Alexis Ohanian shares his fears, resolve after wife Serena Williams' labor 'ordeal'
WATCH Serena Williams opens up about medical scare after giving birth to baby girl
Days after Serena Williams revealed the harrowing medical scare she went through upon giving birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia, the tennis star's husband took to Instagram to talk about how the ordeal sparked personal fears and strengthened his view of the need for all new parents to get paid leave.
Williams told Vogue earlier this week that back in September when the baby was born via emergency cesarean section, she underwent multiple operations after sustaining a pulmonary embolism.
Read: Serena Williams opens up about harrowing medical ordeal she faced after giving birth to her daughter Related: Serena Williams and fiance Alexis Ohanian introduce daughter Alexis Olympia
She said her heart rate had dropped dangerously low during contractions and that the day after her daughter's birth, she became short of breath and doctors eventually spotted several small blood clots in her lungs. Williams later returned to surgery when her C-section wound popped open and after doctors found a hematoma.
Following her surgeries, she was forced to spend her first six weeks of motherhood unable to get out of bed.
This one is going on the desk at work. I can't imagine life without these two. This ordeal, as well as the weeks and months after, has made me an even bigger advocate for paid parental leave (not just for my employees–men & women alike–but for all). We're blessed in a lot of ways and I couldn't imagine a new parent going through all of that without all the support, financial security, and flexibility we had.
A post shared by Alexis Ohanian Sr.?? (@alexisohanian) on Jan 11, 2018 at 9:56am PST
In his new post on Thursday, Ohanian, who tied the knot with Williams in November, wrote next to a picture of his wife and child, "I can't imagine life without these two."
"This ordeal, as well as the weeks and months after, has made me an even bigger advocate for paid parental leave (not just for my employees–men & women alike–but for all). We're blessed in a lot of ways and I couldn't imagine a new parent going through all of that without all the support, financial security, and flexibility we had," he added.
The Reddit co-founder also shared beautiful pictures from his Vogue shoot with his wife.
Dance partner for life. @voguemagazine ??@mariotestino
A post shared by Alexis Ohanian Sr.?? (@alexisohanian) on Jan 10, 2018 at 1:42pm PST
We clearly don't take enough family portraits. This one's from the honeymoon. @olympiaohanian was not ready for the snap… ?? 2017 was a year to remember for a lot of reasons (good as well as bad) so that they may all serve as motivation, inspiration, and a compass for what we know to be right. These two women are my everything. And the duty I have to them as a husband and a father is the greatest responsibility I'll have in my life; I'm honored to bear it. And I know I'll always find new ways to keep making you, laugh, @serenawilliams. 2018 is going to be a phenomenal year. And may there be many, many more to come. Wherever you are in the world tonight, I hope you're with people you love.
A post shared by Alexis Ohanian Sr.?? (@alexisohanian) on Dec 31, 2017 at 11:22am PST
Ohanian also told Vogue earlier this week that he thought Williams' health complications made her first few months of motherhood "even harder."
"On top of everything she was going through, the feeling of not being able to help made it even harder," Ohanian told Vogue of his wife. "Consider for a moment that your body is one of the greatest things on this planet, and you’re trapped in it.”
In that same interview, Williams joked about her new daughter, "We're not spending a day apart until she's eighteen."
ABC News' Catherine Thorbecke contributed to this report.
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