The queen of everything Ms. Naomi Campbell, known for being a pioneer of every single element of what it means to be a super model, is now a mommy! She surprised fans with the news, accompanied by a photo of baby girl's tiny feet back in May, captioning the photo:
"A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother. So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love."
Additionally, she added "Mother" to her Instagram bio.
Details so far have been kept firmly under wraps, but that doesn't mean she didn't break the internet. She posted all the above three days before her 51st birthday, making her a mom for the first time much later in life, after spending decades living her life as a single woman, and unfortunately being subjected to having to answer to the reason why she doesn't have kids. But since 2018, she has hinted at her time coming, with possible babies on the way.
She admitted to the Mirror:
"I think about having children all the time. But now with the way science is I think I can do it when I want."
Of course, Campbell is referring to IVF or in vitro fertilization, a process where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro. Doctors monitor and stimulate a person's ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova from their ovaries and letting sperm fertilize them in a lab. In Campbell's case, she likely had a surrogate inseminated, but this doesn't rule out potential adoption either.
"I'll see what the universe brings me. For now, what the universe has delivered is very much in the spirit of a 'chosen family.'"
And by 'chosen family' she means young celebs who she mentors, such as Ryan Destiny, who she endearingly refers to as her daughter, fashion model Adut Akech, who affectionately refers to Campbell as her "mama" in the fashion world, or the children from the Rising Sun, a Kenyan orphanage.
But now, Naomi is a true mama.
GiphyCampbell joins the ranks of another supermodel, Tyra Banks, who welcomed a son via surrogate, with then-partner Erik Asla in 2016 after a similar years-long struggle to become a parent. Tyra had been dating the Norwegian photographer since 2013, and shared a photo captioned:
"The best present we worked and prayed so hard for is finally here. He's got my fingers and big eyes and his daddy Erik's mouth and chin. As we thank the angel of a woman that carried our miracle baby boy for us, we pray for everyone who struggles to reach this joyous milestone. York Banks Asla, welcome to the world."
For now, Naomi is extremely tight-lipped on the details and only showing off glimpses. But she did thank everyone for their well wishes, saying on Instagram:
"Never have I felt so much love like I have over these past few weeks , I am so thankful for the love that you've poured onto my daughter.and I Thank you all for the Warm messages of support and birthday wishes."
In other words, your next chapter in life starts when you want it to. No matter how old you are. Congratulations to this new mom!
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Featured image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Amazon Studios
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
