In 2011, Beyoncé shocked the world by announcing her first pregnancy with daughter Blue Ivy—a moment that fans had been waiting nearly 15 years for. The superstar gave birth in 2012 and bounced back from the pregnancy and delivery quickly, going on a small tour just months later. But things were a little different with Beyoncé’s second pregnancy in 2016 and 2017, when she was carrying twins Rumi and Sir Carter. Due to health complications, the pregnancy was tough and the delivery was tougher.
Despite a very difficult experience bringing her twins into the world, Beyoncé’ and her family are now flourishing. Though the singer had her doubts about returning to work and getting back into her insane work ethic mindset, she managed to deliver a legendary performance at Coachella after recovering from the birth of her twins. Read on to learn why Rumi and Sir’s delivery was so traumatic and how Bey was able to bounce back.
Toxemia Diagnosis
During her pregnancy with twins Rumi and Sir, Beyoncé was diagnosed with toxic pre-eclampsia, otherwise known as toxemia. Put simply, this is a condition where a pregnant person develops high blood pressure, which can result in damage to particular organs. By the time the twins were delivered, the singer had been on bed rest for more than a month.
In her Netflix documentary Homecoming, Beyoncé opened up about what happened inside the delivery room, letting fans know that she had developed the dangerous condition: “I was 218 pounds the day I gave birth. I had an extremely difficult pregnancy—I had high blood pressure, I developed toxic pre-eclampsia and in the womb, one of my baby’s heartbeats paused a few times.”
The scare would have been especially traumatic for Beyoncé, as the singer had already experienced a miscarriage before falling pregnant with her first child, Blue Ivy.
Emergency C-Section
Due to the presence of toxemia and the pause in one of the twins’ heartbeats, Beyoncé was forced to undergo an emergency caesarean. She opened up about Rumi and Sir’s emergency birth, detailing that the Carter family spent weeks in the NICU following the delivery.
“My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section,” the superstar revealed (via Elle). She went on to talk about the effects of the caesarean on her body.
“Today I have a connection to any parent who has been through such an experience. After the C-section, my core felt different. It had been major surgery. Some of your organs are shifted temporarily, and in rare cases, removed temporarily during delivery. I am not sure everyone understands that.”
Caring For Her Body After The Delivery
Naturally, such a traumatic delivery required Beyoncé to take plenty of time to recover afterward. Following the birth of Blue Ivy, the 'Irreplaceable' singer adopted a strict diet and exercise routine to get her pre-baby body back as quickly as possible. But this time, she focused on healing instead, and equipped herself with some real health hacks that challenge diet culture.
“During my recovery, I gave myself self-love and self-care, and I embraced being curvier. I accepted what my body wanted to be,” she said (via Elle).
Six months after the twins were born, Beyoncé started to prepare for her history-making performance at Coachella. To do so, she gave up coffee, alcohol, and fruit drinks, adopting a vegan diet. “But I was patient with myself and enjoyed my fuller curves. My kids and husband did, too.”
Getting Back to Work
Many new moms find that the pressure to return to work before you’re ready can be really daunting. Though Beyoncé’s job is a little different from that of most working parents, she struggled with the same fears, which were perhaps worsened given the traumatic delivery she experienced.
“There were days that I thought I’d never be the same, I’d never be the same physically, my strength and endurance would never be the same,” she said (via Today’s Parent). In the Homecoming documentary, we also see Beyoncé breastfeeding her twins between rehearsals for Coachella and trying to be there for her family while also being at her best for her fans.
“Just trying to figure out how to balance being the mother of a six-year-old and of twins that need me and giving myself creatively and physically,” she revealed. “It was a lot to juggle.”
The Babies Today
Thankfully, despite the very difficult delivery, Sir and Rumi Carter, and their mama B, are thriving today. While the superstar is quite private about her family, she does occasionally bless fans with glimpses of them on social media. They’ve also been known to make the odd appearance in Beyoncé’s various documentaries.
Beyoncé’s mom Tina Knowles has also opened up about the twins, giving insight into their personalities. What we do know about Rumi and Sir Carter, according to their grandmother, is that Rumi “is just going to rule the world.” She also revealed that Sir “is kind of laid back and chills like the dad.” Meanwhile, Tina has Blue Ivy, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s oldest daughter, pinned as the next Queen B!
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGifnqqVqHq4tNhmmZ6xn6OwtHnDnqOirpWnxm67xWarsKGeqHqzwcyiZJqmlGLAqr6MsJisZaOkerW%2BwK6kmqyZmHw%3D