Standing up for herself. Gabrielle Union addressed online trolls who attacked her for posting a video on Instagram that showed her kissing her newborn baby on the mouth.
The clip showed a sweet moment in which the new mommy showered her 1-month-old daughter, Kaavia, with a series of kisses. “Kissing game,” Union, 46, wrote. “She’s got my [heart] on a string.”
Some commenters were upset with the video, pointing out the potential dangers of kissing a child so young.
“It’s unsanitary to kiss a baby on the mouth. We carry bacteria from what we eat. Strain of herpes and botchelism … are a couple of reasons,” one commenter wrote.
Others still noticed that the little one appeared to be breathing abnormally. “I was alarmed when I saw this video. Sent it to my pediatrician cousin and she replied, ‘Baby’s breathing is labored. Shouldn’t be using the muscles in the neck to breathe.’ Just thought I’d share out of concern and precaution,” a fan wrote.
Another added, “But do watch her breathing, love, love.”
The Breaking In star had her own thoughts on both points, addressing them with a comment on Thursday. “Hey guys I appreciate all the concern about kisses on the mouth and labored breathing, I am blessed enough to have a nurse here with us while at work. Kaav is healthy and I don’t even touch her without washing and sanitizing myself and everything and everyone that comes into contact with her. No visits with sick folk … If you think I waited this long and went thru all this to put my baby in harm’s way … you got another thing coming.”
The Bring It On star welcomed her baby with husband Dwyane Wade via surrogacy in November.
The couple announced Kaavia’s birth on Instagram with a series of photos that showed Union in a hospital bed holding the baby close to her uncovered body in a process known as skin-to-skin contact, which, in addition to having emotional benefits, is believed to help a surrogate baby colonize the same bacteria as its new mother.
The actress and the NBA player wed in April 2014. Union revealed in her 2017 memoir, We’re Going to Need More Wine, that she had gone through eight or nine miscarriages prior to opting for surrogacy.
The athlete is also the father of son Zaire, 16, and Zion, 11, whom he shares with Siohvaughn Funches, and Xavier, 5, whom he shares with Aja Metoyer. The athlete’s nephew Dahveon Morris, 17, also lives with the athlete and Union.
