Meghan McCain Says Nurses Had to Teach Her How to Change Baby's Diaper in Hospital: 'I Was Really Bad at It'

The mom of two has previously opened up about her postpartum anxiety struggles after the birth of daughter Liberty in 2020

Meghan McCain recalls having a tough time as a new mom.

The experience of giving birth to daughter Liberty in October 2020 is the reason why the podcast host and mom of two, 39, is so passionate about postpartum health.

“I had never even diapered a child before; I had to be taught by the nurses in the hospital. And I was really bad at it for a long time," she told Parents in a new interview published Thursday.

In addition to trying to get a hand on the basics, the new mom was also struggling to breastfeed, which necessitated her getting familiar with pumping, all while experiencing postpartum anxiety for the first time.

“It was completely irrational, completely delusional thoughts,” she recalled. “I told my friend that I thought that ninjas were going to break into our house and kidnap our daughter. I thought if I took her for a walk that someone would push the carriage over and steal her or hurt her. I thought that if anyone else touched my child that she was going to hyperventilate and die.”

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Related: Meghan McCain Says She 'Went Way Over the Top' for Daughter's 1st Birthday Party — See Photos!

McCain's eyes were opened to the severity of her state when she was given a postpartum depression questionnaire by her daughter's pediatrician during a checkup. McCain found out she failed the assessment and was told to follow up with her own doctors.

"She pulled me aside and told me that I really needed to talk to my OB-GYN,” McCain shared. “And I remember getting in the car and crying and my husband was like, 'You're not doing well; you're definitely having a lot of problems and you're very emotional and you're scared about things you shouldn't be scared about.'"

McCain did follow up and began a combination of different treatment options, which had her feeling better about six months later. After undergoing the experience, she knew she wanted to help others by sharing her story.

"It’s one of those things people sort of tell you that you should just deal with silently or should be embarrassed about," she said, explaining that she emphasizes being real in what she shares about her motherhood experience and her attempt to combat the false narratives about moms perpetuated across social media.

"For me, it has not been healthy to see women in full hair and makeup giving birth," McCain, who delivered both Liberty and Clover Jade, 12 months, via C-section, shared, noting, "It's a huge surgery, and then you can't really recover from it normally because you're taking care of a baby.”

Although her girls are older now, glam is not at the top of McCain's list, though she doesn't look down on moms who decide otherwise.

“It’s not to judge women that do that; it's amazing if you can. I am just not physically capable of doing it,” she shared. “I have had to really sort of curate out the Pinterest-perfect Instagram mom stuff because it makes me feel bad about myself.”

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