Naturi Naughton and husband Xavier “Two” Lewis recently celebrated the baby boy they have on the way with a shower in New York City.
With Naughton’s daughter Zuri and other loved ones by her side, including her parents Ezra and Brenda Naughton, the couple partied in preparation for the spring baby they have on the way. The event took place at The Pink Moon in Brooklyn, and was planned by Naughton’s PR rep, Tavia Mapp-Deterville. Decor was provided by Nova Original Events and the towering cake was made by Queenz Bakery Cafe.
Naughton beamed in photos from the event, which was attended by industry friends including former 3LW group mate Adrienne Bailon-Houghton. She’s set to have another shower this weekend, with family, in Atlanta. Days before the NYC bash though, ESSENCE spoke with Naughton and Lewis about this next chapter of their lives and how they are feeling about it just a little over a year after tying the knot.
“Overwhelmed but excited,” she says. After a rocky first trimester, she’s been “pretty good, minus the heartburn.” She’s also been pretty busy as she enters the home stretch of pregnancy.
“I’ve been working a lot, outside the home but also just working on getting the nursery together and different things we’ve got going on. But I’m definitely starting to slow down now,” she says.
For her husband, who is preparing for his first child, it’s been mind-blowing for Lewis to watch his wife transform.
“Watching her do all these different things, like shoot an action movie, going on stage and singing in front of everybody, working out every day and still being a great mom to Zuri, it’s very empowering,” he says. “To see a woman go through this from somebody I just saw with a flat stomach to getting a growing body, it’s amazing to see up close. It’s very godly, very close to God.”
As the couple prepare for their son, they’ve enlisted the help of a care team of Black women, including NYC-based OB-Gyn Kameelah Phillips.
“It was really important to me to have an Ob-Gyn who is really paying attention to Black maternal health,” says Naughton. She also has the support of a Black doula.
We decided that one of the ways to ensure that we have support on both ends is having a doula and making sure that this pregnancy is different from my last pregnancy. The process of laboring, birth, postpartum, the whole thing,” she says. “I had an emergency C-section with Zuri, and I’m planning on having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean delivery), which I’m confident about but it has a few challenges. But I do feel like having our doula, she’s amazing. Janeé Aiken, she’s so supportive in both of our journeys so we can be better for each other. I have a full team around me to make sure everything goes well.”
The doula has also provided Lewis with a lot of knowledge that he’s grateful for.
“It’s really good for men as well. Having a doula, I get to learn a lot of information beforehand, especially since this is my first time. She sends me messages and coaches me on different ways to assist my wife, keep her calm, get her through everything, even foods to eat,” he says. “All that information is well-needed because men don’t have the circles to talk about these things.”
The parents-to-be are over the moon about the opportunity to welcome a baby boy, especially Lewis.
“It’s amazing to know that I’ll be able to look into this little person’s face and see a resemblance of myself,” he says. “It’s going to be a great feeling being able to go through the trials and tribulations teaching him and learning with him and developing this young man who’s going to give to society.”
“It’s a lot of responsibility but also an honor,” adds Naughton.
But no one is more excited than Zuri, 5. She talks to her mom’s belly every day and is looking forward to doing life with a sibling.
“The first thing she started thinking about was, ‘We can all go to Disney World as a family of four! We’re the perfect family!'” Naughton says. “She’s got jobs written down that she wants to do. She’s five years old. She’s like, ‘I want to help change diapers.’ I’m glad that I’ll have a helpful toddler on my side.”