Celebrity
Nicki Minaj Spoke Candidly About Feeling "More Anxiety" Since Becoming A Mom
“I think moms feel like they have to be perfect.”
Being a first-time mom brings up all kinds of unexpected anxiety, even if you’re a fearless rapper with all the resources in the world. In a recent interview, Nicki Minaj opened up about the anxiety and fear she experiences since becoming a mother to her 2-year-old son, who she affectionally calls Papa Bear. The “Starships” singer revealed the struggles she faces as a working parent when she’s out on the road and also talked about the mounting pressures that new moms face.
Minaj recently sat down with E! and spoke about the close relationship she has with her little boy: “I'm very attached to my son. I remember being in the U.K. and just bawling. And when I try to FaceTime him, I get more sad. So, I try to hold out on FaceTiming him because to then put the phone down is so difficult,” Minaj said of her son she shares with husband Kenneth Petty.
She also let her guard down when it comes to the pressures that mothers feel as well as that dreaded mom guilt: “I think moms feel like they have to be perfect,” she shared. “I hate that I have more anxiety now because you're like, 'What if the one time I leave my child, I get that phone call?’”
She also shared some interesting thoughts on childcare, and how different cultures have different comfort levels when it comes to enlisting the help of a nanny. “I'm a Trinidadian woman. Culturally, we're not really used to nannies and strangers taking care of the babies,” she said. “It's not a bad thing when moms do it. It's just that I have to get conditioned. I have to get it out of my mind that it's a weird thing, because there are tons of celebrities that are doing it and they're raising amazing children.”
This is not the first time Minaj has kept it real about motherhood. She recently hopped on Instagram to share a cute video of her son in the car and to joke about how to cope when you’re the second favorite parent (hint: it helps to have an army of fans, and sweets work too). “When you’re not the fave parent but you got the Barbz to make you feel better 😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣😅 that’s why you still can’t eat ice cream 🍦 🙄,” Minaj captioned her post.
She also took to Twitter to vent about her difficult breastfeeding experience, revealing she was shocked by how painful it can be. “He latched on in the hospital which was very surprising to me. I was afraid maybe he wouldn’t. But breast feeding is very painful. Pumping is too,” she tweeted. “Women make this stuff look way too easy. Moms r really superheroes.”
From the anxieties we feel to the sweet, silly moments, Minaj’s outspokenness about just how hard this mom gig can be at times is much appreciated.
