spoke to her midwife, who advised her to go to the hospital for monitoring, given her waters had broken, a situation that can increase the risk of infection. After being given antibiotics, Jenny and Michael spent the day walking around the Auckland Domain, hoping the movement might encourage their baby girl to make her entrance. But by evening, little had changed and Jenny began the induction process.<\/p>\n

They passed the time watching Taskmaster, a poignant choice as the last time they\u2019d been in hospital together, during the loss of Jenny\u2019s first pregnancy, they had watched the same show.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember thinking back then, when everything was going wrong, that one day we\u2019d come back to this hospital to have our baby and feeling really sure the next time would be happier,\u201d says Jenny, who became pregnant naturally during a break in IVF treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo this time, I wanted Taskmaster on again. I don\u2019t even remember which season or episode we watched as I was in so much pain, but it felt kind of special.\u201d<\/p>\n

And within a few hours, labour was well underway and Taskmaster had been sidelined. Despite the pain, Jenny admits she genuinely enjoyed every step of the process. Michael set up battery-powered tea lights around the room, the lights were dimmed and their specially selected playlist was on in the background.<\/p>\n

\"JennyJenny admits she genuinely enjoyed every step of the birthing process. Photo \/ Amalia Osborne<\/p>\n

Michael says he was amazed by how calm and strong Jenny was throughout, marvelling, \u201cIt was like she instinctively just knew what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

At midnight, it was time to push and an hour later, baby Maisie entered into the world weighing a petite 2.8kg. It was a moment neither parent will ever forget.<\/p>\n

Jenny recalls, \u201cMy midwife put her straight up onto my chest and I was like, \u2018Oh, my God, she\u2019s finally here.\u2019 I have to admit that I also thought, \u2018Whoa, this is a gunky little thing!\u2019 But then I just looked at her and felt an incredible feeling \u2013 this is my daughter and it was just such a huge, overwhelming moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael adds, \u201cIt was all relief and joy that everything had led to this. It was special.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple were relieved she suited the name that they\u2019d chosen months earlier, inspired by both their mums \u2013 Jenny\u2019s mother May and Michael\u2019s mum Rosie. Xiaoli is Jenny\u2019s Chinese-born grandmother, who sadly passed away in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t have to go on a name-finding journey at all,\u201d shares Jenny. \u201cWe came up with it straightaway and I remember Michael saying after she arrived, \u2018She is 1000% a Maisie. It\u2019s perfect.\u2019 He\u2019s right \u2013 she really suits it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe couple says every day is full of wonder as they watch their wee girl develop and grow. Photo \/ Amalia Osborne<\/p>\n

Jenny wells up as she recalls the scene several hours after giving birth \u2013 she, Michael and Maisie were the only ones in the hospital room, the sun was coming up and life felt impossibly perfect.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichael was on the La-Z-Boy next to the bed, I was lying there with Maisie on me and Michael fell asleep,\u201d she remembers. \u201cI was looking out the window at the Sky Tower and I just remember thinking, \u2018I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a more perfect moment.\u2019 I still feel super-emotional because I felt so complete, just so whole. That thing we were waiting for was finally here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having been through so much to get there made the moment that much sweeter.<\/p>\n

Jenny tells, \u201cWhen we were at the same hospital losing our first pregnancy, we dreamed of this moment for so long. But I didn\u2019t let myself really picture it for a very long time because, you know, you\u2019re not guaranteed anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always reserved just a little part of me that was prepared for the worst, just in case. But this was the first time I could let my entire being feel that wholeness and happiness. I never wanted the moment to end.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a few nights at postnatal facility Birthcare, Jenny and Michael were thrilled to bring their baby home to meet their beloved pooch Kia. Now, after the usual first few weeks of sleep deprivation and getting to grips with breastfeeding, the family\u2019s thriving \u2013 and the couple says every day is full of wonder as they watch their wee girl develop and grow.<\/p>\n

This week, Maisie giggled for the first time.<\/p>\n

Michael smiles, \u201cShe just changes so fast, so we try to take in all the little firsts and remember them. Before you know it, she\u2019s on to something new.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u200b\u200bThe\u200b\u200bThe new year brings a major change for the family. Photo \/ Amalia Osborne<\/p>\n

\u200b\u200bThe new year brings a major change for the Auckland family, with Michael, a trainee plastic surgeon, starting a new position at Waikato Hospital. While the logistics are still being worked through and it will involve a commute, the couple\u2019s confident they\u2019ll make it work.<\/p>\n

After all, their relationship began long-distance<\/a> and they\u2019ve already weathered far greater challenges. As long as they have each other, Jenny knows they can handle whatever comes next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Michael and I have been through over the past few years has been incredibly intimate and deeply bonding,\u201d she confesses. \u201cI honestly don\u2019t think we could be any closer. This next chapter is simply part and parcel of Michael\u2019s career \u2013 we\u2019ll find a way. If there\u2019s anything I\u2019ve learnt, it\u2019s that you have to let life happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In late February, the family has a very special trip planned \u2013 a return to Japan to revisit the place where their wish was granted. At Katsuoji Temple, visitors make wishes using daruma dolls. One eye is painted, the wish is made as the doll is held over incense and when the wish comes true, the second eye is filled in and the doll\u2019s returned inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means the temple is full of dreams that came true,\u201d says Jenny. \u201cI find that so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Completing the ritual feels important to the couple and they can\u2019t wait for Maisie\u2019s very first overseas adventure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I was superstitious,\u201d Jenny admits. \u201cBut when you want something so desperately, I think you become that way. Everything about Maisie feels incredibly special and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jenny smiles as she recalls Maisie\u2019s birth story, which began when her waters broke during dinner the night…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":226052,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[74,6794,6726,135020,19343,16719,60019,2347,16407,1759,39164,2203,135019,33450,2190,1362,5494,33321,111,43,139,69,2847,9715,3766,5502,4517,10112,41167,1324,39165,30606,79677,8229,28355,6445,17249,45531,1316,24529,379],"class_list":["post-226051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-after","tag-baby","tag-become","tag-conceive","tag-desire","tag-emotional","tag-famed","tag-grant","tag-ivf","tag-japan","tag-jenny","tag-journey","tag-katsuoji","tag-known","tag-long","tag-made","tag-michael","tag-miracle","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-only","tag-osakas","tag-parents","tag-partner","tag-past","tag-power","tag-presenter","tag-stop","tag-suo","tag-sure","tag-temple","tag-they","tag-trying","tag-tvnz","tag-visited","tag-welcomes","tag-when","tag-wishes","tag-year"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=226051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/226052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=226051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=226051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=226051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}