Reese Witherspoon reflects on being a mother for the first time at age 23 and reveals she “didn’t have much support” with her first baby Ava
She is an Oscar-winning actress, businesswoman, wife and mother of three, among other notable titles.
And while money can ease the long process of raising children, Reese Witherspoon knows first hand that any amount of cash and prestige does not solve all the needs and problems that arise when trying to raise “a great human.”
In the last episode of Armchair Expert podcast, Witherspoon talked about some of the struggles she faced when she became a mother for the first time with the arrival of her daughter Ava in 1999, at the age of 23, who arrived three months after marrying the ex-husband Ryan Phillippe.
“I didn’t have much support with my first baby and I learned very early on as that wouldn’t work,” she told hosts Kristen Bell and Monica Padman.
Maternity Struggles: Reese Witherspoon, 45, revealed she “didn’t have much support with my first baby” during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast; the actress is seen with her first child, daughter Ava, in July
Witherspoon explained that she had “tried to build muscle during her first five months of motherhood with Ava, who is now 21, just not sleeping and I was delirious.”
Seemingly grateful and humble, the Louisiana native explained how she found herself among a very small percentage of mothers with the flexibility needed to rest from work during the first months of motherhood.
“I was lucky enough to make money and I didn’t have to work, but it’s not a single job. I would even say it’s not a two-person job,” he added.
Witherspoon was 23 when she gave birth to Ava and married ex-husband Ryan Phillippe; the former couple is seen on the set of Legally Blonde in October 2000
Before admitting that she felt a lack of support with Ava, Witherspoon posed the questions: “Why don’t we value parenting more? and, “Why isn’t there a quantifiable amount of money for caregivers, children, and the elderly?”
After venturing over his frustrations on the subject, Bell intervened and suggested that there be laws in place to make a difference when it comes to things like childcare.
‘Growing a big one is almost impossible. And we don’t put any value on it, ”actress Walk The Line retorted before sharing that she believes there would be a real change“ if women had more leadership positions ”.
“We need more support for people who have to leave work to take care of their children.”
Parenting Struggles: Actress The Walk The Line described parenting as “a two-person job” at Armchair Expert; the proud mother is portrayed two days ago with her daughter Ava and her son Deacon, 17, both of whom she shares with her ex-husband
As she burst out laughing, Witherspoon joked about how she didn’t even remember her phone number during the first 12 weeks of motherhood.
“The reality is he doesn’t just stop for his mother to give him 12 weeks off,” Bell said while laughing as well, adding, “There are two people to make a baby for a reason, because babies are difficult, they are very, very strong.
Witherspoon and Phillippe were married in June 1999, three months before they welcomed Ava into the world.
They would finally announce their separation in October 2006 and end their divorce the following year.
Witherspoon also has an eight-year-old son, Tennessee, with her second husband Jim Toth, whom she married in March 2011.
Mommy Again: Witherspoon also has an eight-year-old son, Tennessee, with second husband Jim Toth, whom she married in March 2011