New mom Beyonce wearing a sheer black and purple dress that showed off her muscular legs when she stepped on to the red carpet at the 2012 Met Costume Institute Gala in NYC.

Beyonce and Jay-Z surprised fans Friday with a sneak peek at baby daughter Blue Ivy Carter on a page at the blogging service Tumblr. The pictures at helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com include a close-up of the baby and two of each parent holding her.

A statement next to the photos reads, "We welcome you to share our joy." The couple also thanked the public for respecting their privacy.

Music royalty Beyonce and Jay-Z are the proud parents of a baby girl named Blue Ivy, media reports said Sunday, breaking the news of one of the biggest celebrity births in years.

Pop diva Beyonce gave birth by caesarian section on Saturday night in a private wing of the Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan with rapper Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, by her side, E! Online reported.

Initial reports had the baby's name as Ivy Blue, but those close to the couple confirmed later it was the other way around. The Houston Chronicle, Beyonce's hometown paper, was alone in spelling it Blu Ivy, without the "e".

"The most beautiful girl in the world," Beyonce's sister Solange Knowles tweeted, before adding, in another probable reference to the name mix-up: "Information that goes through the telephone, always gets delivered wrong."

Fellow pop diva Rihanna also weighed in on the momentous showbiz arrival, tweeting: "Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih."

Beyonce will apparently give birth in December, two months earlier than originally reported.

The 'Dance For You' singer, who announced her pregnancy in August, was thought to be planning to welcome the child in February.

However, a new video shows Beyonce reacting to suggestions that she was faking her pregnancy in which she claims to be six months pregnant at the time of filming in September.

"Hello, it's Sept. 23. Oh baby! Oh baby! Oh baby! Oh baby! This was on the cover of the Daily News," she explained in the clip, holding up a copy of one of the newspapers perpetuating the rumour.

"Right now I'm actually shooting the video for 'Countdown' and I'm six months pregnant, pretending that my stomach is flat in body suits. But thank god you can't really tell from the front, but when I turn to the side... oh baby! Oh baby!"

Given the dates, it is now thought that Beyonce and husband Jay-Z will become first time parents before the end of 2011.

The 30-year-old mum-to-be Beyonce wearing a sparkly blue mini-dress with a matching sequinned blazer paired with peep-toed Christian Louboutins at the launch of her Beyonce Pulse fragrance in New York.

The 29-year-old singer Beyonce made the surprise announcement as she debuted her baby bump in a long orange gown by Lanvin on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards in LA.

The 'Single Ladies' songstress Beyonce rocked the crowd in a yellow crocheted minidress and glittering gold stilettos as took to the stage for an appearance on Good Morning America in NYC to promote her fourth studio album '4'.

The former Destiny's Child singer Beyonce wowed the audience with a dazzling pop performance at the UK's Glastonbury Festival.

The 30-year-old singer Christina Aguilera covers her nude body with roses on the cover of W Magazine's July music and style issue - she shares a dual cover with Beyonce!

Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z were spotted at the Costume Institute Gala's Met Ball. She donned an Emilio Pucci getup complete with gold embroidery and jet paillettes, while Jay opted for a black & cream tuxedo.