Fabulous hunty!!!
Magic Johnson's son EJ has definitely been working his new look over the past year with a loss of 180 pounds. He's slimmed down and showed out on every red carpet he's hit and 50 of those pounds he lost within just two months.
On the first season of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, E.J. Johnson mentioned that he wanted to trim a few pounds by having weight loss surgery. Afterwards, he had gastric sleeve surgery, and he even chatted about his weight loss in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. According to his E.J., doctors removed 80 percent of his stomach and made it the size of a banana, but he says he still has to eat right and exercise regularly to maintain.
E.J. admitted that he was bullied when he was younger, but as an adult this was a decision that he made on his own, not because of what anyone else thought. He also said his dad was right there by his side in whatever choice he wanted to make about the surgery.
"Yeah, [I was bullied] a little bit when I was really young. As I grew older it was less teasing. It's not like I was bullied into doing this. No way. No one was messing with me when I was older.[My dad] was 100 percent supportive of course. He supports me in everything that I do. He's been one of my biggest cheerleaders."
He also revealed that he talked to Star Jones before his surgery and she gave him sound advice:
"She told me that it was definitely a tool for a whole new life. It was not something that was the easy way out by any means. This is not something that you do and then all of a sudden everything is gone and you're skinny and you're a new person. It's definitely a tool and something that you have to work at. You still have to work out. You have to eat right. You have to make the right choices."
He's definitely been working on it!
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What Is A Doula?
While thoughts of an ethereal, peace-baring godmother may come to mind when imagining a doula, these trained professionals provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a mother before, during, and after childbirth.
“We tend to fill in that spaces that the [medical] system don’t support,” Sabia Wade, a Full Spectrum Doula, Author, and CEO of Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings & For The Village Inc. tells xoNecole.
“A doula says, ‘Let's sit down and talk about your ideal birth plan, what to do if things go in a different direction like needing to have a C-section or other medical interventions, and how to advocate for yourself and the medical terms you’re going to hear throughout the process,” she explains
Sabia Wade, a Full Spectrum DoulaCourtesy of Sabia Wade
New parents often experience a mix of excitement and worry, particularly concerning generational trauma, and parenting approaches, or feel grief over lifestyle changes. Doulas are there to support expecting mothers by offering guidance and being a reliable, knowledgeable presence. “At the end of the day, I need to know how you're doing,” she says. “We want the parents to have their own voice, so we stand in the space of being the translator.”
The Birthing Experience With Doulas
Doulas often meet clients at home between the 30-37-week mark and assess how the client is feeling, whether they need rest, movement, or emotional support at that time.
“We're doing a lot of education before so that when we get into the birth space, you come in with a base knowledge that helps you be a little bit more grounded,” Wade says. “We work on normalizing the birth experience because most people don't see birth until it’s time to give birth.”
From setting the atmosphere with the right music, from jazz, ambient sounds, and even Trap, to lighting incense, palo santo, or lavender, this time is all about setting the right mood to ensure the mother’s comfort.
“Every doula has their own flair, but I come into the space and check on my client to see how they’re doing, what they’re feeling, and getting oriented to the space,” she explains. “Then I start making the room the way my client wants it to be.”
Doula and Medical Professionals
With the mortality rate for Black women being significantly higher than rates for White and Hispanic women, doulas coach mothers to navigate conversations with doctors and nurses to ensure they understand all options, make informed decisions, and advocate for themselves effectively.
“It's important for a doula not to talk directly to a doctor since we’re not the ones that are receiving care,” Wade says. “Instead, I’ll coach the mother or their partner and say, ‘Let's figure out if this C-section or vaginal exam is urgent or not,’ — let me tell you what they said and you tell what you heard. Then let me help you ask the questions to make sure that we're navigating this in a good way.”
Benefits of Having a Doula
Studies show that doula-assisted mothers were “two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby, and significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding.”
From fewer C-sections, shorter time in labor, fewer negative childbirth experiences, a decrease in postpartum mood disorders, and improved communication between pregnant people and their healthcare providers, the continuous care of doulas is proven to produce better birth and postpartum outcomes.
Finding The Right Doula For You
When determining how to obtain doula services, it's essential to first clarify your financial situation. Explore community resources or organizations that offer free doula care, and check your health insurance coverage, as some plans may include doula services, particularly through Medicaid in certain states.
From prenatal care to postpartum support, the relationship with a doula can span one to two years, underscoring the importance of feeling safe and comfortable with them. When finding the right fit in your doula, one might take into consideration the shared background, age, communication styles, educational approach, gender and sexuality competence, and overall care and demeanor.
Ultimately, trusting your intuition and honoring your journey into motherhood, without feeling the need to justify or rationalize your feelings or concerns, is key. “You were this person before becoming a mother, so we’re going to hold that person and then hold your motherhood too,” Wade says.
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Featured image courtesy of Sabia Wade
