Logan Reid
Actress Gabrielle Union faced backlash after posting photos of herself wearing a hospital gown while holding her newborn daughter, Kaavia James. Union and her husband, NBA star Dwyane Wade, welcomed their first child together via surrogate on November 7, 2018, and shared their joy with the world through a series of Instagram photos. However, the couple faced criticism and accusations of Union acting as if she had given birth herself. Wade fiercely defended his wife, calling the critics uneducated on the process of skin-to-skin bonding and the couple's complicated journey to parenthood, which included numerous miscarriages and fertility struggles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the person wearing the hospital gown | Gabrielle Union |
| Reason for wearing a hospital gown | To facilitate skin-to-skin contact with her newborn baby |
| Type of gown | A hospital gown with an open front |
| Backlash | Accused of acting as if she gave birth |
| Response from Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade | Criticism was hurtful and uneducated |
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What You'll Learn
- Gabrielle Union wore a hospital gown for skin-to-skin contact with her baby
- Union's husband, Dwyane Wade, called critics of the photos uneducated
- Union and Wade suffered eight or nine miscarriages before deciding to use a surrogate
- Union and Wade shared their difficult journey to parenthood in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
- The couple faced backlash for the photos, which showed Union holding her newborn
Gabrielle Union wore a hospital gown for skin-to-skin contact with her baby
Gabrielle Union and her husband, NBA star Dwyane Wade, shared their hurt after facing criticism for photos of Union wearing a hospital gown while holding her newborn daughter, Kaavia James. Union and Wade welcomed their first child together via surrogate on November 7, 2018, and immediately faced backlash for the images, which they shared on Instagram.
Union explained that she chose to wear a hospital gown to facilitate skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, with her newborn daughter. Skin-to-skin contact is a method for intended parents to bond with their baby and can be particularly important for parents who did not give birth to the child. Union had suffered eight or nine pregnancy losses and struggled with infertility for three years before deciding to use a surrogate.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Union and Wade discussed the hurtful comments they received, with many people accusing Union of acting as if she had given birth. Wade defended his wife, stating that the critics were \"uneducated on the process\" and emphasizing the importance of skin-to-skin contact for their family. Union also pushed back against the accusations, stating that she had earned the right to wear a gown just like her surrogate and that she was present for the entire process of bringing her daughter into the world.
The backlash against Union highlights the challenges and complexities of surrogacy and the importance of understanding different family-building journeys. It also underscores the double standards faced by women, as Union was criticized for her choices while her husband faced far less scrutiny for similar actions. Ultimately, the experience serves as a reminder of the need for empathy and education when it comes to different family structures and parenting choices.
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Union's husband, Dwyane Wade, called critics of the photos uneducated
Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, shared their hurt after online commenters ridiculed Union for posting photos of herself practising skin-to-skin contact with her newborn daughter, Kaavia James, who was carried by a surrogate. In the photos, Union is wearing a hospital gown, which facilitates skin-to-skin bonding.
Union and Wade spoke about the criticism in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, titled Oprah at Home with Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade & Their New Baby. Union confessed that there had been "so many things" that felt inappropriate or invasive that people had said as she and her husband struggled with miscarriages.
Wade shared his perspective on the process, from conception to birth, and addressed the critics of the photos:
> "I try to tell my wife, 'Don't look at that stuff.' For me, the most hurtful thing was once we had our baby and everybody started talking about, 'Why is she in the bed holding the baby? Why she got a gown on? Why is she acting like she just had a baby?' And once again, people are uneducated on the process and why we decided to go skin-to-skin as soon as our baby came out."
Wade is known for his devotion to his family and has never shied away from standing up for them in the face of public scrutiny.
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Union and Wade suffered eight or nine miscarriages before deciding to use a surrogate
Gabrielle Union and her husband, NBA star Dwayne Wade, welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Kaavia James Union Wade, in November 2018. The baby was born via surrogate. Union and Wade had been trying to conceive a child for years. Union, who never wanted to be a mother, changed her mind after she married Wade in 2014 and became a stepmother to his three children. In her 2017 memoir, We're Going to Need More Wine, Union revealed that she had suffered eight or nine miscarriages and had been diagnosed with adenomyosis, a form of endometriosis that can result in infertility.
After years of failed IVF treatments, Union and Wade decided to use a surrogate. Union told Women's Health that she had concerns about how people would react to her hiring a surrogate. She also shared that the idea of surrogacy felt like "surrendering to failure". However, the complications associated with adenomyosis and the fact that she had three embryos left solidified her decision to use a surrogate.
Union and Wade faced backlash and criticism after the birth of their daughter when Union posted photos of herself wearing a hospital gown while practicing skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, with her newborn. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple shared their hurt and disappointment at the negative comments and ridicules they received, with Wade calling the critics "uneducated" about the surrogacy process and their decision to initiate skin-to-skin contact as soon as their baby was born.
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Union and Wade shared their difficult journey to parenthood in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Union and Wade shared their difficult journey to parenthood, which included Union's struggles with infertility and numerous miscarriages. Union revealed that she had suffered eight or nine miscarriages and had been diagnosed with adenomyosis, a type of endometriosis that occurs in the uterus. The couple ultimately welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Kaavia James, via surrogate on November 7, 2018.
During the interview, Union and Wade also addressed the backlash they faced after sharing photos of Union holding her newborn while wearing a hospital gown and lying in a hospital bed. Critics questioned why Union was dressed as if she had just given birth and why she was holding the baby. In response, Wade called the critics uneducated on the process of surrogacy and their decision to facilitate skin-to-skin bonding as soon as their baby was born.
Union and Wade shared their experiences and milestones in their unique path to parenthood, including their decision to turn to surrogacy after Union's fertility struggles. They also discussed the joy they felt in raising Wade's three sons together and how it inspired them to expand their family. Union advised others going through similar struggles to seek hope, knowledge, and a sense of community.
The interview, titled "Oprah at Home with Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade & Their New Baby", aired on December 8, 2018, on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It highlighted the couple's fertility struggles, their decision to use a surrogate, and the backlash they faced on social media for their announcement photos. Union and Wade's candid conversation with Oprah provided insight into their challenging yet rewarding journey to becoming parents.
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The couple faced backlash for the photos, which showed Union holding her newborn
Actress Gabrielle Union and her husband, NBA star Dwyane Wade, faced backlash after the birth of their daughter, Kaavia James, on November 7, 2018. The couple, who had a complicated journey to parenthood, shared their happy news on Instagram with photos of Union resting in a hospital bed with her husband and holding their newborn while wearing a hospital gown.
Union and Wade were met with criticism and ridicule from online commenters who questioned why Union was in the photos holding the baby, wearing a hospital gown, and acting like she had just given birth. The couple shared their hurtful experience in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, titled "Oprah at Home with Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade & Their New Baby", which aired on December 8, 2018, on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
In the interview, Wade expressed his disappointment with the backlash, stating that people were uneducated on the process of surrogacy and their decision to practice skin-to-skin contact or kangaroo care with their newborn. He emphasized that wearing a hospital gown facilitated this important bonding experience for Union as a new mother, even though she did not give birth herself.
Union, who had struggled with infertility and suffered multiple pregnancy losses, got emotional during the interview, sharing the difficulty she faced in not being able to carry the child herself. Despite the backlash, Union and Wade celebrated the arrival of their daughter and cherished the special moments captured in the photos, showcasing their love and joy as new parents.
The couple's experience highlights the complexities of surrogacy and the importance of understanding and sensitivity from the public, especially during such intimate and emotional moments as welcoming a new life into the world.
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Frequently asked questions
Gabrielle Union wore a hospital gown to facilitate skin-to-skin contact with her newborn daughter, Kaavia James, who was born via surrogate.
Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, faced criticism from people who accused her of acting as if she had given birth.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple shared how hurt they were by the comments, with Wade calling the critics "uneducated" on the process of surrogacy and the reasons for their decision to initiate skin-to-skin contact as soon as their baby was born.
