I know, I know—what in the world is MyBrownBaby doing talking about the juicy, gossipy, champagne glass-tossing, knock-down-drag-out VH1 reality show, “Love & Hip Hop,” and its pregnant stars Kimbella Vanderhee and Yandy Smith? *cough* Clutch made me do it *cough*
LOL—JK, Clutch! I’m a huge fan of the site and writer Risa Dixon raised an interesting question about Kimbella and Yandy yesterday after noting that the reality stars, both anywhere from four to six months pregnant, were spotted clubbing recently at the New York City hotspot La Vie Lounge. In the Clutch piece, Dixon, who is seven months pregnant, asks, “Should the fact that the two are still club hopping while pregnant get the side eye or is it socially acceptable?”
Instantly, I was reminded of the scene in Tina Fey’s Baby Mama, in which a fake-pregnant Amy Poehler slurps up random strangers’ drinks and sends dance partners scattering when she does the pregnant belly dance. I was reminded, too, of this scene in Knocked Up, in which the hysterical Craig Robinson dresses down the pregnant main character and her hilarious older sister for trying to push past the velvet rope. For a tear-inducing laugh, check out the Knocked Up clip below [note: there’s a LOT of cursing so if you’re at work or around the babies, turn down the volume. Hilarity ensues at the 1:46 mark.]
I’m not gonna lie: I might give the side-eye if I saw a ginomously pregnant woman out at the club. But then I’d consider what it was like in the second trimester of my first pregnancy, when my belly started to really pop and I started realizing that my life and all the things that I’d done for fun as a young, childless woman were about to change. Vacations would be different. Friends would change. The way I ate, the way I dressed, the way I socialized, the things I thought important—with a baby, all of it would be… new.
I’m not saying that considering these things made me go buck wild. But there was a little part of me that thought, welp, you better get out whatever it is you gotta get out of your system now because once the baby comes, there’s no turning back. I don’t remember going to the club outside of work reasons, but then, I never was a big club person. But I did make a point of doing things that I loved—spending time with my girlfriends, having quiet dinners with my husband, doing a little traveling, enjoying being pampered by my parents. And when my baby came, I treasured those pre-baby moments with my friends, husband and parents because they did, ultimately, change.
So I’d keep the side-eye over the pregnant Kimbella and Yandy clubbing to myself. I mean, tossing back six shots of Ciroc might not be the best idea for a pregnant woman in the club. Sucking on a cigarette or standing around someone blowing cigarette and cigar smoke in your face would prove problematic. There might be some folks turned off by the pregnant lady dropping it like it’s hot out on a crowded, smoky, sticky dance floor. But really, at the end of the day, if going to the club to enjoy the company of friends, good music and non-alcoholic drinks is the worst the two pregnant Love & Hip Hop stars can do, well, no side-eyes from me.
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Denene Millner
Mom. NY Times bestselling author. Pop culture ninja. Unapologetic lover of shoes, bacon and babies. Nice with the verbs. Founder of the top black parenting website, MyBrownBaby.
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I have to take a neutral position on this one. They aren’t regular people, they’re demi-celebs and they don’t go to hole-in-the-wall clubs where you are likely to get shot up. That doesn’t make it okay, but it definitely isn’t *that* dangerous.
I went out until I started really showing but I didn’t do much. If I hadn’t hit the big 3-0 I probably would have stayed home. Ironically, I just hit 40 weeks and did the Wobble in my bedroom tonight, trying to dance my LO out.
I went to a spoken word & open mic night at a JR Crickets restaurant when I was 9 months pregnant, and I got all kinds of side-eyes. It’s motherhood, it’s not nunhood. I was enjoying myself because after being pregnant for the third time I was well aware that there would be no nights out for months. I wasn’t drinking, and their was no smoking allowed inside, I was just chilling. Women were terribly bothered by me being there.
As long as no alcohol and cigarettes are involved, I think it’s perfectly fine! C’mon.
They get paid $12-15 grand 2 host these parties I don,t c what the problem is
I read an interview where Yandy addressed this, acknowledging that she realizes it may seem inappropriate to be at “da club” so far along in her pregnancy. She stated that she had actually booked the gigs (and signed contracts) far before she even conceived… and once learning of her pregnancy, that she didnt want to back out of those contracts. She said that she has not booked any more club appearances, and doesnt intend to, but that she sees nothing wrong with being able to build up her future son’s college savings with these few appearances.
She also stated that for her club appearances, in general but esp. since learning she was pregnant, she is accompanied at all times by her husband as well as security/entourage and escorted straight to the VIP section, where she pretty much remains for the duration of the event, short of when she steps out to take pics with fans.
After I read that, I definitely didint feel as uncomfortable with the idea… esp. since she stopped booking them once she learned she was pregnant.
Now would I feel comfortable pregnant in the club?! No way! I was way too paranoid to do anything or go anywhere where my belly was at risk of being jostled by elbows and what not. But to each her own. Im definitely not mad at Yandy for her choices… esp. at being able to build up the kid’s college fund now – that’s whats up. Who knows what the future holds for her, and she may not be working in another 18 years. Great to have that money set aside now.
As a 6 mnth pregnant mom of a toddler, I would gladly hit the club if I can find one that is not too crowded. I have always, and still love to dance. Dancing is my exercise, so to stop means sitting on my butt gaining more weight than I care to. In most places in my area, you can’t smoke and I have no desire to drink, so I’m just there to enjoy my friends and the music. We judge to harshly in our society and seem to believe pregnant means sit down and don’t move. That is why so many women find it difficult to lose the baby weight after.