Beyoncé’s birth drama
My tears for my babies
Since announcing her pregnancy in February with an elaborate photo shoot, Beyoncé has been anything but shy – regularly celebrating her baby body on social media and sharing pics from her lavish Africanthemed baby shower.
But when it came to the premature delivery of her and husband Jay Z’s twins – a boy and a girl – on June 12, the singing superstar has battened down the hatches and kept details of the new arrivals as private as possible. And a Woman’sDay insider says that Beyoncé has been left “an emotional wreck” after going into labour earlier than expected.
A source reveals, “The twins went straight into the ICU for 24/7 monitoring, due to their jaundice and a few other minor complications that come with a premature birth.
“Beyoncé was hoping to take them home last week, but doctors told her they were likely to be in there until at least the weekend, given they still need to be under special lights and are hooked up to breathing apparatus to help their lungs.
“Beyoncé is an emotional wreck and hasn’t left their side – spending 18 hours a day with them and just going back to her hospital suite to sleep. She’s understandably exhausted and upset.”
Labour&love
The “Formation” singer, 35, and her rapper husband, 47, had dreamed of having a home birth and reportedly spent millions transforming a wing of their Beverly Hills mansion into a maternity suite. But after going into early labour, she was rushed to UCLA Hospital for a reported emergency Caesarean.
“Doctors expect them to be fine and make a full recovery, but Beyoncé’s extremely tearful, which is to be expected given the fact she’s just given birth. She’s being supported by her family and friends, who are all rallying round her, bringing food and giving her loads of love.”
The source says big sister Blue Ivy has met her new siblings, but isn’t allowed to spend time in the intensive care unit. Instead, the delighted five-year-old spends an hour each morning with her mum before the singer heads off to be at her newborns’ sides.
“Jay’s been taking breaks to clear his head and has been staying at home with Blue, but it’s clear he’s extremely stressed and anxious too, and everyone is praying that they can bring the babies home soon and give the family a chance to bond.”
While details of the babies are scarce, rumours were gathering pace last week that they’ve been named after their celebrity parents – Shawn, which is Jay Z’s real name, and Bea, as a nod to Beyoncé.
“No-one would be surprised if they’ve settled on Shawn and Bea,” says our source. “They’ve always said they’d name the twins after themselves because they like the idea of their legacy continuing.”
Beyoncé is so determined that her twins will have the very best start to life, she’s spent more than $2 million decking out a state-of-the-art nursery. She and Jay have shipped in Italian furniture, including gold-encrusted cribs and even had a “baby spa bath” installed.
“They’ve made a special lactation room, a huge kids’ gym with soft play toys and a library of children’s books,” tells the source. “She has a dedicated paediatrician on call 24/7, as well as employing two nurses, one for each baby. And, of course, she’s already spent thousands on custom-made designer clothes.”
Finally, extra bodyguards have been hired to ensure the babies are safe at all times.
Meanwhile, the couple – who are said to have a billion-dollar fortune between them – have given up their globe-trotting lifestyle to focus on stability
for their family. They're regulars at Blue Ivy's preschool and have all but given up on their former life in New York.
“They show up for events and fundraisers, and act like very normal parents,” reports a source. “They've decided that LA is a much better place to raise children than the Big Apple.”
Indeed, Beyoncé's pal and former Destiny's Child member LeToya Luckett tells, “She's a very hands-on mom. Right before this girl hits the stage, she's in her daughter's face making sure she's good. I'm like, ‘You are superwoman!'”
A close source tells, “Beyoncé is a natural at motherhood and adores taking care of Blue Ivy. This time, she's just twice as happy and can't wait to get home with her brood. She finally feels complete.”