Rihanna’s Son’s First Word—and 11 Other Things We Learned About Her as a Mom

Rihanna got candid about being a mom of two under 2 with Interview magazine.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Whether it was getting praised for performing pregnant at the Super Bowl in 2023 or her pregnancy style, the world was excited to see Rihanna's new chapter as a parent.

Now, she's getting candid with Interview magazine, laying bare what it's like for her to be a mom of two under 2. The global megastar and business mogul shares her sons—RZA Athelston, 1, and Riot Rose, 8 months—with partner, A$AP Rocky.

While Rihanna has given some tidbits about being a mom in the past, this interview is a deep dive into her life as a parent and proves she’s more like us than we might think with similar concerns and priority changes.

Here are 12 things we learned about Rihanna, the parent.

Yes, Even Celebrity Bodies Change After Birth

Rihanna got real about having to "push this up, snatch this in, or do an illusion of a little bit of skin here." It’s perfectly normal and expected to have to do a little bit extra to keep everything in place after having children.

Later in her interview, she admits that, while very reluctant to go under the knife, the one surgery she would consider is a boob lift—to get her breasts back by her shoulders, right where they used to be!

She’s Become a ‘Lazy Dresser’

It’s well known that priorities change after having a baby—your preferences often come second.

RiRi admits that she now spends her time getting her kids dressed to the nines but for her, comfort is a focus over style.

Despite long being known as a fashion icon, she has had to take a step back and consider what’s the most comfortable outfit to wear around her kids. Importantly, she asks herself: “What’s not going to feel uncomfortable on their face or on their body or make me feel like I can’t hold them properly?”

She adds, "Moms are lazy dressers in real life."

She Loves 'Hand-Me-Downs'

Rihanna may be a megastar but that doesn’t stop her from passing her older son's clothes down to her younger one.

As a mom myself, this resonates with me because many of the clothes my mom kept from my three brothers, I now use for my 9-year-old son. There’s nothing more special than pre-loved family goods!

RZA’s First Word Was Too Cute

Forget “mama," “dada,” or “bye bye;" RZA's first word was “hey." Rihanna says she used to say “hey, hey, hey” to him a lot to grab his attention and he followed suit in the same melody.

It makes sense: A 2017 study found that a baby’s first words are likely tied to their visual experiences and how they see the world around them.

She Carries Items From Her Kids Whenever She Travels

In her very stylish YSL mini duffle, Rihanna loves to keep something from her kiddos, such as a rag, pair of socks, or pacifier.

She also has some essentials for herself—a pair of sunglasses, meds, perfume from her Fenty brand, cough drops, a satin hair scarf, a Fenty Eaze Drop Stick, and a pack of cards. She also has much needed rolling apparatus tucked away in there.

COVID Sped Up Her Timeline of Starting a Family

The pandemic created an environment in which Rihanna and Rocky had to get more comfortable with each other much quicker. In turn, the time it took to know they were ready to be parents sped up.

Rihanna says starting a family for them wasn't a case of sitting down and talking about it; they simply went with the flow and it just happened.

She also gushes that "when someone sees you completely, and believes in you, and thinks you’re worthy of being the mother of their kids, it’s a great feeling.”

She Wants More Kids

Rihanna says she's putting having more kids in God's hands. And while she doesn't know what God wants, she would ideally like to have more kids. "I would try for my girl. But, of course, if it’s another boy, it’s another boy,” she says in the interview.

Third-Trimester Cellulite Is No Joke

When you're pregnant, you really have no control over how your body changes and Rihanna feels that! She talks about how ripples in her skin appeared in places she never realized they could appear. Like many other moms, the cellulite from pregnancy is mainly in her thighs.

She Always Knew She Wanted To Be a Mom

Rihanna admits that despite not knowing how her life or career would turn out, one thing she always knew that she wanted was motherhood. She had no idea when or how it would come to her, but it happened and it's the best part of her journey.

She’s also relishing in the fact that her fans are growing up with her and having kids alongside her.

She Values Los Angeles As a Parent

While Barbados, where she grew up, will always be her home, Rihanna divulges that the best parts of Los Angeles involve starting a family and raising children. For her, the city has great doctors, child therapists, and teachers, which all can make a big difference when raising kids.

On top of that, RiRi says her gynecologist is a key reason she loves Los Angeles and she wouldn't "trade her for the world." She's even the reason RiRi had her babies there.

She Loves To Sing to Her Kids

Would we expect anything other than Rihanna singing to her kids?

When asked what songs she likes to sing to them, she mentioned "Penguins Salute," ”Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "The Wheels on the Bus,” and “Incy-Wincy Spider.”

Her Biggest Fears Are All About Her Kids

We all know how worrisome parenthood can be—even as our babies grow into adults, we still get anxious and stressed. For Rihanna, it’s no different.

She confesses that the well-being of her kids plays on her mind constantly, and it’s something no one warns you about having children.

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