Reese Witherspoon is shedding new light on her journey into motherhood, sharing that she struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her first child.
The Oscar-winning actress spoke candidly in a recent interview, reflecting on how the condition affected her emotionally and physically as she navigated life as a young mom.
Reese revealed that her mother, Betty, also faced depression, and she worried the condition might be hereditary. Those fears were confirmed when she began experiencing depression as a teenager — and again more intensely after welcoming her daughter, Ava, in 1999.
In her conversation with Harper’s Bazaar, Reese said the first six months after giving birth were particularly overwhelming.
She described feeling “simultaneously happy and depressed,” often crying, struggling with sleepless nights, and dealing with the exhaustion that comes with new motherhood. On top of that, she said the sudden hormonal shifts and constant unsolicited parenting advice made the experience even more difficult.
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A turning point came when a friend encouraged her to seek help, something she acknowledges many women are not able to do due to limited support or access to care. Reese said she was fortunate to receive treatment and emphasized how important it is for women to know they are not alone.
Reese shares her daughter Ava and son Deacon, 22, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, and is also mom to Tennessee, 11, from her marriage to Jim Toth.
Today, she says speaking openly about postpartum depression is one way she hopes to help remove the stigma surrounding maternal mental health.
