25 Black Celebrity Mothers Who Have Shared Their Breastfeeding Journeys

Rihanna

In May 2025, the superstar Rihanna surprised fans at the Met Gala by announcing she’s expecting her third child with A$AP Rocky. Already mom to sons RZA (born 2022) and Riot Rose (born 2023), she has spoken in past interviews about the challenges of postpartum style while breastfeeding, particularly around finding clothes that are practical yet fashionable. While she hasn’t shared specific nursing details this time around, her comments underscore how even global icons navigate the same logistical hurdles as everyday moms.

Back in 2023, her lingerie company, Savage X Fenty, dropped a new line of nursing bras and bralettes along with pictures of the “Umbrella” singer looking stunning and powerful as she breastfed her son RZA.

Cardi B

Rapper Cardi B has always been open about motherhood, and after welcoming her third child, Blossom, in September 2024, she shared a powerful moment with fans. From her hospital bed, Cardi posted photos of herself breastfeeding her newborn, captioning the images, “The prettiest lil thing.” The candid shots quickly went viral, helping to normalize breastfeeding among celebrity moms. Cardi, who shares her three children with ex-husband Offset, also has daughter Kulture, born in 2018, and son Wave, born in 2021. This glimpse into her postpartum journey underscored her pride in balancing superstardom with everyday motherhood.

Halle Bailey

Singer and actress Halle Bailey, one half of the duo Chloe x Halle and star of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, welcomed her first child, son Halo, with rapper DDG in late 2023. In May 2025, she opened up about how breastfeeding affected her postpartum body, admitting she lost significant weight and initially felt like she had “snapped back” to her pre-pregnancy form. Bailey’s honesty about the physical toll of nursing — both positive and challenging — gave fans a glimpse into how she’s adjusting to new motherhood while balancing a skyrocketing acting and music career.

Bresha Webb

Actress Bresha Webb, known for roles in Run the World and Marlon, welcomed her first child, daughter Brave, with husband Nick Jones Jr. in 2024. By December that year, Webb opened up about her breastfeeding journey, sharing how she relied on a wearable breast pump (the Willow Go) to keep up with feedings while on the go. She also credited her circle of girlfriends — including fellow celeb mom Kelly Rowland — for supporting her through the challenges. For Webb, being transparent about breastfeeding was both empowering and a way to encourage other new moms navigating similar struggles.

Taylour Paige

Actress Taylour Paige, best known for her starring role in Zola, became a first-time mom in May 2025, welcoming a baby boy with husband Rivington Angulo. Just weeks later, she shared a striking Instagram photo of herself breastfeeding her newborn while standing next to an Audi E-Tron, shortly after being involved in a car accident. The intimate snapshot highlighted both the vulnerability and resilience of new motherhood. By choosing to share her nursing journey so publicly, Paige added her voice to the growing list of celebrity moms normalizing breastfeeding in everyday — and unexpected — moments.

Ashanti

In 2025, singer Ashanti showed fans a new side of life on the road as a first-time mom. Just before her BET Awards performance, the star revealed she had pumped breast milk backstage for her 10-month-old son, KK, and sent it to him via her driver, joking, “Mommy has to make it happen!” Later that spring, her partner Nelly accidentally went live on Instagram while she was pumping, giving fans an intimate — and relatable — peek into her daily juggle of career and caregiving. Ashanti’s candidness resonated with many moms trying to balance professional obligations with breastfeeding.

Sanya Richards-Ross

Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross, now a reality star on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, announced in 2025 that she is expecting another baby with husband Aaron Ross, former NFL cornerback. While she hasn’t spoken about her current pregnancy and feeding plans, she’s been deeply open in the past about breastfeeding her first son, Aaron Jermaine Ross II, for 850 days. Richards-Ross described the experience as emotional and transformative, reminding fans that every nursing journey looks different — and hers was about connection as much as nutrition.

Candiace Dillard-Bassett

Real Housewives of Potomac alum Candiace Dillard-Bassett and her husband Chris Bassett welcomed their first child in 2024. By November, Candiace revealed that her breastfeeding journey was “really excruciating at first”, describing how painful latching and pumping compounded her postpartum struggles. She said the experience deeply affected her milk supply and overall recovery, highlighting the often unspoken difficulties many new mothers face. Her candor adds an important layer to the conversation about the realities of nursing beyond the picture-perfect social media posts.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer has spoken candidly about the challenges of breastfeeding her son Leo (b. 2023) and the ways it impacted her sense of self. “I think my breastfeeding journey was also very empowering because it was so difficult,” Palmer said. “And I wanted to give up at so many different points, but I just kept pushing myself and kept trying to figure it out.”

“I just got this overwhelming sense that I can do anything,” she continued in her interview with Essence. ” … There were so many things I was always trying to change before, but now, my being enough for my son has let me know that I’m enough in the world.”

The actress also spoke publicly about allegedly being stopped by a Transportation Security Association (TSA) agent for traveling witha large amount of breast milk even though TSA policy says that breast milk and other “medically necessary liquids” don’t have a 3.4-ounce maximum that other liquids do.

“I should’ve popped my tit out right then because the discretion and comfort of pumping is thwarted with threats to throw out over 16oz my babies food?!?!!!” Palmer said. “Why is that not a crime?? I’M A MOTHER for crying out loud 😩😢” 

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington might have the coolest breastfeeding story we’ve heard. The Scandal star told Jennifer Hudson on the singer’s talk show that she went to President Barack Obama’s final White House party and had to go pump.

“I was nursing at the time, and I remember I brought my pump with me just in case,” said Washington, 45. “And thank God, because at 2 a.m. I was like, ‘Can somebody show me a little closet where I can go and pump?’ Because I’m not ready to leave this party!”

Regina King

While walking the red carpet at the 2016 Emmy’s, Regina King reflected on her experience starring in Jerry Macguire two decades prior. Her favorite part was how she was treated as a new mom on that set.

“Honestly I just had my son the month before we started shooting and just being able to be in an environment that embraced a new mom,” King said. “And they took breaks when it was time for me to nurse and that’s what I remember. I remember being able to be an actress and still be a mom and that’s special.”

We’re so happy to hear the cast and crew were so supportive. Unfortunately, not all working moms are treated with that level of respect and are not granted the accomodations they need.

Erykah Badu

Singer Erykah Badu is part of the sisterhood of celebrity moms trying to normalize extended breastfeeding. She breastfed her son Seven for two years and said he was very independent after.

“I was very worried that he was going to be attached since we were together every day, but I guess it made him feel comfortable: ‘I know she’s around. She’ll be there.’” 

Holly Robinson Peete

Actress Holly Robinson Peete said breastfeeding made her lose weight after giving birth to her twins, and that’s actually pretty normal.

She also said she is “one of those annoying celebrities who talk about breastfeeding.” But there is nothing annoying about that! It’s empowering and makes breastfeeding moms feel connected and seen. So talk away!

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady Michelle Obama talked about taking her then-infant daughter Sasha, who was breastfed, to a job interview. “I packed up that little infant, and I put her in the stroller, and I brought her with me,” she said at a Workplace Flexibility Conference in 2010. “And I prayed that her presence wouldn’t be an automatic disqualifier. And it was fortunate for me that, number one, she slept through the entire interview. And I was still breastfeeding — if that’s not too much information. And I got the job.”

She also lobbied to award tax breaks to nursing mothers to cover the cost of breast pumps, a move which was met with harsh opposition from the right wing.

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that not only did she breastfeed her kids Jaden and Willow, she nursed them for an extended period of time, telling Fit Pregnancy that she breastfed Jaden for 18 months. She also spoke about the judgment she felt while breastfeeding on an episode of her show, Red Table Talk.

“I had so much anxiety about it because back when I had them, breastfeeding was like, WHAT? What are you doing?!” she said.

Tia Mowry-Hardrict

Tia Mowry-Hardrict shared that she had two different breastfeeding experiences with her two children. Son Cree was born in 2011, and she wasn’t able to breastfeed him for long, but when daughter Cairo was born in 2018, Mowry-Hardrict got help from a breastfeeding consultant and breastfed Cairo for 13 months.

“#breastfeeding my son Cree was very challenging,” she shared on Instagram in 2020. “I just didn’t have enough milk and that was okay. However, with my daughter #cairo I was determined to try again and I’m so happy I did. I researched, looked to the #breastfeeding community for guidance and had an incredible breastfeeding consultant. I was able to #breastfeed #cairo for 13 months. Trust me, it was not easy. I had #mastitis in the first few months. Cairo also has a lip tie making it a little challenging. However, we did not give up! To all the #mothers who couldn’t breastfeed. Don’t beat yourself up. The most important thing is that your baby is fed, protected and loved. 💕 #wegotthis”

Alicia Keys

The “A Woman’s Worth” singer shared her breastfeeding experience with first son, Egypt, who is now 11 (she’s also mom to son Genesis, born in 2014) and said that she was told that breastfeeding would make her lose weight quicker. “I don’t know if it’s a total myth… but I used it as an excuse and said, ‘Oh, I can eat that!’,” Keys said during an interview for the since-canceled Lifetime TV show, The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet.

“I loved {breastfeeding] I took this whole class too, which I thought was really good because I think a lot of people think you’re just supposed to have this natural instinct that’s supposed to happen out of thin air,” said Keys, who had to discover another part of breastfeeding on her own. “The whole engorgement thing, no one mentioned that part. I remember I was in bed and I couldn’t move because it hurts and there is no way around it.”

Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s Homecoming concert at Coachella in 2018 was epic enough on its own, but did you know that while rehearsing for the show, the mom of three was also breastfeeding her twins backstage?

In the Netflix documentary of the same name that chronicled the Coachella event, Beyoncé revealed it was challenging to stay away from Blue Ivy, who was 6 years old at the time, as well as twin babies Rumi and Sir Carter. “My mind wanted to be with my children. What people don’t see is the sacrifice,” she said.

Beyoncé also revealed she would go back to her trailer to breastfeed the twins in between rehearsals, Buzzfeed reported. “It was a lot to juggle,” she said. “It’s not like before when I could rehearse 15 hours straight. I have children, I have a husband. I have to take care of my body.” 

Halle Berry

Halle Berry welcomed both of her children in her 40s. During a 2014 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Oscar-winning actress compared breastfeeding her first child, daughter Nahla, born in 2008, to second child, son Maceo, now 8, and warned that what she was about to share was “probably way TMI.”

“There’s a difference between boys and girls. I breastfed Nahla and I’m nursing my baby,” she explained. “When I would put Nahla on the boob she would go [light sucking] — a nice little girly suck. With him it’s like, [chomping suck]. He’s like, sucking the life out of me! So I see the difference between boys and girls.”

Kandi Buruss

Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member Kandi Burruss is known as a businesswoman juggling many responsibilities, but she also takes motherhood very seriously. In 2016, after giving birth to son Ace Wells, Buruss (who is also mom to daughter, Riley, 20, and daughter, Blaze, almost 3) took to Instagram and shared her multitasking skills as she breastfed the little guy while having her hair washed at her in-home hair salon.

“This #breastfeeding stuff is no joke…” Buruss captioned the photo. “He doesn’t care that I have a head full of shampoo. He wants to eat now! Lol! This pic might be a bit much to share on the gram but this is my reality right now. Save your negative comments… #KandiKoatedMilk”

Serena Williams

In 2018, Serena Williams opened up about ending her breastfeeding with daughter Olympia. In her HBO documentary series Being Serena, the legendary tennis star revealed that she decided to switch to bottle-feeding, but she discovered that she missed the bonding time with her daughter.

“Once I got to six months I felt good about it. Then it was just emotionally letting go,” Williams said, reported USA Today. “I literally sat Olympia in my arms, I talked to her, we prayed about it. I told her, ‘Look, I’m going to stop. Mommy has to do this.’ I cried a little bit, not as much as I thought I was. She was fine.”

Laila Ali

A boxing champion in her own right and the daughter of Muhammad Ali, Laila Ali learned a hard lesson when breastfeeding her first child, son C.J., now 14. According to an interview with Best for Babes, she says she “made the mistake of giving my son a bottle so my husband [Curtis Conway] could help, and then the baby started liking the bottle, and I ended up having to pump,” Ali said, per People. She eventually exclusively pumped. 

So when it came time to breastfeed her second child, daughter Sydney, now 11, Ali breastfed and the couple found other ways for Conway to bond with their daughter. “He knew that I didn’t want to introduce the bottle too early with Sydney, but it wasn’t like I had to say, ‘Honey, you’re going to be able to help in other ways,’” Ali explained. “He already knows, when it comes to the baby and feeding the baby and doing things the best way, I’m in the lead as far as that’s concerned. We don’t have an issue with that.”

Kelly Rowland

When her first son Titan was a newborn, the actress and Destiny’s Child veteran posted a emotional Instagram picture nursing him along with the lyrics to “You Are My Sunshine.” Rowland’s own mom had passed away a few week prior to that photo breastfeeding Titan in 2014.

In March 2021, Rowland took to Instagram once again while breastfeeding new son, Noah, who was just 5 weeks old at the time. Son Titan is sweetly laying by their side. “I’m breastfeeding successfully now, and I know it’s because when I’m happy, the mood is different,” she told People. I would definitely say what someone once told me is really true: Breastfeeding really does offer itself to emotion as well.”

“When I am pumping or anything like that, I always watch something funny,” she shares. “It’s a different outcome. It really is.”

Thandiwe Newton

“This is what my body is made for,” Thandiwe Newton wrote on Instagram in 2014, per People, as she shared a photo of herself breastfeeding her newborn son Booker Jombe at the music festival Latitude Fest in in Suffolk, England. “And the rest is my choice #Freedom.”

The Mission: Impossible 2 actress is also mom to daughters Repley, 18, and Nico, 14.

Tamera Mowry-Housley

Tamera Mowry-Housley is another mom who had two different breastfeeding experiences with her two children. On her personal website, she shared: “It’s incredible how different one child can be from the next, and how much easier it can be the second time around.”

She says breastfeeding with her son, Aden, now 9, was hard because “it didn’t come as naturally as we’re meant to believe. Aden wasn’t latching properly, which meant I experienced soreness, my nipples were callused and I was in pain for about 8 weeks. I was having a hard time keeping up my supply of milk and it was taking a major emotional toll on me.”

With daughter, Ariah, now 7, Mowry-Housley gleaned from her previous challenges when trying to latch with Aden, offering the advice: “Let me tell you, if breastfeeding is important to you, do not leave the hospital unless you’ve had the right latch with your baby!

“When it came time to breastfeed Ariah, I have to admit I was a little worried. I wanted to be sure that I could give her my antibodies, feed her nutrients and give her enough of my milk to help prevent her from getting sick. Thankfully my worries were unwarranted. I took everything I learned from my experience with Aden and Ariah had the perfect latch from day one.”