When it comes to phases of life that are special, overwhelming, beautiful, painful, exhausting, ecstatic, and ripe for feeling all the emotions, it's hard to imagine anything more intense than those early days, weeks, and months of new motherhood. After the long wait of pregnancy (especially for those who experienced infertility or who had to wait for adoption or surrogacy to work out for them), there is so much anticipation for those magical moments when motherhood really begins.
And then: BOOM. It begins. And, whew, it is so much. It is magical, sure. But it's also really hard for a lot of us. Between the exhaustion of sleepness nights, the challenges of breastfeeding or finding the best formula and bottle combo, and the physical aspects of recovery, new motherhood isn't for the weak.
There is always something really comforting about hearing other people share their experiences during this time, so that's why we have a soft spot for celebrities who have kept it real about what their life as a new mom was like. So, here's a special shout-out to these 15 stars for being super honest and candid about everything from nursing to the reality of wearing an ice diaper (yes, we said ice diaper).
Amy Schumer
Hilary Duff
Actress Hilary Duff is a mother to three kids and she's kept it real that even experienced moms can get overwhelmed being home with a new baby. "I have help, but babies just want their mom," she told People in May 2021. "It's a learning curve to throw a newborn into the mix. A lot of people have been like, 'That third kid really gets you.' And they're right!"
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian might have all the money in the world and (probably) an army of nannies, but even with all that, she still relates to the common new mom challenge of just feeling overwhelmed enough to want to call it quits. In her cover story for the 2022 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, she said non-parents don't understand how "challenging" motherhood can be.
"There are nights where you just are like, 'I don't want to do this; I don't want to adult anymore," she admitted. "This is really hard. Every kid is crying, and no one will go to bed.'" That may be the most relatable thing she's ever said!
Sandra Bullock
In her 2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards acceptance speech, Sandra Bullock talked about her love for her children and about the core feeling of protectiveness that new moms often feel for their babies. In a shout-out to her kids, she said, "You are my first thought in the morning. You are my last thought at night. I was put on this earth to protect you."
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen sometimes gets called out for oversharing on social media, but we appreciate that she's always been honest about her feelings about her body as a new mom. That includes the fact that for her, losing weight after birth wasn't always a good thing, especially when it came as a result of postpartum depression.
Beyoncé
Many of us are often in awe of Beyoncé, so we kind of love that the person she was in awe of after becoming a new mom for the first time was, well, herself! "Right now, after giving birth, I really understand the power of my body. I just feel my body means something completely different. I feel a lot more confident about it," she told Vogue in 2013.
Yes, new mom life is challenging, but we hope that all of us can have that moment of feeling like a damn superhero for going through pregnancy and birth.
Anne Hathaway
New motherhood can be a time of feeling body shame or even just body weirdness, as it isn't always a guarantee that our bodies will ever be the same as before. Anne Hathaway dealt with her own new mom body feelings by taking a pair of scissors to the situtation! "There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever)," she wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of a pair of her jeans that she'd just cut into shorts.
"There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all). There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer's are just too dang short for this summer's thighs. Bodies change. Bodies grow. Bodies shrink. It's all love
(don't let anyone tell you otherwise)." Amen to that!
