Billie Piper on Childbirth: 'I Enjoyed the Experience Deeply'

Dan Woolier/WireImage

An “epic” labor which ended in an emergency c-section is singled out by Billie Piper as her proudest moment in a new interview.

“I enjoyed the experience deeply,” the 27-year-old Secret Diary of a Call Girl star tells the Daily Mail. “Having a child is such a profoundly emotional moment; It’s a bit of a cliché, but it really is incredible how much the act of giving birth affects you.”

Just about as much as her own childhood has shaped her person she’s become. “Massively,” she concurs. “You realize that more and more when you become a mom yourself.”

“You repeat the rules and morals that your parents set in you to your own child. That’s when you realize just how deeply entrenched they are in you.”

Son Winston James, 15 months, is “very willful” and Billie predicts that she and husband Laurence Fox “are going to have our hands full with him in the future.” Although she says she “used to want a big family,” the plans have been scaled back — somewhat! “Now, I’d be really happy with three children,” she explains.

When asked what makes her most happy, Billie doesn’t hesitate.

“I think I am always happiest when I am spending time with Winston. I know it sounds so clichéd, but I really do love being a mum — it gives you an amazing sense of happiness.”

Some vestiges of her pre-mom life remain, however. Listing “roll-up cigarettes and red wine” as her biggest vices, Billie says that she didn’t smoke throughout the duration of her pregnancy.

“I thought I did really well not to, for nine months,” she says. “When Winston was born, I decided I didn’t want to smoke cigarettes any more, as they are full of chemicals, so I turned to roll-ups instead. I do love them.”

The new season of Secret Diary of a Call Girl begins tonight at 10 p.m. on Showtime.

Source: Daily Mail

Comments

What a foolish statement. Roll ups are every bit as bad. Sure, less chemicals, but also no filter. Cheers to her for enjoying labor – I love my four children, but I don’t miss the labor (two natural, two with epidurals).

- crimpe on January 25th, 2010

she didn’t say one or the other was “worse” or that these weren’t “bad.” She said that regular cigarettes are full of chemicals, which they are..although certain ones are much better (American Spirits for example).
Shame on you for putting someone down for doing something that they find pleasure in…life is too short. If she wants to smoke tobacco that is her right. Europeans are much more laid back in their approach to EVERYTHING…sounds like you could take a cue.

- Holly on January 25th, 2010

Sweetheart, we all have our vices, tis true. I was once a smoker myself, both American Spirits as well as rolling my own. After losing two dear family members to cancer, I quit. The implication is that roll ups are better since they do not have chemicals. Science proves otherwise. Thanks for the tips, I’ll be sure to be as relaxed as you now.

- crimpe on January 25th, 2010

Holly,

Uh..second hand smoke is not something to take lightly, of which the baby is sure to get a good dose of. To be so passionate about defending someone you don’t know…baffling.

- Cheryl on January 25th, 2010

I’m pretty laidback about individual choices, but smoking is not something I’ll defend, sorry. Secondhand smoke is poison to us all. Other than that, I really like her attitude about parenting and birth.

- mrsh on January 25th, 2010

what if she said she strictly only smoked when she was away from her home and her kid? would you say she was a bad parent/person to her face? i bet none of you drink carbonated soda because high fructose corn syrup is extremely detrimental to a person’s long term health as well. and nothing but the best organic cotton from asia for your baby’s crib will do because anything less is a death sentence. keep turning your big nostrils up at your fellow parent because you are the queen.

- Holly on January 25th, 2010

I have 4 chldren: 33,32,25 and 15. Each birth is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. One never forgets. My 32 year old (daughter) and her husband will have their first child in 6 mos. Granny, here I come!!

- Joy on January 25th, 2010

hahaha holly. I don’t agree with you but you are certainly funny. See this is why I disagree with Jen Garner. Who cares if people disagree with you on the web…I say as long as its entertaining…

But Holly, and I like you, you sound fun, I do think smoking is something that every parent should quit. Winston will want his mum around for a long long time, and I just always imagined how I’d feel if my child smoked. That was enough to make me quit.

- moose on January 25th, 2010

I think people worry way too much about things like this. Occasionally inhaling secondhand smoke as you walk by a smoker isn’t going to kill you or your child, I agree it smells nasty and can be annoying, but no reason to get high and mighty and act like they are personally offending you in my opinion.

- Jessicad on January 25th, 2010

my best friend’s dad ( a smoker and a cancer surgeon) died of lung cancer 2 years ago. his wife is currently in the rather yucky process of dying of lung cancer (passive smoke from him the cause). ALL of the children have had vile athsma and constant bronchial infections throughout their lives (they are now 30 – 40 in age).

smoking affects your family. don’t kid yourself.

other than that i think it is neat that she loves being a mom so much. i’m always a bit jealous of women that just can’t get enough of their kids. i have three kids but found the baby/toddler years a real pain in the bum – boring, no fun, no sleep…

- katie on January 26th, 2010

Holly, smoking harms not only the smoker but the people around him or her; drinking carbonated soda harms only the person drinking the carbonated soda. Your argument doesn’t make sense; the two situations are just not similar.

- dfgdfgd on January 26th, 2010

Well I am European Holly and I still don’t understand smokers.

- Anna on January 26th, 2010

Also, us Europeans may laid back, but here in the UK we have got some pretty strict smoking bans, not to mention all the NHS no smoking adverts. If there’s one thing we’re not ‘laid back’ on, it’s that.

And you can buy filters to put in roll-ups.

But still, smoking is horrible. But it’s Billie’s choice, if she wants to have the occassional one who am I to stop her? I do hope she isn’t smoking around Winston though – who is one adorable little boy.

- Rachel-Jane on January 26th, 2010

high fructose corn syrup and smoking aren’t really comparable. High fructose syrup isn’t a toxin.

- Electra on January 26th, 2010

She also says she likes red wine yet no one is assuming she gives that to Winston, why assume she smokes around him? It is possible to be a smoker and not smoke around your children. Hard but possible.

I agree tho, in the UK they are trying to make it as hard as possible to smoke anywhere. Not that I think this is a bad thing, but we’re defiently not laid back about smoking over here. Its odd she gave up and then started smoking again. Usually nine months with out a ciggie is long enough to loose the taste for them. I bet it reminds her of her younger, more wild days!

- millie on January 26th, 2010

I despise smoking, but have a friend who, after she puts the kids to bed on a Friday night, sits on the back porch with her husband and they share a cigarette and a glass of wine. To her, it is an escape into an adult world after spending all day with her children and a way to spend time with her husband and bond. I don’t support it, but that is her life. None of us are perfect.

- Catey on January 26th, 2010

I think I get Holly’s POV – people in the US, generally, behave ridiculously when it comes to smoking. I do smoke, because (and I know it’s hard to believe) I actually enjoy it. I don’t smoke in the house or car or around non-smokers, esp kids. I do this, because it’s my choice to smoke a cigarette, not theirs, so I try to mitigate the effects of my choice so it does not infringe on others.

Personally, I always found it ironic how (at least in US), people get bent about smoking, but are so laissez-faire about drinking. Based on 1st hand experience, I’ve always thought alcoholism was equally catastrophic to not only the alcoholic, but also that person’s family (e.g., physical, mental or emotional abuse, for starters). Let’s not forget what a menace to society that person can be, (e.g., drunk driving).

Having said that, I don’t make it a habit to lecture others about their drinking habits. I certainly don’t feel it’s ok to go up to random strangers to let them know that ‘drinking is bad for you,’ as others have done to me about my smoking.

I’m kind of waiting for the medicos to say, “hold up! it turns out that having 1 cigarette a day is actually beneficial to your health, because it does…” whatever; is a great source of anti-oxidants or omega-3. You know, like they’ve done about butter and alcohol and everything else that is bad for you!

- MM on January 26th, 2010

Holly, you’re right, life IS short, why make it shorter by smoking? My father died of lung cancer and yet 3 of my 4 siblings smoke. Am I pissed? Yup, want to slap them all!

- Rebecca on January 27th, 2010