From infertility and postpartum depression to adoption and surrogacy, these celeb mums have gone through a lot—and in the process have broadened our understanding of motherhood
Motherhood is a unique adventure, and never an easy one. More often than not it takes a physical, mental and emotional toll. And women worldwide not only experience the different ups and downs of becoming a parent, many also face stigma and challenges that come before, during and after pregnancy and birth.
While society tends to romanticise motherhood or call it a miracle, it in fact involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Even now, many are reluctant to speak honestly about the experience—because what if society calls them a “bad mum” for not loving every minute of it?—but recently, more celebrities have come forward with their journeys in a way that is both candid and raw. It’s a difficult thing to do and not every mother is ready to be quite so unfiltered, and that’s okay. But with Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate those who have chosen to tell open and down-to-earth stories of motherhood.
You might also like: Common struggles faced by new mothers and treatments that can ease postpartum problems
Rihanna on making pregnancy fashionable
Whatever Rihanna does becomes iconic, so it’s no wonder that when she became pregnant with her first child she also went against what women are often expected to wear during pregnancy and challenged ideas of what looks “decent” on pregnant bodies. In February 2022, when she announced the pregnancy of her first child with A$AP Rocky on Instagram, she wore an unbuttoned long pink coat that revealed her growing stomach, and this was just the first of a long list of outfits she wore that flaunted both her style and her belly.
From the red carpet to the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Riri showed us how pregnancy doesn’t have to stop women from being fashionable and sexy. Shapeless sack-like maternity dresses? No, thank you. You’re growing a brand new human, show it off!