RIHANNA took a chance performing while pregnant at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, a prenatal fitness expert has suggested.
But she thinks the singing sensation's physical and mental challenges were likely met given Rihanna's fitness level and skill on stage.
As Rihanna took to the stage at the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 12 millions of her fans were expecting news of her much-anticipated comeback.
But instead of mentioning a new tour or music release after her seven-year break off the stage, social media went into a frenzy over Rihanna's pregnancy speculation.
During the 13-minute performance, the 34-year-old mom of one looked confident in a heavy-looking red jumpsuit.
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But it was also unzipped and showed what looked like a baby bump.
Following the show, Rihanna’s management confirmed she was indeed expecting.
In an exclusive interview pre and postnatal fitness training expert, Kayla Mehr told The U.S. Sun: "I was nervous watching Rihanna during the section where she was coming down the stage.
"She was hooked up, and so they would've never put her through that setting if she was pregnant and it was unsafe.
"It was a little nerve-wracking once I realized that she was pregnant, but she didn't do tons of crazy movements.
"All the movements she did do were safe for her during pregnancy.
"The biggest challenge for Rihanna that night was probably her heart rate and being exhausted during this performance.
"It's amazing that she was able to keep up with a 13-minute routine like that being pregnant."
Back in 2018 , Rihanna had initially declined the Halftime Show invitation amid controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick.
And while this year's Super Bowl performance marked Rihanna’s return to the live music stage, it came just nine months after she had given birth to her son in May.
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During an Apple Music press conference and ahead of the show, Rihanna had said: “When I first got the call to do it again this year I was like, ‘Are you sure? I’m three months postpartum."
Before adding: " Should I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this."
"During the first trimester of our pregnancies, our body is working in overdrive to develop a new organ, which is a placenta, " explains Kayla who specializes in post-natal and pre-natal fitness.
"With all the blood rushing through her body and rushing to the placenta and her body literally building this new organ, she could get really exhausted.
"I was shocked that Rihanna was actually able to not only sing and perform like this.
"But also with the adrenaline of being on the stage and being viewed across the entire world.
"She announced her first pregnancy when she was about four months pregnant and usually people wait until after they're three months.
"I'm assuming she's probably somewhere along the lines of four months pregnant or so right now."
Despite Rihanna's glowing professional successes over the years, it has been her personal life that has, at times, been shaky and garnered just as much attention.
When she met and dated singer Chris Brown the pair split over assault allegations in 2009 and for which he received five years probation.
The chart-topper and Grammy winner then went on to date Canadian rapper Drake before meeting A$AP Rocky in 2013.
By November 2020, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were officially together and soon began focusing on creating their family.
"This performance does show how strong women can be, especially during pregnancy, and how inspiring it was to see her do this," Kayla added.
"I don't think anybody would expect somebody to do this when pregnant, but I think it really sets the bar high for future performances.
"Obviously, for somebody to be performing during pregnancy and in front of so many people at the Super Bowl, it's got to be a very daunting task.
"Ahead of the performance, Rihanna may have mentally visualized herself going through it and practiced positive affirmations.
"Interval training would have also been very important to help strengthen her heart and her lung capacity.
"It's possible there were many dancers, so they could have been there to kind of offer some more of a performance.
"If she felt like she couldn't perform to her highest level, those dancers could have been there to help support her and offer a little bit more of a performance.
"When she was on the small platform that looked the riskiest part.
"When you're pregnant, your center of gravity changes, and you become a little bit dizzier.
"You don't have a good balance and stability and so I think that was probably a bit of a risk.
"Having known that she was hooked up to something, again that made me feel better that nothing was going to harm her if she fell.
"I'm not sure how fast or how slow the platform was going, and I'm not sure about her level of control.
"That did scare me and I don't know that I would have done it.
"Then with the dancers around her, one of them could have fallen on her.
"When I look back at that, I just thought that's quite a lot.
"She could've tripped or somebody could have tripped on her, and there's no way of knowing.
"Luckily, everything stayed safe.
"Her whole competence was amazing because of all these things going on, and I don't know how she did it.
"She would likely have had a therapist or somebody who helped strengthen her mind and also a trainer to help strengthen her muscles.
"And I'm sure Rihanna goes through a ton of different exercises to help her just have the best mindset and fitness to have done this.
"Otherwise Rihanna has sent a nice message to all the women out there which said they can achieve anything that they like in their lives."
