Why Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Didn't Want To 'Perform Pregnancy'

During a recent interview with the Financial Times for their "Lunch with the FT" series, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie quietly confirmed the birth of her daughter, all while making a powerful statement about the public's treatment of, and expectations for, pregnant women.

The award-winning writer, whose words have been sampled by Beyoncé herself, revealed the news while casually sipping a mocktail and mentioning that she is currently breastfeeding.

“This is just very sugary, very sweet,” Adichie said. “I would probably have a glass of wine, but I’m breastfeeding... This is the first time I’m saying it publicly. I’m happy to announce I have a lovely little girl, so I feel like I haven’t slept, but it’s also just really lovely and strange."

Adichie said very few people knew she was expecting, and she preferred it that way.

“I have some friends who probably don’t know I was pregnant or that I had a baby,” she said. “I just feel like we live in an age when women are supposed to perform pregnancy. We don’t expect fathers to perform fatherhood.”

When pressed about the baby's name, Adichie declined.

“No, I won’t say," the new mom said with what the interviewer referred to as a "disarming smile."