Cardi B opens up about her postpartum depression in fairy tale-inspired photo shoot

You can always count on Cardi B to keep it real. It’s been seven months since the rapper welcomed a baby girl, Kulture Kiari Cephus, into her life and, in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the new mom opened up about the ups and downs that come along with motherhood.

Cardi B didn’t expect it to happen, but she, like 10 to 20 percent of women across the globe, experienced postpartum depression after her baby was born.

“I thought I was going to avoid it,” the rapper told Harper’s Bazaar. “When I gave birth, the doctor told me about postpartum, and I was like, ‘Well, I’m doing good right now, I don’t think that’s going to happen.’ But out of nowhere, the world was heavy on my shoulders.”

In many ways, she admits she still doesn’t feel like herself or, at least, the way she felt before having the baby.

“For some reason, I still don’t feel like my body’s the same,” she told the magazine. “I feel like I don’t have my balance right yet. When it comes to heels, I’m not as good at walking anymore. I feel like I’m holding a weight on me. I don’t know why because I’m skinnier than I’ve ever been. But there’s an energy I haven’t gotten back yet that I had before I was pregnant. It’s just the weirdest thing.”

But that didn’t stop her from channeling her inner princess for the photo shoot accompanying the Harper’s Bazaar article. Because in many ways, Cardi B says she feels like she’s living a fairy tale.

“I feel like my life is a fairy tale and I’m a princess—rags to riches, people trying to sabotage,” she told the publication.

She posted a photo from the magazine, writing, “Thank you so much to Glenda and the entire team for choosing me for the cover of @harpersbazaarus! Who would have thought?”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtlPGcAl5LI/

Another shoot from the spread, shared by Harper’s Bazaar on Instagram, showed Cardi B looking all sorts of fierce:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtlLSjdgBw4/

But the imagery also showed a more vulnerable side, such as when Cardi B posed as Rapunzel:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtlSqqdgzUE/

This is a “pinch me” moment for sure!

The mom is probably feeling especially princess-like these days as little Kulture has taught Cardi B that she shouldn’t sweat the small stuff — which definitely includes caring less about social media.

“Sometimes I’ll see something online and it’ll piss me off, and then my baby will start crying or something, and it’s like, ‘You know what? I’ve got to deal with the milk. Forget this.’”

But that doesn’t mean the mom’s avoiding social media entirely — especially not when it gives her a place to express her honest opinions and, of course, post about her daughter. She shared a photo of Kulture back in December along with the caption, “My heart.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrBhakrFUdf/

After all, when asked by a fan, “What thing in your life has brought you the greatest happiness?” she reportedly responded, “KULTURE.” Aww.

Cardi B is sharing all that it means to be a mom, the good parts and the difficult parts, and you’ve got to admire her honesty. Here’s to the mom and her beautiful baby!