Serena Williams opens up about missing her baby's first steps
- Published
The tennis superstar says she cried after missing Alexis Olympia's milestone
Serena Williams has smashed it at this year's Wimbledon to reach the last 16 - an incredible performance, especially from someone who went through a difficult childbirth just nine months ago.
But it hasn't all been sunshine and smiles for Serena. It's her struggle off the court that is in the spotlight throughout Wimbledon. Over the weekend, she opened up about the fact that she had missed her baby daughter, Alexis Olympia, taking her first steps because she was training.
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It's something a lot of working parents, especially mums, can relate to, and which those of us who don't have kids yet worry about. If a Wimbledon superstar, who is worth a cool £20million, external, is struggling to "have it all", what hope is there for rest of us? And should we even attempt it in the first place?
Plus, given how hyper-connected we all are, it's feared that millennials are struggling, external to achieve any sort of work-life balance.
Which is why a lot of other working mums - and kids of working parents - have been quick to let Serena know that she’s not alone.
Alison Bender, a sports broadcaster, says that she’s also just missed her baby’s first steps because she’s in Russia covering the World Cup.
And model Chrissy Teigen, and actor, writer, and publicist Jaime Primak add that Alexis Olympia's first steps only counts when Serena sees.
Even mums who’ve taken their kids to work with them say they missed out on seeing their ‘firsts’.
While professional child carers describe keeping children’s ‘firsts’ from their parents, because they know how sad they would be to miss out.
Ultimately, it just reminded us all why we love Serena so much.
Serena has been very open about her struggles with childbirth and motherhood. A few months after giving birth, she told Vogue, external that she almost died after having her baby, because of an existing medical condition that causes her blood to clot more easily.
The tennis star described how, overwhelmed by the medical crisis and having a newborn baby, she was unable to get out of bed for six weeks.
“No one talks about the low moments,” she said. “[The] incredible let-down every time you hear the baby cry… Or I’ll get angry about the crying, then sad about being angry, and then guilty, like, ‘Why do I feel so sad when I have a beautiful baby?’ The emotions are insane.”
A lot of people have found Serena’s amazing openness about her struggles refreshing and inspiring.
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Which just goes to show that, as cute as babies are, being a new mum can be a rocky road for anyone – even sports superstars.
