Madonna Gives Birth to Baby Boy

Aug. 11, 2000 -- Madonna has dealt with her share of pesky paparazzi and cranky critics, but she’s about to face what could be her biggest challenge yet: sibling rivalry.

The pop star gave birth to a baby boy today, giving daughter Lourdes the all-important role of big sister. The baby had been due in September, but arrived earlier than expected.

“English film director Guy Ritchie and Madonna are delighted to announce the birth of their son, Rocco Ritchie, on Aug. 11, 2000,” Madonna’s publicist Liz Rosenberg said in a statement.

She refused to provide any other details, including where the child was born and vital statistics like height and weight.

“Overjoyed mother, father, and sister Lourdes are all safe and sound at an undisclosed location,” Rosenberg said.

Early ArrivalJust Thursday, the 41-year-old singer gave a telephone interview to Los Angeles-based radio station KIIS-FM with no mention of a possible delivery this week.

She has been living in London with boyfriend Ritchie, and the usually buff singer described herself as having expanded to the size of “a water buffalo.”

Asked by DJ Rick Dees if she was expecting a boy, the pregnant Madonna replied; “You’re right,” and joked that she might call him Baby Jesus.

Madonna and Ritchie announced in March that they were expecting a child. The singer divorced actor Sean Penn in 1989. Lourdes, 3, is from her relationship with Carlos Leon.

Young American

Madonna had said she intend to return to the United States for the birth.

“Have you been to the hospitals in England? They are old and Victorian. It is always strange to go and see doctors in foreign countries. I like it here but I like efficiency,” she said.

It’s not known if she was able to make the trip to the States in time for baby Rocco’s appearance.

She did manage to do some traveling recently. In the interview, Madonna, said she took a kayaking holiday last month, adding “Can you imagine a water buffalo on a kayak?”.

The singer is also gearing up for the delivery of her eighth album, Music, due out in mid-September. She said it has a lot of “funky electronic stuff” as well as party songs and a “little bit of a funky folk thing.”

But for now, she will probably be too busy singing lullabies to practice her new songs for an expected upcoming tour.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.