Romper

Latifah Miles

Latifah is a freelance editor and writer on all things parenting, diversity, and womanhood. She currently is a freelance contributor for Romper and the parenting editor at Bestproducts.com. Latifah's writing and work has been featured on Redbook.com, Elite Daily, Cosmopolitan.com, Mommyish.com, and Babygaga.com. She has a Bachelors of Arts degree in English, concentrating in Journalism from New Jersey City University and is currently pursuing her MBA concentrating in Marketing. When Latifah is not working or stressing about the next exam, she is holding on to her title as a self proclaimed cool mom, catching up on entirely too much reality television, and deciding between a nap or pressing next episode on Hulu.
I Couldn't Have Breastfed Without Help From Those Around Me — Here's Why
To be honest, before becoming pregnant, I never really even thought about breastfeeding. It didn’t cross my mind. I never imagined what it would be like. I don’t think I even knew of anyone that actually nursed their child in real life — if I did, I…
By Latifah Miles
Big Kids In Laps
I’m not sure if it was my local laundromat or maybe a rare family gathering that I decided to show up to where my son, 6 years old but the height of a 9-year-old with the heart of a starry-eyed infant, wanted to sit on my lap. There were plenty of…
By Latifah Miles
Fears Every Black Mom Has About Back-To-School That White Moms Just Can't Understand
Every year of high school, I had a different group of friends. As a freshman, most of my friends were well-liked and white. As a sophomore, most of the girls I clung to were Latina. By junior year, I had a group of friends for each class of the day.…
By Latifah Miles
Becoming A Mother Help Fix My Relationship With My Own Father
Standing in the fifth grade grade lunch line, I remember talking to a friend while we waited for our turn to grab our food. I don’t remember why or how the conversation came up, but I distinctly recall her turning around and saying, “Neither one of…
By Latifah Miles
My Son Met His Dad’s Girlfriend & TBH, I’m Freaking Out
Every Sunday, after my son comes home from his dad’s house, I talk to him about what he did and how his weekend was. He usually rambles on with half stories about going to the park or the workout place or an in-depth recap about what they ate. This…
By Latifah Miles
Can We All Agree That RSVPing "Yes" Is A Lie?
My name is Latifah Miles and I am a flake. There, I said it. The word flake, when it comes to showing up to social events, describes a person that RSVPs "yes" to coming to an event and then doesn’t show up. Whether you send a text explaining a…
By Latifah Miles
I'm A Single Mom & Here's How I'm Spending My Valentine's Day
Growing up, every Valentine’s Day my dad would come home with an armload of chocolates, teddy bears, flowers, and cards with handwritten notes for us girls in the house. Through my awkward phases where the idea of a boy liking me was equivalent to…
By Latifah Miles
I Hated My Boobs After Breastfeeding
The moment I became pregnant, I was bombarded with an endless list of choices that needed to be made. From choosing bed-sharing versus room-sharing to epidural versus unmedicated labor, it seemed like there was always something that needed to be…
By Latifah Miles
If You Think Meghan Markle's Engagement Is No Big Deal, You're Probably White
Whether you are all heart eyes over the royal family or can’t even name Prince William's kids, Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle is worth tuning in. The royal family's big announcement Monday wasn't just the promise of another royal…
By Latifah Miles
Please Stop Saying That I'm "Lucky" to Co-Parent
Here's a rough rundown of my "co-parenting schedule": Monday through Wednesday morning, I am the primary parent for my son. Wednesday after school through Thursday evening, my son’s dad takes on the role. My son is back in my care from Thursday…
By Latifah Miles
Millennial Moms Aren't Lazy And Narcissistic, We're Just Trying To Raise Our Kids
You see them all over the internet: a Millennial mom holding up her perfect baby, a 'gram perfected using some of the best lighting and photo-filter programs known to man. I am a 20-something mother of a toddler who has grown up in the thick of the…
By Latifah Miles
Here's What A Single Mom's Sex Life Actually Looks Like
During the work week, I am rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off. I'm constantly shuttling my 4-year-old to daycare, doing laundry, making dinner, and trying to be a mom. By the time Saturday evening finally hits and my son’s dad picks…
By Latifah Miles
I Tried Gwyneth Paltrow's Jade Vagina Egg For A Week, & TBH, It Was Awesome
After giving birth almost 5 years ago, I've decided to accept the truth: my vagina will never be the same. The physical trauma that comes with bringing a child into the world creates some irreversible changes. While most of the issues that I felt…
By Latifah Miles
Honestly, I'm Worried About My Black Son Dating White Women
On a hot summer day in August 1955, a 14-year-old black boy was hanging out around a grocery store in Money, Mississippi. His friends dared him to walk into the store and ask the white cashier for a date, so he complied. The cashier, Carolyn Bryant,…
By Latifah Miles
Dear Single Moms: I See You
Once, I was sitting around with a few of my fellow moms, and we were chatting about our children. One of my friends went on and on about how adorable her sons are when they are able to get along and play with each other, and how her husband is like…
By Latifah Miles
I Refuse To Let My Child Be The Token Black Kid
For the first few years of my son’s life, his grandmother watched him during the day while his dad and I were at work. It was a total blessing that she was around and willing to watch him, because I was not ready to send him off to daycare or…
By Latifah Miles
The One Thing All New Moms Should Know About Jaundice
Last week, Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly welcomed their twin babies, according to multiple press reports. While Bey and Jay have yet to issue a statement, today TMZ reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z's babies are probably being treated for jaundice. The…
By Latifah Miles
Yup, I Tried Vaginal Steaming
Mentally preparing myself for giving birth to my first child was anything but easy. I had no clue what to expect. I’d heard horror stories from other women about their own birth experiences, so the night that I went into labor, I worried about…
By Latifah Miles
The Important Reason Why I Chose My Son's Name
Growing up, I hated my name. It was long and difficult for people to pronounce, and I thought that my parents were unbelievably cruel for giving it to me. The first day of school was always filled with anxiety, because I'd constantly wonder if my…
By Latifah Miles
An Open Letter To My Ex
To my ex-partner and the father of my son, The birth of our son was just 5 years ago, but it feels like a distant memory. The entire pregnancy was unexpected and unplanned. We managed to get our finances together, grow up, and become parents in the…
By Latifah Miles