Why Christina Ricci Didn't Initially Bond With Daughter Cleopatra
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Christina Ricci is sharing the challenges of being a working mom.
The Wednesday star—who welcomed her daughter Cleopatra with husband Mark Hampton in December 2021—recently opened up about why she didn't connect with her baby girl right away.
"Last year, I was commuting back and forth to Vancouver for Yellowjackets," Christina said about filming the second season of the Showtime drama on Shannen Doherty's Let's Be Clear podcast March 24. "She didn't know me. We had no bond. So, that was very upsetting."
The 44-year-old praised her husband, who she married in October 2021, for taking over the parenting duties throughout her busy schedule.
"I shot Wednesday in Romania when she was 2 months old," Christina shared, "and Mark did every single night, all night long. I just slept and worked the next day, and it made such a huge difference. It was so much easier this time around."
She added, "You have to have a good, supportive partner."
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That support system is something the Casper alum noted she didn't have with ex-husband James Heerdegen, with whom she shares 9-year-old son Freddie.
"I had to go back to work when he was two months old, and my husband at the time wouldn't help me with anything," Christina recalled. "I had to do all the night stuff and get up and go to work for 14 hours and be on camera."
However, she eventually figured out a nighttime routine that allowed her to rest.
"The only way I could do that was to lie with him, and he would breastfeed whatever he wanted," she explained. "And I had to have him in the bed with me just to get enough sleep to be able to work the next day."
Although Christina noted her kids don't like when she travels for work, she tends to bring her son along.
"If you're a series regular, you have to pay for everything," she said, "every time I go up and down, I can't pay for four people, four flights, and the rooms that you need...it's just too expensive to travel with everybody all the time."
She added, "I've figured out a way of at least bringing my son with me places, and just have to work it out in the future with my daughter."
Christina isn't the only celebrity who has expressed the challenges of motherhood. Keep reading to see how other stars have juggled work, breastfeeding, postpartum body changes and more.
Keke Palmer
"I think my breastfeeding journey was also very empowering because it was so difficult," Keke told Essence in an interview published Aug. 21. "And I wanted to give up at so many different points, but I just kept pushing myself and kept trying to figure it out."
She added, "The relationship I had with my son during that process empowered me to get back up and do things for myself again."
Tia Mowry
The Game alum, who shares son Cree, 12, and daughter Cairo, 5, with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, opened up about her struggles with breastfeeding. "When I had Cree, I was struggling to breastfeed him," she wrote in an Aug. 10 Instagram. I was only able to breastfeed for 3 months before having to switch to formula. And during the second time, I found that I was able to breastfeed Cairo for 13 months."
She continued, "Nonetheless, the journey was difficult...if you are struggling with breastfeeding, I want you to know that it is more than okay to feed your children formula. As long as your children are fed, loved, happy, and supported that's all that matters."
Rumer Willis
The House Bunny actress snapped a photo of herself nursing daughter Louetta, who she shares with musician Derek Richard Thomas, during a family beach day in August 2023.
Rosie Hungtington-Whiteley
In a carousel of Instagram pictures, the former Victoria's Secret model shared a photo of herself breastfeeding her and Jason Statham's baby girl, Isabella.
Ashley Graham
In May 2022, Ashley Graham shared a photo of herself feeding her twin boys, Malachi Ervin and Roman Ervin, at the same time. She captioned the post, "double fisting (peep the whacky tan lines)."
Elsa Hosk
In March 2021, the Victoria's Secret model shared a pic of herself on Instagram breastfeeding her baby girl, Tuulikki Joan Daly. A couple of hours later, she shared the same photo on her Instagram Story, writing, "Find it interesting the amount of dms I get from men who get offended when you post a photo breastfeeding... Like, why is the most natural thing so offending to you? Breasts literally excists [sic] so we can feed our children [red heart emoji]."
Nikki Reed
The Twilight star opened up about breastfeeding her 20-month-old daughter Bodhi Soleil Reed Somerhalder in an Instagram post in 2019. "To be honest, I have no idea how long her and I will be on this journey together. I follow her lead, and she tells me exactly what she needs," she wrote.
Kehlani
"little bear," Kehlani tweeted in 2019, along with photos of her and baby Adeya.
Hilary Duff
"On a lighter note.... @acrebaja was bomb," the actress shared on Instagram while kicking off 2019, after welcoming her second child, daughter Banks.
April Love Geary
"Feeding time for the little munchkin," Robin Thicke's girlfriend wrote by a video of her feeding their daughter Mia.
Molly Sims
The actress breastfed son Grey, writing on Instagram in 2017, "BREASTFEEDING=JUDGEMENT FREE ZONE!"
Audrina Patridge
The Hills alum and mom of one told her Instagram followers in 2016 that her sister, Casey Loza, is "always capturing me in moments. #momonthego."
Stacy Keibler
The actress is all smiles as she snaps a selfie of her feeding her little one.
Karolina Kurkova
The model mom of two encourages other moms to share #breastfeedingselfie pics.
Kandi Burruss
The Bravo star astutely pointed out in 2016 that "this #breastfeeding stuff is no joke."
Alyssa Milano
The actress shared this photo in honor of daughter Elizabella's first birthday in 2015. "Happy Birthday, my beautiful Elizabella. You've taught me that my heart has no end. You were the missing piece to my soul. Thank you for choosing me," she wrote.
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