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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt

Kobe Bryant and Rising Basketball Star Daughter, Gigi, Perish in Helicopter Crash

Gianna and Kobe Bryant Collage Bellyitchblog.com
Gianna and Kobe Bryant Collage Bellyitchblog.com

Photos: Vanessa Bryant’s Instagram, Getty

Sad news about the family of Vanessa Bryant covered plenty in this blog over the past 10 years: her husband, legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant and their 13 year old daughter Gianna “Gigi” Marie-Onore died along with the pilot of a helicopter they were traveling in this morning and reportedly, another parent Orange  and young player, on their way to a tournament in Thousand Oaks, California.

Our thoughts are with Vanessa and their other three surviving daughters 17-year old Natalia, 3-year old Bianka and 7-month old Capri, and the friends and family of all who perished.

While Kobe was known for being a 20-year vet, the third highest scoring player in NBA history, a 5-time NBA champ, MVP Award winner and 18-times All-Star player, Gigi was coming into her own in the sport.

At just 13-years old, she stood pretty tall at 5 feet 10 inches and playe for an AAU team, the  Los Angeles Lady Mamba girls basketball team, which Kobe coached.

Before her untimely death, Gigi  dreamed of one day playing for legendary coach Geno Auriemma at Connecticut and to eventually join the WNBA.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times report, Kobe recently took her to see Los Angeles Sparks ,Phoenix Mercury, and Las Vegas Aces games.

Mom was also a fan, naturally, of her budding basketball star daughter and her personal Instagram feed featured lots of photos and videos of Gigi at play.

vanessa bryant inst of gigi

credit: Vanessa Bryant

A video posted by Baller TV via ESPN showed Gianna knocking down a stepback jumper during an AAU game with her club team which drew comparison to her dad, also her trainer and coach, obviously.

 

Kobe admitted that since retiring in 2016, he only re-started watching basketball because of Gigi’s love of the sport.

“Before Gigi got into basketball I hardly watched it, but now that’s she’s into basketball, we watch every night,” Kobe told former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the Showtime Basketball podcast All the Smoke.

Since his Jersey was retired in 2017, he had not been seen courtside at a Lakers game until recently with his daughter.

“We just had so much fun because it was the first time I was seeing the game through her eyes,” the five-time NBA champion said of sharing the experience with his daughter.

“It wasn’t me sitting there, you know, as an athlete or a player or something like that, and you know it’s like about me, and I don’t like that,” he added. “It was her, she was having such a good time.”

RIP to both. What a tragic loss for the sports world and the family.

Usain Bolt And Girlfriend Kasi Bennett Are Expecting First Child

Congrats to Jamaican Olympic and world champion track star Usain Bolt who is expecting his first child with girlfriend of five years, Kasi Bennett.

Thia past Thursday, the multiple world-record holder took to Instagram to announce the news.

“I just want to say a KING or QUEEN is about to be HERE,” he captioned a breathtaking photo of Bennett in a flowing red wind dress maternity photo

Bennett, a marketing director,  then peppered her own Insta with the news adding captions on a series of images: ‘Our golden child. Coming soon… Our greatest celebration… Our biggest blessing’.

The two have been low key with their romance so it’s a big step to see them coming out now with this news!

congrats!

Study: Breastfeeding Reduces Early Menopause Risk

Women who get pregnant and women who breastfeed may lower their risk of early menopause, according to a new study.

”This is interesting because it connects what happens in a woman’s early reproductive life to something that goes on later,” ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a board-certified OBGYN, said Thursday on Good Morning America about the study.

Here is more on what women should know about the impact pregnancy and breastfeeding may have on their bodies as they age.

What did the study find?The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study looked at more than 100,000 women ages 25 to 42 years.

It found that women who had one full-term pregnancy had an 8% lower risk of early menopause.

Women who had two full-term pregnancies had a 16% lower risk of early menopause.

Those who had three pregnancies had a 22% lower risk. When it comes to breastfeeding, women who breastfed exclusively for seven to 12 months had a 28% lower risk of early menopause than women who breastfed for less than a month.

Women who breastfed for 25 months or more in total during their pre-menopausal years had a 26% lower risk of early menopause.

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Like Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton Too Suffered Isolation after Having A Royal Baby

Getty

On the heels of Meghan Markle expressing how lonely she was after having a baby in a documentary released last October as a Royal, Duchess Catherine recently opened up about having similar postpartum struggles as well.

The former Kate Middleton spoke with workers who are parents at center in Cardiff, Wales on Wednesday while promoting a  groundbreaking survey on the early childhood and she shared about how isolated she was with a new baby while her husband Prince William was away stationed with the Royal Air Force.

“It’s nice to be back in Wales,” Kate said. “I was chatting to some of the mums. It was the first year and I’d just had George — William was still working with search and rescue — and we came up here and I had a tiny, tiny baby in the middle of Anglesey.”

She added: “It was so isolated, so cut off. I didn’t have any family around, and he was doing night shifts. So…if only I had had a center like this.”

Recall last October, Duchess Meghan spoke about her struggle with being a new mom and newlywed to Prince Harry for ITV journalist Tom Bradby documentary, “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey“, Meghan Markle shared her :

“Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging. And then when you have a newborn, you know. And especially as a woman, it’s a lot,” she said at the time. “So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed. It’s um…yeah. I guess, also thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

After Bradby asked if she  was struggling and not okay, the Duchess responded, “Yes.”

So…there you go.

 

Eco Friday: This Vegan SakRoots Crossbody Is A Mom’s Best Accessory {Review}



It’s been a while since I blogged an Eco-Friday, my series when I used to highlight eco -friendly products.

I’m bringing it back today with my recommendation of the Sakroots Crossbody Bag.

It is totally VEGAN and made of all man-made material.

I think it’s the perfect bag for a new mom or any one  who need their hands free.

The best part of this bag is the compartment in the front that can hold a mobile phone.

It fits my iPhone 11 perfectly.

I wear mine in the front so I can keep an eye on my phone and wallet.

It has loads of compartments inside for holding all your credit cards, business cards, receipts and more.

There is a coin purse in the middle and two sections on the outside where I put my cash.

For me, this is a great option because I can separate cash I set aside for miscellaneous petty spending and for specific purposes like school lunch, game snacks, tutors etc.

There is a wristlet strap so you can also easily and quickly convert it to a wristlet.

Take off both and use it as a clutch.

I love the pattern on the one I got. It features Black women with an Afro along the bottom.

It is soooo me!! There are other patterns too!

And for about $44, you cannot beat it!

Buy yours at Saks’ website or Amazon!

Christina Milian Welcomes Second Child, Son Isaiah

Congrats to singer and actress Christina Milian and her boyfriend, French singer and songwriter Matt Pokora, who welcomed their first child together, a baby boy.

The “Dip It Low” singer shared the news on her Instagram account this week.

“And so we begin. Isaiah 1/20/20,” she captioned a sweet black and white photo of the baby’s hand cradled by mom or dad’s. “Simply perfect. The world is yours Son. Love, Mom & Dad.”

The Love Don’t Cost A Thing star announced her pregnancy in July.

Milian is also mom to 9-year old Violet from a previous relationship with producer-rapper The-Dream.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

And so we begin. Isaiah 1/20/20 Simply perfect. The world is yours Son. Love, Mom & Dad

A post shared by Christina Milian (@christinamilian) on

The One Piece Of Jewelry Every Woman Needs to Wear, especially New Moms



If you’re expecting or a new mom, chances are a lot of your income will be going to the cost of raising your baby.

Expectant and new moms who are used to wearing fine jewelry may have to table their urge to splurge but there are other options: silver jewelry is one!

I personally prefer silver jewelry to gold and other more expensive metals anyway.  

By way of background, sterling silver, which is an alloy of silver is used to make most of the available silver jewelry. On its own, silver is too brittle and malleable to be formed into anything.

That may be why thicker pieces like Bangles are are faves and is being worn by men even.

Here are a few other factorsto keep in mind when buying silver bangles.

Need proper care and maintenance

Silver bangles for women need proper care and maintenance.

The best form of caring for your silver bangles is by wearing them often. When you wear your bangles, oils from your skin helps protect them from reacting with air to form another layer on the silver surface.

When not on your wrist, it is important that you keep your silver bangles locked up.

Put them in an airtight container. Ensure that it is clean and well shut.

Also, ensure that your bangles do not touch other jewelry to avoid rusting.

Proper maintenance ensures that your silver bangles will last long and keep their shine for a long time.

About the health benefits

It is believed that sterling silver has numerous health benefits.

Sterling silver is an effective anti-fungal and sterilization product that has been used for this purpose for thousands of years. Research is still ongoing but it is also believed silver bangles help reduce and cure the effects of arthritis.

Can be worn with other types of bracelets

When you wear silver bangles, you do not have to wear them on their own. If you have other types of bangles, say gold, you can wear them together with the silver bangles.

A mix of bangles is stylish and ensures that your jewelry stands out when worn.

Its hypoallergenic

This means that it is safe to be worn. There are people who often have allergic reactions to different types of jewelry material. Sterling silver that makes silver jewelry is safe and will not lead to allergic reactions on the wearer.

Available in numerous designs

Due to its malleability, sterling silver is easy to mold into different shapes and designs. You can therefore find silver bangles that have unique shapes and designs on them. You can also have your bangles custom made with unique engravings on them.

Versatility

Silver jewelry is highly versatile. It is accepted in numerous social situations. It can be worn to work and to numerous social events. It can be worn to the beach and to church and other social occasions.

Ensure its a right fit

When wearing your silver bangles, ensure that they are a right fit for you. Measure your hand to ensure that your bangle will fit perfectly. When measuring your hand, measure at the the tips of your fingers while your thumb touches your pinkie finger. This ensures that it will be easy to wear and it will fit perfectly.

When you wear a large bangle, it will be uncomfortable as you will always feel as if it is falling off. It will distract you and lead to you getting some undue attention. Further, like every other bangle, ensure that it is not too tight.

Great gifts to give

Silver bangles for women are also quite appropriate as gifts. A silver bangle can be offered as a gift to a significant other or to a work colleague or a friend.

Silver jewelry is durable and beautiful. It will therefore be appreciated by the one who accepts the gift. It is also easy to use the gifts of silver bangles to create a collection of jewelry.

Tionne ‘TBoz’ Watkins Despises the term “Adopted”

tionne watkins

tionne watkins

Tionne “TBoz” Watkins, is one third of the iconic 90s pop group TLC, a brain tumor survivor, and mom to two kids, 18-year old daughter Chase and 4-year old son Chance who she adopted from a woman she knew from her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa.

But she despises the term “adopted” and let Dr. Sean, host of Soul Fox, know it during a sit down interview last November.

“And I hate now, on social media people be like, ‘That’s her adopted son,'” the chronic Sickle Cell Anemia disease sufferer laments of the child who she emotionally welcomed into her family in 2016, though she personally shielded the decision from the press until 2017.

In a 2017 book she released, “A Sick Life (written with Emily Zemler), Watkins detailed more about the heartbreak she experienced during the adoption process.

Chance’s birth mom had previously promised to carry a child for Watkins but reneged shortly after the baby was born.

Watkins didn’t give up hope.

And in 2015, when that same birth mother in Des Moines became pregnant again, she promised Watkins the baby was hers.

In May 2016, Watkins brought home her son Chance, nine months after he was born.

“We all just bust out crying,” Watkins says of the moment the judge finalized the adoption. “I’m not even a happy crier, ever, but I was bawling! I was so relieved because you love this person with all your heart — and to know that someone can still take him from you? I couldn’t imagine. I was so relieved once that part was over.”

She also wrote in A Sick Life.“Chance has brought new life and fulfillment in our house and made us feel even more complete, and I can’t thank his birth mother enough for that.”

She also told Dr Sean, “He’s been a blessing…That’s why his name is Chance. Because he gave me a chance—all the stuff I was going through in life, he gave me a second chance too.”

Her son doesn’t know he is adopted and Watkins is anxious that someone will step in and steal that moment from her. She has a challenge to all those who use the term “adopted” when referring to a child not birthed by the mom.

“Do you say that’s my c-section daughter? Do you say, that’s my vaginal canal son? No, you don’t. That’s my damn son,” Watkins told Dr. Sean.

“I’m so nervous for when he is old enough. I’m not nervous in my household because he knows how much I love him. But it’s the world who talks. That part is irrelevant. I understand it was a story at first or if I’m sitting here. But to say that, like—cuz you don’t know who knows what or how—like, you can’t ruin people’s lives like that.”

What to Add To Your First Baby Registry

It has been a long while since I have highlighted what’s popular and most wanted on Baby Registries these days so I searched  the web sphere and revisited my past posts then cross referenced to determine a List.

Now this is not necessarily the essentials.

Below are some of the top items and I urge Moms-to-be to still consider my list of things you do not need no matter how many books or ads tell you that you do

Diapering

Burt’s Bees Baby 100% Natural Ointment ($8.45; amazon.com)

Hiccapop Wipe Warmer and Dispenser ($34.92; amazon.com)

Sophie The Giraffe Teething Toy ($23.75)

Infant Quickchange Portable Changing Pad ($7.99; amazon.com)

 

Out & About

Ergobaby Carrier Omni 360 ($171.49; amazon.com)

Britax Back Seat Mirror ($34.99; amazon.com)

No Cow Protein Bar(box of 12) ($27.99; amazon.com)

Sustainable On-The-Go Essentials

Reusable Food Storage Bags ($10.99; amazon.com)

Welly Traveler Stainless Steel Bamboo Water Bottle ($33; amazon.com)

Rosti Mepal Ellipse Reusable Lunch Pot ($16.95; amazon.com)

Nursery

LectroFan High Fidhttps://amzn.to/2Mkc9PQelity White Noise Machine ($49.99; amazon.com)

Google Nest Cam (169.89, originally $199; amazon.com)

aden + anais Silky Soft Bamboo Swaddle Blanket ($42.75; amazon.com)

Sandra Boyton Board Books Library (54.95)

Feeding

Boon Bundle Feeding Set ($29.87; amazon.com)

BEABA Babycook 4 in 1 Steam Cooker ($149.95; amazon.com)

 

Medela Pump In Style ($196.97)
Inglesina Fast Table Chair ($69; amazon.com)

For Mom

Traditional Medicinals Organic Mother’s Milk Tea ($23.33; amazon.com)

My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow ($42.99; amazon.com)

Milkmakers Lactation Cookie Bites ($27.99; amazon.com)

Bath Time

Skip Hop Moby Bath Spout Cover ($9.95, originally $13; amazon.com)

 

hop skip jump

Baby Nasal Aspirator ($17.63, originally $20; amazon.com)

nose frida

The Honest Company Shampoo + Body Wash ($8.99, originally $9.99; amazon.com)

honest

Happy registry making!
baby registry 1010

WNBA Gives Players Comprehensive Maternity and Family Planning Support, at Last

Dallas wings wnba player

Dallas wings wnba player

It was just last October, when Women’s National Basketball Association  star of the Dallas Wings team, Skylar Diggins-Smith revealed  that she played an entire 5-month season while pregnant but was called a “quitter” for taking two months off to cope with postpartum depression after giving birth to her son.

And it was last year that we all took notice on how the national champs, the Washington Mystics didn’t have time for an immediate parade because so many of them had to hurry off to play overseas to support their families and compensate for the WNBA’s low salaries.

This week, after months of negotiation, the WNBA announced its new collective bargaining agreement  that offers major improvements for the players, including comprehensive family planning support that allows for full paid maternity leave (it was half on the previous CBA), reimbursement for fertility support and adoption fees, a $5,000 childcare stipend, two bedroom apartments for players with kids, and mental health services tailored to working moms.

“We’ve always been a progressive league. We’ve always kind of been in the forefront of the social impact and reaching out to the community,” Women’s National Basketball Players Association’s (WNBPA) President and LA Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said on a press call last Monday. “But we really hope that we can set a precedent for women in the workplace, women in sports. We’re really happy to be able to be in front of that.”

Given the high number of LBTQ players in the league and a lot of players commit their most fertile years of lift to playing a sport, it was important that the benefits also include reimbursement up to $60,000 for veteran players for costs directly related to adoption, surrogacy, and egg freezing or fertility treatment.

InStyle summarized the groundbreaking aspect of the new CBA well:

Under their previous contract, players were only guaranteed half their salary while on maternity leave. Considering their pay was already paltry — according to reporting by Matt Ellentuck of SBNation, the minimum salary for players with up to two years of experience was $41,965 in 2019, while the league maximum was $117,500 — this would have been a huge blow.

(Meanwhile over in the NBA, men receive a minimum salary of $898,310 in their first year, while the maximum can be as high as $38 million.)

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that some teams “stepped up” and paid players their full salary during leave, “but it wasn’t contractual or required”…

…WNBA All-Star and vertan Sparks guard Candace Parker shared her experience as a mother this week on NBA TV. Parker had her now-10-year-old daughter on May 13 and was back on the court July 5, and then headed out on an East Coast trip.

Her daughter was six weeks old.

“I had to take my mom with me because I nursed the first 15 months, but it was out of pocket, I had to pay for my own hotel room,” Parker says. But with this new CBA and the addition of paid leave, “those things are slowly getting better for mothers.”

Kudos to those who worked hard to secure these wins!

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