Serena Williams celebrates second pregnancy with ‘pre-push party’

Former tennis player announced pregnancy at 2023 Met Gala

Serena Williams is having one last moment of pure relaxation before the arrival of her second child.

The retired tennis player, who is currently pregnant with her second daughter with husband Alexis Ohanian, revealed that her family and friends put together a spa day for her, complete with facials, foot massages, and manicures, as a pregnancy present.

The highlights of the party were documented on Williams’ YouTube channel with a video titled, “It’s a Pre-Push Party.” Williams has also used the channel to show other major milestones throughout her second pregnancy, such as the original announcement that she was expecting and the gender reveal.

“Today, we are having an amazing spa day that’s been planned by my friends and my sister,” the video began. She explained that it was a great opportunity to relax before the baby comes, as she called it a “pre-push party,” a phrase she came up with herself.

It was an event filled with “great friendships and great champagne if you’re drinking it,” Williams said. In the video, the entire group could be seen wearing matching peach-coloured outfits, with Williams herself sporting a tank top and wide-legged pants.

The couple’s five-year-old daughter, Olympia, even joined in on the fun, with the video showing her sitting down to get a facial, just like her mom.

The video also included Williams standing in front of the camera to talk about her feelings with the upcoming birth. “Baby number two is on the way after, you know, lots of time waiting,” she said. “So, how am I feeling about it? Excited, anxious, nervous, happy … all of the above.”

Despite her due date approaching, she said she wasn’t “quite ready” for the baby at the time of the party. “I don’t have my stuff ready, like the crib and the changing table and a plethora of other things,” she said. But she did add that she was mentally “ready-ish”.

After finishing their spa treatments, the entire party got together to take group photos. “I feel so loved today,” Williams said in the video. “Everyone’s here. Family’s here. We’re all just relaxed. I feel loved and relaxed.”

Williams first announced she was pregnant with her second child at this year’s Met Gala. The former tennis star arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 1 May alongside her husband, Ohanian. While on the red carpet, Williams showcased her pregnant stomach in a black long-sleeved dress with a v-neckline and silver sequins.

Her pregnancy was later confirmed in a red carpet interview in addition to an Instagram post. The post featured both the tennis star and Ohanian as Williams cradled her growing baby bump along with the caption: “Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the three of us to the Met Gala.”

When Williams announced her retirement from professional tennis in August 2022, she revealed that she was leaving tennis to focus on growing her family. In an essay published in Vogue, she wrote that her daughter often said that she wants to be a big sister, and as the youngest of five sisters, she felt that was “a moment [she] needed to listen very carefully to”.