Keke Palmer is officially a Mommie-ana!
On Monday, the veteran star announced that she and partner Darius Jackson had their first child over the weekend. In honor of giving birth during Black history month, it’s only right that she gave our nephew a name that represents the culture, right? Let us all welcome to the world Leodis Andrellton Jackson.
“Hey, Son!!! Born during Black History Month, with a name to match” Palmer captioned her new mommy dump. The Instagram post included pictures of the new parents in the hospital and two photos of the newborn’s face.
Keke Palmer also revealed details about her connection with Darius in her caption, “When we initially started dating, he frequently created me playlists, with “Someone” by El Debarge being a favorite. Look at God, we created a someone by becoming each other’s someone!”
On December 3, the actress shocked her audience by spilling the tea on her pregnancy during her opening monologue for Saturday Night Live.
“I’m especially glad to be here because there are some rumors going around,” Keke Palmer said. “People have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant,’ and I want to set the record straight. I am.”
Shortly after she pulled open her blazer to reveal her baby bump. “I gotta say, it is bad when people on the internet spread rumors about you, but it’s even worse when they’re correct,” Palmer continued, laughing.
Aside from being entertaining, her pregnancy reveal and healthy birth provides hope to women who suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal and metabolic disorder that affects women of childbearing age. The condition may cause acne, unwanted hair growth, irregular periods, and infertility.
Palmer is one of 5 million women diagnosed with PCOS. Being extremely vulnerable and transparent about her symptoms over the years. This is not an easy task, social media pressures us all to be pretty and perfect all of the time. In an interview with Tamron Hall, she made it clear that her decision to speak up about her condition was an act of self-love and acceptance.
“I’ll be honest, when it came to me talking about the PCOS and my acne struggles, it was to empower myself,” she said. “It was to empower me and to give myself the opportunity to say, ‘You know what? Just own who you are, love yourself.’ It was like me telling myself, ‘I love you, girl, no matter what. I love you so much. I’m going to show your whole self to the world, and I’m not going to be afraid.’”
During the show, Palmer also reflected on the two stubborn symptoms that led her to her diagnosis of PCOS.
“I started to zero in on the fact that, you know, for me to have dealt with acne past puberty in the way that I did, there had to be something deeper going on. And that’s when I came upon PCOS,” she told Hall. “I kind of have a low-key beard going on that I have to shave every couple of days.” Palmer expressed.
Despite the possible backlash and negativity from social media trolls, Palmer continues to share her journey with PCOS. Encouraging other women who may be suffering to remain confident in themselves. Her healthy pregnancy and birth despite her diagnosis, give hope to women everywhere who struggle with PCOS and infertility.
Congratulations to Keke Palmer on baby Leo!