5 of Beyoncé’s Most Powerful Motherhood Moments
In Vogue’s September issue, Beyoncé opens up about the body struggles she faced—and eventually accepted—after giving birth. “After the birth of my first child, I believed in the things society said about how my body should look. I put pressure on myself to lose all the baby weight in three months, and scheduled a small tour to assure I would do it. Looking back, that was crazy,” she says.
As a global superstar with three children, Beyoncé is one of the most high-profile mothers in the world. Here’s a look at some of the powerful motherhood moments she’s shared with us.
Her First Pregnancy Debut
In 2011, Beyonce revealed her first pregnancy on a world stage. After performing “Love On Top” at the MTV VMAs, she unbuttoned her sequined Dolce & Gabbana blazer and rubbed her stomach. She smiled, and everyone knew. Judging by the deafening noise of the crowd, they were celebrating along with her.
Her Heartbreak
In her HBO documentary, Life Is But a Dream, the singer admitted that Blue Ivy wasn’t her first pregnancy. She had previously suffered a miscarriage, which she described as “the saddest thing I’ve ever been through.”
“I flew back to New York to get my check up—and no heartbeat,” she said. “Literally the week before I went to the doctor, everything was fine, but there was no heartbeat.”
Her painful admission reverberated around the world, especially for women who had experienced similar heartbreak. In 2016, after Beyoncé referenced her miscarriage again on her album Lemonade, Washington Post writer Danielle Paquette reflected on its significance: “One of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet is talking about miscarriage, a moment that could help break the stigma around the experience.”
The Instagram
It was the pregnancy announcement to end all pregnancy announcements: Beyoncé, kneeling in front of a large floral garland, cradling her bare stomach. A veil covers her face, but her eyes still peer right into the camera. “We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes.” She signed it: The Carters.
The photo, captured by Awol Erizku, was the most liked Instagram in 2017, and still remains in the top 10 of all time.
The Instagram: 2
Beyoncé heralded the birth of her twins, Sir and Rumi, with another carefully styled photo in which she’s shown backed by flowers, cradling her two newborn children.
Her 2017 Grammys Performance
Who run the world? Girls—especially Beyoncé. While quite pregnant with twins Rumi and Sir, she delivered a show-stopping performance at the 2017 Grammys. It opened with a spoken-word tribute to motherhood. Then the star stepped out, wearing gold sequins and a gilded halo, a nod to the religious iconography of Madonna with child. She couldn’t do her signature kinetic dance moves. But instead, she did something more significant: embodied the beauty of pregnancy and motherhood for the world to see.
See Beyoncé’s September Issue, Photographed by Tyler Mitchell:
See Beyoncé’s September Issue, Photographed by Tyler Mitchell
Flawless
Fashion Editor: Tonne Goodman.
See Your Halo
Me, Myself, and I
I Ain’t Sorry
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Watch: Behind the Scenes of Beyoncé’s Vogue Cover Shoot:
