Kelly Rutherford: Motherhood is 'Easier' the Second Time Around

Fame

A day on the job often provides fathers-to-be a temporary respite from the ever-changing emotions of an expectant mama. For Gossip Girl actor Matthew Settle, however, there was no escaping the pregnancy hormones! “He was dealing with two pregnant women at the same time, one at work and one at home,” the actor’s co-star Kelly Rutherford tells Celebrity Baby Blog. “It was funny for awhile…but it will be a little easier now.”

Fortunately, Kelly — and the props department — were too busy concentrating on concealing her growing baby bump from the camera to focus on much else. “Bigger handbags and jewelry,” she reveals. “And the bags kept getting bigger and bigger and we used big jewelry to distract viewers.” While the task of keeping her belly under wraps was uncharted waters for Kelly, things quickly fell into place when it came time to welcome her second child, daughter Helena Grace, 8 weeks.

“It was a little easier this time. I knew what to expect a little bit. I’m sleep walking, basically.”

Completely elated with motherhood — the 40-year-old actress is also mom to Hermés Gustaf Daniel, 2 ½ — Kelly refuses to focus on regaining her figure, and instead is intent on spending time with her children. “I haven’t put pressure on myself to get back in shape,” she explains, before adding that the dessert menu is always worth a glance. “I think nursing helps and just running around and being a full-time mom. My son starts preschool in September, so I’ll probably start yoga while he’s in school.”

Hermés and Helena are Kelly’s kids with estranged husband Daniel Giersch. Matthew and his wife Naama Nativ are parents to daughter Aven Angelica, 5 months this week.

– Anya with reporting by Jeffrey Slonim

Comments

Sanja on August 3rd, 2009

A general question: do preschools in the US accept children who aren’t potty trained? Where I live a child has to be potty trained by 3 years old or he/she can’t go to the ‘intermediate group’ (ages 3-5) in kindergarten.

I know they’ve (Kelly and Daniel) been arguing about potty training Hermes and I found this strange. Who objects to a 21/2 year old starting potty training!?

Alex on August 3rd, 2009

Sanja, I may be wrong, but I think it was the method Daniel was using to potty train Hermes, rather than the fact that he was potty training him.

I can’t speak for US nursery rules, but here in the UK, there don’t seem to be any hard and fast rules about potty trained children being allowed or not allowed into certain groups. I imagine day nuseries would be more accepting of nappy-wearing children (as they have babies there) than a playgroup or nursery would be as they handle older children only.

Is this a vaccine type rule in the US? That the kids aren’t allowed into nursery without having certain jabs? It does *seem* to be slightly more regulated in those terms in America than it does in the UK.

CelebBabyLover on August 4th, 2009

Sanja- I think some do. Hermes would also be in a class for 2 year olds, as his 3rd birthday isn’t until October.

As for the potty-training thing, I think Alex is correct. However, most experts agree that potty-training should be post-poned if there is a big, stressful change going on in the child’s life, such as moving a big-kid bed, moving to a new house, getting a new sibling, or the child’s parents seperating/divorcing. Hermes is dealing with not one, but TWO of those things right now.

SAR on August 4th, 2009

Kelly looks beautiful no matter what size she is, and she obviously adores her children.

Me on August 4th, 2009

Sanja, that is determined by the local county and state health department rules and regulations. So while one school may have the OK to change diapers for their 3 year old classroom another school may not. In our state/County It basically would depend on the school getting approval through the health dept that they can have a changing table, etc in that classroom (it’s just a matter of them having all the equipment/facilities). More or less though it is the SCHOOL that is CHOOSING to keep that room for potty learned children only, not that the health dept wouldn’t approve them. It’s much easier and less hassle for them to not have to take a good portion of their day potty training and not doing other things, so it’s understandable. And sometimes it’s a matter of a smaller school may just not have enough room/space or facilities for the 3 year old room to also have space for changing diapers.

Hope this helps!

elaine on August 8th, 2009

the second take of any life experience such as potty training is always easier, you know the set, the director and the spot light Hit the potty hit the mark