Bill and Giuliana Rancic welcome a baby boy

By Christie D’Zurilla

Aug. 30, 2012 12 AM PT

Bill and Giuliana Rancic are the proud parents of a baby boy, born Wednesday night in Denver via gestational carrier.

After tweeting “It’s Game Time” just before dinnertime Wednesday night, Bill Rancic followed up with the official announcement early Thursday: “The ‘Duke’ has landed! Edward Duke Rancic was welcomed into the world last night at 7lbs 4oz. G & I feel blessed beyond words...We did it!”

The baby was born at 10:12 p.m. and measured 20 inches, according to E! News. The Rancics were in the room through the entire four-hour delivery, with Bill cutting the umbilical cord and Giuliana the first to hold the child.

The couple had been on what they called a “babymoon” in Colorado, awaiting the birth of their son, “In case there’s any movement or action,” Giuliana told the Ministry in July. “It’s something we wouldn’t miss for the world.”

The couple were pursuing fertility treatments when it was discovered that Giuliana had breast cancer, which resulted in a lumpectomy, double mastectomy and reconstruction. At that point, they chose to bring a baby into the world using a gestational carrier, a woman they found through an agency recommended by their doctor.

“We interviewed her and felt a real connection,” Giuliana said.

Though using a surrogate means she won’t have to worry as much about getting her shape back, Giuliana will still face the time demands of a being new mom. She’s already traded the treadmill for Zumba classes, which she’ll bring home using the program’s Exhilarate DVDs and toning sticks.

“I used to run on the treadmill for an hour and this workout leaves my heart pounding even more,” she said. Plus baby’s likely to be much more entertained by Mommy dancing around the room. The workout feels almost like being at a club, she said.

But back to baby: His name was to come from “a short list of names that we really like,” she said. “Once he comes, we’ll have a feeling.”

And on Wednesday night, that feeling was Duke.

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