People.com Celebrity Parents Tika Sumpter Welcomes Daughter Ella-Loren Tika Sumpter welcomed her first child, daughter Ella-Loren, in early October, PEOPLE confirms By Anya Leon Anya Leon Anya Leon is a Senior News Editor and the Parents Editor for PEOPLE. She's been at the brand for over 14 years in various roles across the Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams. She has appeared on PEOPLE's podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, and covers everything from exclusive pregnancy news to every single Kardashian birth (11 and counting!). She resides in Northern Virginia with her family. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 25, 2016 03:15 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP It’s a girl for Tika Sumpter! The Haves and Have Nots actress welcomed daughter Ella-Loren in early October, PEOPLE confirms. The new mom recently hinted at the arrival of her first child on Twitter, tweeting, “Dear Moms, dads and caretakers, I’m slow clapping for each and every one of you. It ain’t no joke.” Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter. Sumpter, 36, waited until August to make her pregnancy news public for reasons she outlined in an interview for Fit Pregnancy and Baby‘sOctober cover story. “She’s my first child, and I wanted to experience every moment of this pregnancy for myself and enjoy it without everybody else being in it with me,” explained Sumpter, who recently portrayed Michelle Robinson (later Obama) in this past summer’s film Southside with You. “I didn’t want to hear, ‘Who’s the dad? Are you with the dad?’ ” added the actress, who noted elsewhere in the interview that she does have a boyfriend who is Ella-Loren’s father. “Social media can be harsh, and I’m a mama bear, protective of my family,” she continued. “So that’s why I waited to tell people, including some friends.” In the same interview, Sumpter admitted to having a “dream birth” plan — but knew plans could quickly change. “I’d maybe have some contractions and then my baby would come out with Bach playing in the background, my boyfriend holding my hand and my doula rubbing my back,” she said. “In reality, I realize it may turn out differently.” And one of her mantras proves she’s absolutely ready to be a mom. “Plans are just plans,” Sumpter added. “I know everything can change.” With reporting by SARAH MICHAUD