'Postpartum Depression Is Incredibly Hard': Says Ileana D'Cruz After Welcoming Second Baby

Ileana D'Cruz revealed her second postpartum experience with son Keanu was mentally harder than expected, despite a successful unmedicated birth.

Ileana D'Cruz revealed her second postpartum experience with son Keanu was mentally harder than expected, despite a successful unmedicated birth.

Source : Instagram

Actor Ileana D'Cruz, who welcomed her second child this year with husband Michael Dolan, has spoken candidly about the emotional and physical challenges she faced postpartum. In a conversation with NDTV, the Do Aur Do Pyaar actor revealed that the experience after her second pregnancy was far more difficult than she expected, describing the “new mental space” as “completely messed up” and “incredibly hard.”

Ileana on Choosing a Different Birth Plan

Opening up about her delivery process, Ileana shared that she wanted to approach things differently the second time around. “I said I'm going to go unmedicated this time. I'm not going to do the epidural. I told my nurse that we need to come up with a plan because this is what I want to do. And it was great because she worked with me, and we actually did it. It was amazing,” she said, adding that the experience was both challenging and empowering.

Postpartum Struggles After Second Baby

Ileana admitted that while she was prepared for the physical recovery, the mental and emotional toll was much harder the second time.
“It's not just the baby; it's the baby, it's your toddler, it's you. It's all those factors. It's trying to figure out yourself physically, get your strength back, and the new mental space is completely messed up. So it's incredibly hard. And even though I was aware of what was going to happen, mentally it's just been very difficult,” she said.

A Growing Family

Ileana and Michael Dolan welcomed their second son, Keanu Rafe Dolan, on June 19, 2024. Sharing the happy news on Instagram, Ileana had written, “Our hearts are so full,” along with heart and sparkles emojis. The couple tied the knot in May 2023 and welcomed their first son, Koa Phoenix Dolan, in August 2023. At the time, Ileana wrote, “No words could explain how happy we are to welcome our darling boy to the world. Heart’s beyond full.”

Ileana’s Last Film Appearance

On the work front, Ileana was last seen in Do Aur Do Pyaar (2024), a romantic comedy directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta. The film also starred Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, and Sendhil Ramamurthy.