Naomi Osaka Talks Motherhood, Details Cordae’s “Easygoing” Parenting Style
Naomi Osaka is opening up about her and Cordae’s different parenting styles. In a new InStyle interview, Osaka talked about motherhood, her new baby girl, Shai, and explained how parenting with the rapper has been easy due to respecting each other’s views. However, she described his style as more “easygoing”—which may be a product of his personality.
“We built a really good foundation,” she said. “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. At the end of the day, we both want what’s best for Shai.”
Osaka also detailed what she thinks when she looks at her baby. “‘Somehow it feels like you grew so much taller than when I saw you last. At four months old, she already has bottom teeth,'” she said. “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.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the Osaka, Japanese native also recalled her birthing experience. Although she and Cordae read numerous birthing books, Naomi learned that none of them prepared her for the real thing—Osaka suffered pregnancy complications during her journey.
The tennis player tested positive for Group B streptococcus during her pregnancy. Group B streptococcus is a bacterial infection that can lead to potential stillbirth in newborn babies. She also recalled being rushed to the hospital after her water broke and being nervous about her condition. After 12 hours of labor, the 26-year-old had only dilated one centimeter.
“I do remember feeling in that moment, ‘This is the worst pain of my life,'” Osaka said. “And I know that if I get through this, then everything else will feel very easy.” Osaka would later learn that Shai was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Nonetheless, Shai was healthy. Naomi stated that there were challenges in the beginning and “a huge adjustment period. “It was life-changing in a day. From the moment that you come back home from the hospital, everything’s different.”
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