Serena's powerful motherhood message

She's finally welcomed her first baby girl, and in the lead up to the arrival, tennis star Serena Williams shared several powerful messages about motherhood and pregnancy.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner is over the moon about her little bub she shares with fiance Alexis Ohanian, and is keen for women all across the world to know that one's career doesn't stop after having a baby, despite anything society may tell us.

Speaking at a TED 2017 talk earlier this year, 35-year-old Serena told Gayle King that she would be returning to work in the future.

She said: "My story isn't over...This is just a new part of my life.

"My baby is going to be in the stands—hopefully cheering for me, and not crying too much!"

The sports star has also said the pregnancy came at the perfect time, and she wouldn't change it for the world.

Opening up to Vanity Fair about learning of her pregnancy, she said: "I knew it was coming. I was like, ‘Serena, you're 35, you're ready. This is what you want".

She added: "If you would have told me last year in October or November that I would have a baby, not be pregnant but have a baby, I would have thought you were the biggest liar in the world. This is kind of how I am right now. This is happening sooner than later, and it's going by so fast".

Serena gave birth to a baby girl Friday, having had her labor induced Thursday evening at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.

She got engaged to Alexis, the co-founder of Reddit, last December.

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