CBB Exclusive: EXTRA's Dayna Devon talks to us about motherhood
EXTRA co-host and celebrity mother Dayna Devon speaks to CBB and exclusively chats with us about her children, Emmi Reese, 19 months, and Cole Brent, 4 months on Saturday – and everything from motherhood, c-sections, nursing, favorite toys and books, her husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Brent Moelleken, and that age old question – anymore babies?
Personal image from Moelleken family, for use exclusively on The Celebrity Baby Blog, Inc.
Continue reading for the interview, photos and to leave/read comments.
What are Emmi and Cole like?
Emmi is a little redheaded fireball. She imitates anything and everything that I do and unfortunately is learning that dreaded word ‘no.’ Cole is barely over 3 months so he is still a bit of a blob, but he is the sweetest little boy. He smiles and grins at everyone and tries to grab their fingers.
They don’t look like her.
They don’t look like me! The second they handed my daughter to me I started laughing because she looked more like my husband. We joke it’s a case of uterine rental. I got no representation.
Milestones – Emmi is walking and won’t stop talking and Cole is about to turn over.
Emmi is walking and talking (she never stops talking!). She’s hit all the major milestones. Cole should be turning over any minute. We put so much pressure on ourselves as parents with the milestones and it always works out in the end. So, I tell my friends to relax and enjoy the moment.
No TV but lots of books and playing!
They are not allowed to watch TV until they are two, so they are forced to get all of their stimulation through books and physical play. Emmi loves any interactive books and toys that make noises. She loves riding in things – like play cars, scooters and swings. She loves the playground, water, bubbles, finger-paints and Playdoh.
Favorite baby related items and products.
Products: Lil’ Goats Milk Bath Products by Camus, Poshtots.com for furniture, Leap Frog toys, Maclaren strollers and Peg Perego car seats. Clothing: Splendid, Baby Gap and Janie & Jack.
We already had a sneak peek at Emmi’s nursery when she was born. What does Cole’s look like?
Cole’s nursery is done in vintage airplanes with the crib transformed into a hot air balloon that disappears into the ceiling. The ceiling is a mural of antique maps. The carpet is blue shag meant to look like the ocean.
How does she handle motherhood and being a working mom?
Minute by minute. If I look at the big picture I get too freaked out, so I pay attention to what is in front of me. I try to carve out as much time during the week to spend with them. The weekends are all about them. I do have a nanny and I don’t know what I would do without her. She’s amazing because the second I get home she let’s me take over, but jumps in if I need help.
Her husband is phenomenal.
He has never raised his voice or freaked out. He offers me perspective when I don’t have any. He doesn’t believe he is above anything like changing diapers, feedings, bathing. I could not imagine doing this without him.
What is a day like with your kids?
We go for walks and runs together in our jogging stroller. We spend time at the playground and play with the dogs. My daughter loves to spend time outside and screams if I take her inside.
They took Emmi to Disneyland and she loved it.
We took Emmi to Disneyland when she was three months old. She loved the bouncing flowers, I must have still been hormonal from pregnancy, because I cried when I saw her having so much fun. We also like to go to indoor playgrounds.
Dayna had c-sections with both children.
With Emmi, we decided to induce labor. After twelve hours of not progressing well, and trouble with the baby’s heartbeat, they decided to do a c-section. I was so drugged and nauseated that I was throwing up for hours. In my experience, a c-section is difficult because they numb you so extensively that after the birth, you can’t hold your baby for hours. I was so groggy. I didn’t even remember having a baby. I’m not kidding. They asked me if I wanted to breastfeed the baby and I said, ‘What baby?’ With Cole, it was planned. My doctors don’t like to do vaginal births after a C-section.
*Please note that Dayna has seen your comments and wants to be clear that she is just relaying her experiences post-c-sections, and with her particular doctors.
She is not the only one who had trouble with breastfeeding. What Dayna has to say about the experience and deciding that she needed a lactation counselor.
I was cocky about the whole breastfeeding thing. I even made fun of the need for a lactation counselor. My doctor asked me if I needed to meet with one and I said, ‘Look, my dog Sophie just had 12 puppies and she did fine. She didn’t need a lactation counselor. I think I’ll figure it out. I mean what did Cavewomen do? Did they have lactation counselors? I don’t think they did.’
Cut to 3 weeks later and I was scared that my bleeding, scabbed nipples were going to fall down the drain in the shower. I called Leslie, my lactation counselor, in tears. She changed my life. It was the best $125 I have ever spent. Now I hear other women talking about how they don’t need one and I understand, remember and laugh.
Pregnancy as a means to an end.
There wasn’t much about pregnancy that I enjoyed. I am not a good pregnant woman. I think of it as a means to an end. That end being a beautiful little girl and boy.
The pregnancy and baby books she recommends.
The books The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp ($10.50 at Amazon.com) and The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau (from $11 at Amazon.com) are amazing.
What is your favorite thing about being a mom?
Oh, this is such a hard question. Sometimes you are the only one that knows them well enough to know what they need. As well, the feeling you get when you are able to calm them is the best in the world and when they see you and try to claw their way over to you. And I love that I could care less about myself when I’m taking care of them (this is a first for me, I use to be pretty selfish).
What has surprised her most about motherhood?
I knew how hard a job it was going to be, but I am blown away by how hard it actually is…and I have help. It gives me new respect for all mothers out there, including my own, who do it on their own.
Favorite baby stage.
Every time I think they have reached my favorite stage, they change and then do something new and I think, ‘Wow, this is my favorite stage.’ Then they do something new and…well, you get the picture.
More children?
NO!!! My husband won’t go and get ‘snipped,’ so I got an IUD.
