Motherhood has been a one-of-a-kind, life-changing experience forSerena Williams, but it hasn’t been easy 24/7.
In her July cover story forHarper’s Bazaar UK, the 23-time Grand Slam champ opened up about some of the more difficult aspects of life since welcoming daughterAlexis Olympia, now 8 months.
“Honestly, sometimes I still think I have to deal with it,” admits Williams, 36, of her struggle with postpartum depression. (After Olympia’s birthvia emergency cesarean section, the athlete also had a near-death experience involvingpulmonary embolism.)
“I think people need to talk about it more because it’s almost like the fourth trimester, it’s part of the pregnancy,” she explains. “I remember one day, I couldn’t find Olympia’s bottle and I got so upset I started crying … because Iwanted to be perfect for her.”
Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar UK/Richard Phibbs
RELATED VIDEO:Chrissy TeigenPens Essay on “Painful” Battle With Postpartum Depression: “I Couldn’t Figure Out Why I Was So Unhappy”
Regardless of her mama’s intent, Olympia has alreadytaken an interest in tennis— but Williams has much different goals for her daughter.
“Outside of the Mandarin tutor and the French tutor, which I’m really serious about, and of course ballet, I have no dreams for her,” Williams says. “I want to let herdo whatever she wants to do, as long as it’s positive. Always try to be an addition to society, not a subtraction.”
One thing Williams isn’t sweating is getting down to a clothing size she previously set as a goal for herself 14 years ago, at age 22.
“Oh God, I’ll never be a size 4! Why would I want to do that, and be that?” she says, adding while gesturing toward her bicep, “This is me,and this is my weaponand machine. But I love that I said that, because I can understand.”
“I can show Olympia that I struggled, but now I’mhappy with who I amand what I am and what I look like,” continues the sports star. “Olympia was born and she had my arms, and instead of being sad and fearful about what people would say about her, I was just so happy.”
The million-dollar question: Will Olympia be getting a sibling from her mom and dadAlexis Ohanian? “If I wasn’t playing tennis, I’d be pregnant right now – sorry, I’m one of those women,” Williams says with a laugh. “I’ve been injured so many times, and played on it, my body is used to adjusting.”
“I told Alexis, I hope it’s another girl. Olympia needs a little sister, and then we can have a boy,” she shares. “I’veonly been around girls mywhole life.”
source: people.com
