Ileana D'Cruz Opens Up On Postpartum Struggles, Says Second Time Was Hard For Her: 'Mental Space Is Completely Messed Up'

Ileana D'Cruz Opens Up On Postpartum Struggles, Says Second Time Was Hard For Her: 'Mental Space Is Completely Messed Up'

Actress Ileana D’Cruz, who welcomed her second son Keanu Rafe Dolan with husband Michael Dolan on June 19, opened up about postpartum struggles. Already mother to son Koa Phoenix, the actress admitted the second time was tougher. "It’s not just the baby, it’s your toddler, it’s you… the new mental space is completely messed up. So it’s incredibly hard," she shared.

Shefali FernandesUpdated: Sunday, September 14, 2025, 09:47 AM IST
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Actress Ileana D’Cruz welcomed her second child, a son, with her husband Michael Dolan on June 19 this year, and the couple named him Keanu Rafe Dolan. She is already a mother to son Koa Phoenix Dolan, whom she welcomed with Michael in August 2023. Now, the 38-year-old actress has opened up about her postpartum struggles, revealing that the second time was 'incredibly' hard for her mentally.

Ileana D’Cruz Opens Up On Postpartum Struggles

In an interview with NDTV, Ileana said that the first time you welcome a child, you are simply trying to come to terms with everything, it feels like going from being a single woman to suddenly having given birth, and now you must take care of the baby while ensuring they are healthy, surviving, and thriving.

She added, "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 and 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, I think mentally it's just been very difficult."

Ileana D'Cruz Misses Mumbai

Ileana, who has shifted out of India, shared that she misses Mumbai, agreeing with the saying that it truly takes a village to raise a baby. The actress added that in Mumbai, she not only had help at hand but also the support of her girlfriends.

"It's nice to sort of be able to talk to somebody who actually understands what you're thinking. It's something that I miss terribly, but I do love my life here as well. It's nice to be in this little bubble of privacy," shared Ileana.

Ileana and Michael tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2023.

Ileana D'Cruz Work Front

The actress was last seen in the 2024 film Do Aur Do Pyaar.

The film also starred Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, and Sendhil Ramamurthy.

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