Maria Menounos Shares Her Biggest Piece of Advice When Preparing for a Newborn

The former 'E! News' correspondent is mom to daughter Athena

Maria Menounos is reflecting on what she needed most when welcoming her daughter Athena.

On Tuesday, the former E! News correspondent, 45, joined Lo Bosworth, 37, on an episode of the reality TV personality's podcast Gut Feelings, opening up about her journey to motherhood. Menounos is mom to daughter Athena, 6 months, whom she shares with husband Keven Undergaro.

"Well, I had a unique journey because I wasn't able to carry my baby," Menounos began. "So I had a surrogate."

"And also, I was going through this journey where I had my multiple organs severed, removed and was trying to heal from that. And so I wasn't able to have a baby shower, I didn't do any of the traditional things. Even so, I'm not really a traditional person, so it didn't matter to me."

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Related: Maria Menounos Celebrates Daughter Athena's First Christmas: 'Sooo Happy and Over the Moon'

Explaining that she got everything that she "needed to get," Menounos said that she enlisted help from her friends because as a first-time mom, she didn't know anything.

"It's so much work. So ask for help," Menounos said. "I told my friends, 'I don't need the baby shower, I don't need any, I just need your help. Help me get the things I really need that you guys have already vetted and know are great. Avoid me the stress of trial and error.'"

"'And can you help me one day, put it all together. We'll have wine, we'll have a cheese board, just please come help me.' And so they did and everything was set up and ready to go."

"So I would accept any and all help that you can get. And don't be afraid to ask people to help, especially when you've gone through something."

The Heal Squad podcast host enjoyed her first Christmas with her daughter this year, embracing all the holiday magic by posting a photo of her daughter's tiny hand on Instagram.

"One year ago in the womb..now Grabbing poinsettias! Merry Christmas to you all! Lots of love ❤️," she wrote in the caption.

Menounos also shared a photo of her family of three on Boxing Day, sharing a tribute to her daughter's first Christmas.

"Our first Christmas with Athena was so special, and we are just sooo happy and over the moon that we are continuing our celebrations for Boxing Day!" the proud mom wrote.

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