The singer debuted her baby bump in New York City over the weekend while on a stroll with boyfriend A$AP Rocky.
The intimate photos were snapped in Harlem, where A$AP Rocky grew up, and show the two in a loving light. In the photos, the singer and fashion mogul can be seen wearing a long pink jacket unbuttoned to reveal her bump adorned in a gold cross with colorful jewels. The couple can be seen holding hands as A$AP Rocky kisses Rihanna on the forehead.
The couple began dating shortly after Rihanna's split from her boyfriend of three years, billionaire Hassan Jameel in 2020. However, they have been friends for much longer. They collaborated in 2012 on a remix of Rihanna’s “Cockiness (Love It),” and stayed in contact. A$AP Rocky was also featured in her Fenty Skin campaign.
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Shortly after her breakup with Jameel, the Barbados native opened up about wanting to have children whether or not she was in a relationship.
"You don't have a lot of time to tolerate s----, you know? You put so much on your plate. When you're overwhelmed, you need to start cutting things out. And I'm overwhelmed too much," she said at the time. "What's happening now is that I'm going back to black and white. My gray area is shutting down."
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"I know I will want to live differently," she added, saying that within the next 10 years she sees herself having "three or four" children, whether she has a partner or not.
"I feel like society makes me want to feel like, 'Oh, you got it wrong …' They diminish you as a mother if there's not a dad in your kids' lives," Rihanna said. "But the only thing that matters is happiness; that's the only healthy relationship between a parent and a child. That's the only thing that can raise a child truly, is love."
Although the pair initially denied their romance, they made their debut as a couple at the 2021 met gala. "We weren't even sure if we were going to go, so separately we were planning our looks just to be prepared," Rihanna told E! News after the event. "We ended up getting ready together and going and I didn't even realize we were on a carpet together until somebody said, 'You're making your debut,' and I was like, 'Oh, s––t.'"
This will be the first child for both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, who are 33. Back in May, A$AP Rocky opened up about his relationship with the Fenty ambassador calling her the "love of my life."
"She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones. I think when you know, you know. She's the One," he told GQ at the time adding that it was so much better to be in a relationship.
The "Praise the Lord" rapper also opened up about starting a family. "I think I'd be an incredible, remarkably overall amazing dad. I would have a very fly child. Very," he shared.
RELATED: Top Doctor-Recommended Ways To Ensure A Healthy Pregnancy And Baby
Having a child after 30
More women are waiting until their 30s to have children. According to the provisional birthrate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while there have been steady increases for women in the 30 to 34 and 35 to 39 age groups, birthrates have declined by an average of 4% per year since 2007 for women in the 20 to 24 and 25 to 29 age brackets.
Some possible explanations include:
- Declines and delays of marriage
- Finishing schooling and establishing a career before turning to thoughts of having a baby
- Greater access to safe and effective contraceptive
- Having fewer children
- Improved fertility technologies
- More screen time, less sex
Women who become pregnant in their 30s and early 40s can have safe, healthy pregnancies, according to Ellie Ragsdale, MD, director of fetal intervention at UH Cleveland Medical Center. However, they may face three possible risks:
- Trouble conceiving: Starting in their early 30s, women become less fertile, and it may take them longer to get pregnant.
- Complications during pregnancy: Women older than age 35 have a higher risk for diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy. Older women are also more likely to be pregnant with multiples.
- Complications during delivery: Women in their 30s are more likely to need a cesarean section than younger women. Women who have their first baby after age 35 are also at increased risk for other delivery complications, such as prolonged labor.
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Tips for a healthy pregnancy after 30
Dr. Ragsdale offers the following tips to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy after the age of 30:
“Early and regular prenatal care is key to having a healthy baby at any age,” Dr. Ragsdale says. “It’s important to make sure you’re in good health before and during your pregnancy. Eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol, which can harm the baby.”
Dr. Ragsdale also advises taking 400 mcg of folic acid every day before and during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of birth defects.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends taking low-dose aspirin starting at the end of the first trimester to lower the risk for preeclampsia. Your health care provider can help you determine the exact dose and frequency.
“Discuss any pregnancy plans with your provider, who can identify any special needs you may have and help make suggestions. Together, you can make pregnancy and motherhood wonderful experiences,” Dr. Ragsdale concludes.
