Motherhood for every woman is by no means a one-size-fits all journey. And no one knows that better than new mothers. In a cover interview for InStyle digital magazine, Naomi Osaka opens up about motherhood, parenting with her boyfriend, rapper Cordae, and more.
The 26-year-old athlete admits that pregnancy is indeed hard, and “no one talks about it…”.
“I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is; no one really talks about it as much.” The tennis legend stated that as her due date crept closer, things began to get harder both physically and emotionally.
“Going into it, you kind of think, ‘Oh, it’s this beautiful journey,’ but it’s kind of rough. There was a huge adjustment period.” The two-time US Open Champion continued saying, “It was life-changing in a day. From the moment that you come back home from the hospital, everything’s different.”
Osaka also tells the outlet that childbirth was “the worst pain of my life.” She recalled thinking, “I know that if I get through this, then everything else will feel very easy.”
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On July 7, 2023, Osaka and Cordae became parents to a baby girl that they named Shai, which means gift in Hebrew.
“She is so pure,” Osaka said of the five-month-old to InStyle. She continued, “Like every time she sees me, no matter what, she’ll smile. And she’s going in the phase now that she’ll kind of reach out her arms a little bit.”
One fear that the new mom had to conquer was her concerns of not being a good mom. In a post that Osaka shared on both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, she revealed that she found herself feeling insecure when it came to her new role.
“Something I had to conquer recently is fighting the thought that I won’t be a good mom,” she wrote in the second paragraph of her post. “So many doubts raced through my head I had to swat them away like mosquitoes. Looking into Shai’s eyes and holding her I always think, ‘Wow this little person depends on me so much, I have to do better,’ It’s such a strange feeling watching your kid grow, you blink and they’re double the size in a few months.”
She concluded, “Gratefulness reminds me to breathe and take in the little things (and the big ones). I’m so grateful to have another year and I’m so thankful to everyone that believes in me.”
twosix❤️ pic.twitter.com/AbvJ99XYMz
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) October 22, 2023
It seems as if Osaka is getting into the groove of not only being a new parent, but co-parenting and sharing decisions as well with her boyfriend, 26-year-old rapper Cordae. In her the interview, Osaka said that she and Cordae both want what is best for Shai, so they “talk it out” in terms of parenting together.
“I don’t know if it’s because he’s just an easygoing guy, but I think we just respect each other’s opinions. And if we disagree on something, we talk it out,” she said. “At the end of the day, we both want what’s best for Shai.”
To read Osaka’s interview in its entirety, click here.
Photos: InStyle Instagram; Naomi Osaka Instagram; Naomi Osaka X (formerly Twitter)
