Kara DioGuardi welcomes son via gestational surrogate

Kara DioGuardi and husband Mike McCuddy are parents to a son, a rep confirmed to People.

The former "American Idol" judge welcomed Greyson James Carroll McCuddy on Thursday. The baby was born via gestational surrogate, weighing in at 8 lbs., 10 oz.

The couple were married in 2009 and have had faced numerous fertility issues, as well as failed IVF attempts.

"We made a personal decision to try with a surrogate. I asked someone we knew, a friend," DioGuardi said. "And on the first try, it worked...We're praying for our surrogate, that she gets through this and that it's as easy on her as it can possibly be, because she's been a gem throughout the whole process."

DioGuardi served as a judge during Seasons 8 and 9 of "Idol." In 2011, she was a judge on the Bravo series, "Platinum Hit." She has collaborated on songs with Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Gwen Stefani and Enrique Iglesias.