There’s no doubt Gwen Stefani and husband Blake Shelton make beautiful music together. Their latest duet, “Purple Irises,” dropped in late February and became an instant hit, just like their previous collaborations. The “Don’t Speak” singer, 54, said she wrote the song as a way to be “honest” about her insecurities around getting older, and when she showed it to Blake, 47, they decided to record it together. ‘‘Creating this song was magic,” she shared.

Now the pair — who met on the set of The Voice and began dating in 2015 — are tackling their biggest project yet: having a baby. But the journey hasn’t been easy, sources tell Life & Style.

“Gwen and Blake have been wanting a baby of their own for years now,” says a source. “They’ve had surrogates on board, but something always seems to fall through at the last minute. It’s been a struggle.”

Though the No Doubt frontwoman has three children – Kingston, 17, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 10with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, she and Blake had been reportedly trying to get pregnant well before their 2021 wedding. Having no luck with conventional methods, the pair looked to surrogacy, says the source: “They’ve even talked to other celebrities who’ve used surrogates successfully, like Nick Jonas, whom they befriended on The Voice.”

But for whatever reason, nothing has worked out yet.

“It must be a complicated situation,” says the source. “Maybe something just didn’t feel right for Gwen or for Blake or for both of them. In one instance, friends say Gwen wanted to use a surrogate in California and Blake wanted someone far removed from Hollywood. In another case, the surrogate backed out because of the pressure. When it doesn’t work out, it’s wrenching for Gwen and Blake.”

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton Struggling to Find Surrogate
RB/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images

Choosing the right woman to make their dream a reality is an emotional process for the couple.

“They both want to connect with the surrogate, because obviously there’s a lot at stake,” says the source. “It’s a huge commitment, and they just want to get it right.”

Because of their strong faith, Gwen and Blake believe they will soon find the perfect surrogate, and their dream of having a child together will become a reality.

“While this whole process has been extremely difficult for them, it’s really brought them closer together,” says the source. “Blake just wants Gwen to be happy, and she wants the same for him. She knows he desperately wants to be a dad.”