Miracle Watts' Public Postpartum Woes Is Why Choosing The Right Partner Is Key For Your Mental Health
When it comes to the love story of Tyler Lepley and Miracle Watts, it all started on the set of P-Valley when two costars decided to take a chance on questionable love. Each was in their own relationship (or situationship) at the time, with her being a former IG model-turned-influencer and actress, and he, an actor on two hit TV shows, one being P-Valley, which they each were filming at the time that they met. The pair began dating quietly, and ultimately decided to make their relationship Instagram official in October 2021 when Watts posted a photo of them captioned "6.14.21 đź–¤"
Since, the two have taken the internet by its Black love reigns, walking the red carpet together for Amazon Prime's New York premiere of Harlem, in which Lepley stars alongside our faves Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Shoniqua Shandai, and Jerrie Johnson. They also welcomed a son in October 2022, Xi Lei Lepley, who he added to his brood of kids with his ex-fiancée, Leo and Jade. Through it all, the couple has pulled at the heartstrings of the culture as they openly show off their admiration for each other.
In fact, that admiration is the perfect example of why it is essential for us to seek a best friend in a partner.
Case in point, Miracle may be in a committed relationship with Lepley, one of the finest men walking this earth, a heartthrob of our generation, and she may be one of the finest women walking this earth desired by some of the most high-profile men in the industry (Drake has shouted her out in songs) -- but even she also has her off-days where she feels a little self-conscious as she adjusts to the postpartum changes of her body.
After noticing that Watts wasn't feeling her best, in a video posted to Instagram, Lepley deems the day "Wifey Appreciation Day," and he speaks life into her as his crying bae visibly struggles with such a common issue amongst women after giving birth.
"Fat where? Hold the fuck up, okay, first of all, today is 'wifey appreciation day,'" he says to a crying Watts. "We're talking about the most beautiful girl in the world," he continues.
His camera was on her as he was showing her off to the world. Tyler literally put our girl on a pedestal and appreciated her as she stood on it. And that's what we love to see, we wish that kind of affirmation from bae for every woman.
Even better, this hasn't been the first time that Lepley has poured into her through his teammate's lens.
He washed and greased her scalp and hair like a pro:
He even dusted the ends, y'all!
He has given her the space to enjoy her first born:
"Thanks everyone, I was so skeptical about Sharing. The positive comments made me feel warm and happy. Thank you all đź–¤," she commented.
He regularly pampers her, ensuring she is living her best soft life:
And he makes sure that they enjoy it together too.
He welcomes the shenanigans of her being herself:
Lepley may appear mild-mannered, but he is with the smoke when it comes to his boo. Watts acknowledged just how much in a birthday shout-out on IG, which featured a thread of photos and videos of the couples having a good time enjoying each other (including photos of matching his and her name tattoos).
She frequently returns the love with a heartfelt caption:
"Happy Birthday To The LOML ❤️ I've waited so long for a love like this, I thank God every day for not letting me give up. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, allowing me to be me, & loving me through all of our battles (cause chile we are far from perfect). Thank you for showing me chivalry and courting isn’t dead. Real Love Still Exists, I Love You!!!!"
And most of all, he tells everyone who will listen where he stands:
@r29unbothered Tyler “I needs dat expeditiously” Lepley on how it feels to be loved by a Black woman 🥹 #harlem #harlemonprime #tylerlepley #blacklove
When asked how it feels to be loved by a Black woman, he responded in the best way, ending with "Shout out to my baby, Miracle, I love you baby."
--
Miracle and Tyler are currently busy raising their family and learning and working through the new dynamics of their relationship, which we all know can be difficult with a newborn. But seeing a Black woman being loved openly, passionately, and thoroughly, will always be the content we love to see.
Miracle, you look great, girl! Get it mama!
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Featured image by Gotham/GC Images
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Russell and Nina Westbrook Dish On The Key Ways To Avoid Resentment In Relationships
Russell and Nina Westbrook are one of those low-key, unproblematic couples we don’t talk about enough. They met in college and got married in 2015. They also have a beautiful family with three kids. While Russell is an NBA star, Nina is a licensed family and marriage therapist and a mental health advocate.
She recently launched the podcast The Relationship Chronicles with Nina Westbrook, and in the latest episode, she had none other than her husband on as a guest. The college sweethearts dived into important topics from marriage to children and how they navigate it all.
One of the topics they touched on was dealing with resentment in your relationship. The former MVP highlighted the sacrifices his wife has had to make in order for him to pursue a career in the NBA, and that’s why it’s also important for him to support his wife whenever he can.
“For me is respecting and understanding what your partner do and the time it takes,” Russell said. “Not kind of downplaying what they do, understanding the time and energy and effort they're doing to make sure whether it’s their job or making sure home is taken care of, and understanding that, I think that is the challenge of not being resentful.”
Nina agreed and also shared her thoughts on resentment. According to her, one of the best things couples should do is have their own identity and passions outside of the relationship in an effort to be fulfilled.
“I also think that when you’re in a relationship, that’s why it’s so important that each individual kinda pursue their own passions and follow their own dreams as I feel like it only becomes or leads to resentment when one person is not feeling fulfilled in what they're doing in their lives,” she explained.
“And so, they will start to look at the other partner who’s happy or excelling or promoting or moving along in their journey, then they’re left feeling stuck like they sacrificed themselves, their happiness, their career, their future and have not pursued it in the name of the relationship or their partner. So, it’s so much easier to avoid those feelings of resentment when you’re each equally pursuing your passions.”
The couple has many passions that they work on together and separately. Outside of basketball and his family, Russell has become known for his eclectic style and started the fashion brand Honor The Gift. Nina has her podcast, and she also started the mental health website Bene. Together, they run the Why Not? Foundation, which works with kids in underserved communities.
“I’m a firm believer that one person can’t be everything to you, so you have to sort of seek out those different friendships or groups or hobbies or activities that help to fulfill you,” Nina concluded.
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Feature image by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Religion of Sports
