It's a girl!
Kelis and husband Mike Mora welcomed their second child — and first daughter — last week, the singer revealed on Instagram Friday. The baby girl joins the couple's 4½-year-old son Shepherd. Kelis is also mom to 11-year-old son Knight, whom she shares with ex-husband Nas.
“Hey, so I’ve been kind of MIA, very MIA, but for a really good reason cause I just had my baby!” the artist, 41, smiled before sharing that her labor was "intense."
"I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I’m generally a really private person, with my personal life, but I wanted to kind of bring my fam in, bring you guys in, to sort of talk about all of these women’s things we go through that no one really tells us about," she continued her video.
The new mom went on to share she had the baby "a week ago."
"I had a girl by the way, so I'm very excited about that, it's my first girl," she added.
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Kelis, born Kelis Rogers, explained that she wanted to bring her fans into her "process" about how she plans to lose weight following her baby girl's birth.
"I can’t work out for the next six weeks and if I don’t want to resort to wearing spandex for the rest of my life…I want to show you how I plan on getting back into my high-waisted jeans — which you know I wear so much — with just food. No exercise," she said.
"I went from 236, my baby girl was a big baby, so I’ve got about 50 to 60 pounds left to lose to get back into my high-waisted jeans," she said, giving viewers a 360-degree look at her body.
Kelis concluded her clip by writing, "It’s been a really intense week, but I made it and baby’s good."
Also on Saturday, she shared the first photo of her baby girl, featuring the mother-daughter pair holding hands. "She's just the sweetest little thing," Kelis raved.
The star announced in August that she was expecting her third child. "Chef Kelis — table for 5 please. We're adding one more! 🤰🏾🖤," Kelis narrated the reveal of her exciting news on Instagram.
Kelis went on to touch on the significance of being a Black mother in today's social climate, writing, "There are so many things to consider during this time in your life, especially during the crazy times that we live in — from what we eat, to how we live and love."
"This is the time we must take for ourselves without apologies, especially when we still live in a country where Black women historically have had the highest maternal mortality rates," Kelis said, adding that "self-care has become paramount, particularly in the beginning stages" in her pregnancy. "Knowing your body and what it needs, being able to be still and quiet enough to hear what it tells you."
"Don't be afraid to look for a team that looks like you and can relate with a level of care that will make you feel your most comfortable," she advised. "It's your right. It's our right. And we must demand not only what’s best for us, but for our community."
"So, I'm so grateful to be able to work with First Response and to announce that a charitable donation to @blackmamasmatter will be made on my behalf," Kelis continued. "@blackmamasmatter is an organization that's working to ensure Black mamas have the rights, respect, resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. Together we can change these statistics, one woman at a time."
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