Jennifer Love Hewitt is currently 8 months pregnant with her second child. Hewitt and her husband of two years, Brian Hallisay, also have daughter Autumn James, 18 months. The last two times I’ve covered Hewitt I’ve mentioned this, but I don’t think she gets enough credit for it so I’ll say it again: as far as I can find, she’s never released a photo of her daughter Autumn. She didn’t give a baby photo to the press, she’s never instagrammed a photo of her daughter (although she does take selfies), and she hasn’t been caught out by the paps with her daughter except in a stroller where you can’t see the baby’s face. (There is one photo I found of her baby with an older lady, but it’s a telephoto pic taken on set and only one agency has it.) This is a somewhat incredible turnaround for Hewitt, who used to tell the press when she caught boyfriends cheating, when she wanted another boyfriend to propose and how, and when she had crushes on celebrities. Kaiser and I were talking about this, and my theory is that Hewitt married a very private guy. Kaiser reminded me that Hewitt’s mom sadly died in 2012 and that she’s changed quite a bit since then.
Anyway that’s relevant because Hewitt has this new interview with People in which she talks about her family. She’s very rarely talked about her daughter or given personal information about her, so while some of her quotes may be eyeroll-inducing, I’m considering the source. She’s not a high and mighty mom type, nor has she really been promoting her family up to now. As we heard last week, Hewitt is the spokesperson for Palmer’s stretch mark cream, so that seems to be why she’s doing this interview.
“We didn’t have a night nurse, we didn’t have a nanny,” the mom of Autumn James, 18 months, with husband Brian Hallisay, 36, tells PEOPLE. “We haven’t ever had any of that stuff. It’s been really interesting to do it all ourselves.”
It hasn’t been smooth sailing every step of the way, but Hewitt, 36, says she’s learned to prioritize.
“I think [as a mom] you just realize how unimportant stuff is,” she says. “Everything before you have kids is oh-so important and then you have kids and you’re like, ‘That really doesn’t mean anything. My kid is healthy, there’s no sniffles, they’re sleeping, life is good!’ It really puts that into perspective.”
“I’m really curious to see how similar [the two kids] will be,” says Hewitt, who recently announced that she will not be returning to Criminal Minds, . “And I’m looking forward to having two little tiny people to snuggle with! It’s just my favorite thing ever.”
Although the couple have chosen to keep the sex a delivery surprise again — a decision that “drives family and friends crazy,” Hewitt admits — Hallisay has his bets on another baby girl.
“He’s of the mindset that he’s going to have all girls. That’s what he’s preparing for and he’s very close with his mom and sister so he’s fine with that,” the mom-to-be explains. “I think he would be more shocked if it was a boy, but he’s prepared either way. He’s excited.”
I guess celebrities feel the need to specify that they don’t have a nanny because everyone they know has one. It’s kind of like celebrities saying they haven’t had Botox (even when it’s not true). It’s like a badge of honor for them when the rest of us wouldn’t consider it something to brag about. Good for Hewitt for caring for her baby on her own. I’m going to say something a little snarky, though, it’s not like she or her husband has to go to a 9 to 5 job. She probably has other staff. Sometimes when I consider the amount of work I have to do around the house for one kid I wonder how anyone who works 8 hours outside the home manages it.
As for everything else Hewitt said, it’s cute. She hasn’t opened up like this in a while and I bet the anticipation of a second baby is making her more chatty.
Photos of Hewitt baring her bump are courtesy of Palmer’s, used by permission. Photos of Hewitt out with Hallisay are from May, 2014. She’s also shown in a Como Say Llama t-shirt last month. Credit: FameFlynet
Good for her for not pimping out her baby. Celebrity kids don’t sign up for that lifestyle.
I don’t have kids, but I might someday, and I would hope no one would begrudge me getting a bit of extra help (very common in my culture to have a night nurse). Raising children is hard, let people get the help they need.
I’m a post partim doula, and since moving to this profession from advertising, I am always taken aback at what people will pay for my services! I’ve worked with celebrities and non celebrities (I live in LA area) and can honestly tell you that there really is no difference in the major appreciation new moms give for a set of helping hands during this time in their lives. Whether I am helping set a nursery up, or helping breastfeeding moms get a tiny bit more sleep at night between feeds, or helping tired parents assist their babies to sleep the feeling is always the same: parents are incredibly happy for any sense of help. The fact that they hire me doesn’t make them any better or worse than parents who go it alone. I will also say that when I take a check for 11 thousand dollar for 6 weeks of work, I sometimes can’t believe people pay for something that is so sweet for me to do!
Personally, I was 24 when I had my two boys and had a husband who worked crazy NYC hours, and I did it alone, nursed them each for over a year and all of that. I can’t say I would have changed that. And it’s not because I think I’m better or worse as a parent. For me, I loved that aspect of being a mom. I was all in!
Little Darling – quick question. I’m looking to use the pick up put down method to help my baby gently learn to fall asleep on his own. Any tips or thoughts?
“It’s been really interesting to do it all ourselves.”
This cracks me up. She sounds like she embarked on some obscure science experiment that no one else has tested. I realize most Hollywood-ers don’t generally raise kids by the themselves, but the statement is so silly considering that 99.9% of the population does. Although I’m sure it’s interesting, that is a descriptor that I’ve never heard from friends who are parents.
Otherwise, JLH seems okay.
I’m really tired of the celebrity new mom, now I know everything, my life has changed, I’m a better person, I understand the universe and you couldn’t possibly interviews. Really just bored with it.
But, but, but….interesting?
Not.
I am with you, GNAT. So over it! (Not that I was ever really into it in the first place, but…)
HA! I’m now imagining the parent fair, where instead of dozens of volcanoes at the science fair, you have parents with babies on display tables, proudly wearing labels saying NANNYLESS MINIPERSON WORK IN PROGRESS.
Actually, when you consider it from a typical celeb sort of view, it makes sense. These people are usually sucked up to and surrounded by yes men, so I imagine when they have children it is an extremely dramatic life altering change of their world view.
It is a vast change for most normal people as well. We just don’t wax poetical about it in magazines.
@Sixer, your comment is full of WIN. HAHA
@Absolutely
Exactly. I’m not saying it isn’t life altering and growth inspiring, wonderful! They just act as if they’re doing it on a higher plane than anyone else ever has. And losing weight at the same time. Lol
Oh, now, don’t get me started on how all of them just magically lost the weight through breast feeding and nothing else. (Rolls eyes)
*sighs*
GNAT – honest to goodness, this is what happens: you have a baby, at which point you replace all your previous (largely unnecessary) anxieties with a brand new set of (largely unnecessary) anxieties. You are anxious about your new (largely unnecessary) anxieties until your common sense bone kicks you in the youknowwhats and you calm down and get on with it.
But, because you are a silly human being, like all other silly human beings, you can’t resist telling everyone who will listen just how ridiculous your first set of (largely unnecessary) anxieties were. Then years go by, your own children have children, and then you can’t resist telling everyone who will listen just how ridiculous your second set of (largely unnecessary) anxieties were.
Don’t be bored by it! It’s just the daft but lovely and individual but repetitive state of being human. Revel in it! Because even the silly bits are vital!
I’m getting anxious about all the anxieties.
@Sixer
Please don’t misunderstand me. I love babies and of course, new mothers are awed and inspired and in love and they want to talk about it. And celebrities are just human, so they are the same. I guess it just rubs me the wrong way when they are held up as feeling so much more than normal people, or they seem to think their experience is unique because they are famous. Or maybe they are just being interviewed and they are asked the question and I’m just taking it wrong.
Part of it is my niece, who had a baby in January. She knows I struggled with infertility for years, which of course doesn’t mean I’m not thrilled for her, but so far she has told me that I have missed the most important thing in life, she doesn’t mind that her hips, like mine, are bigger than they used to be because hers resulted in her darling baby, and no one who has not had a baby can truly know selfless love ( try telling that to everyone who died for their country or religion.) so I’m just stuffed with smug new mothers. Lol Forgive me.
I have one kid and we both work a full time job and I have been driven to the edge of insanity with everything that has to be done all the time. So, I am in absolute awe of people with more than one kid that can manage this. If we had a Nanny I would have 2 kids by now. It’s really hard.
But INTERESTING!
Growing up, my dad was a long – haul trucker gone for days at a time. My mom worked long hours as a nurse while taking classes for a bachelor’s, then master’s degree. There were four of us (3 of the 4 born in just over 2 years). I’m not even sure how my parents survived. I don’t know how the house wasn’t a disaster.
In the same boat here, we both work full time, have 2 kids and my husband also travels full time.
At times it is overwhelming and I understand why so many mothers in the US choose to stay home. Somehow you are expected t have your kid at 4PM for this or that practice/ lesson. How is that going to happen if you have to drive them everywhere and you don’t get back home until 6PM?
It is so different from Europe. There is absolutely no support for working mothers. Grrr.
“I’m really curious to see how similar [the two kids] will be,” says Hewitt, who recently announced that she will not be returning to Criminal Minds, .
Wow, they really can’t get anybody to stay with that Criminal Minds role since Prentiss has left, can they?
The rest of the team is pretty stable, but this spot is like the “defense against the dark arts” post of Criminal Minds.
I won’t miss Jennifer though, I never liked her character much anyway.
The defense against the dark arts post. Lol. So true.
I didn’t mind Hewitt so much. Anyone is better than that dippy girl whose dad was a serial killer. She was awful. They never should have let Prentiss go.
I agree with everything you said!!!
Yeah her character was useless. She basically just made serious face and had terrible eye makeup.
I lot of celebrities say they don’t have nannies, etc because when a celebrity say they do, they get attacked. The general people say things they don’t care about the child since they have help. I think a lot of them say this to defend themselves.
Never been much of a fan, but I’m glad she’s happy and living a peaceful, drama-free life. It seemed like a husband & family is all she ever really wanted, so good for her that she finally has that.
p.s. I also found her use of the word “interesting” to describe child rearing, um….interesting. Oh well, at least she didn’t describe it as ” heavenly” or some other romanticized version of that. 😉
I’m happy for her and impressed with how they have kept the baby stuff low key.
What really gets old is how people seem to be hypercritical of *anything* a new celebrity mom says. Or they’re just so “over new moms.” I don’t get it. For those that chose to be parents, it’s a big change and they’re allowed to share a little when asked about it in interviews. She wasn’t being sanctimonious.
I was sad to hear about her mom passing.
I thought her comment just sounded funny. I have no animus towards her.
I prattle on about my child all the time. God forbid someone shares a little tidbit about their CHILD.
Not “over new moms”, but rather over motherhood being the default career path for starlets. She’s not saying this to someone on the street, she’s saying it to People Magazine.
You’ve done it all yourself??! Gasp! What do you want, a cookie?
She doesn’t deserve praise, critisicim, or interest. Everyone needs to watch Jon Oliver’s segment on America’s shameful lack of parental leave. An actress with massive financial savings doesn’t have to rely on childcare. Wow I’m impressed said no one ever.
To be fair to her, she doesn’t say she’s proud of not having a nanny. She just seemed to mention that she doesn’t have a nanny in a matter-of-fact way. I think her statement was interpreted as being prideful, but when I looked at her actual statement I didn’t see the word “proud” in there. Just seems like she stated it in the same way that I might say “the sun is out” if someone asked me about the weather.
I’ll take that cookie, thanks.
Break it in half for me please!
I say good for her…MOST celebrities do have a Nanny. She’s not comparing herself to the non-celebrity population. Nothing to diss here…she’s not pimping herself and/or her family.
She’s pimping cocoa butter for pregnancy stretch marks, so she is, in a way.
How old is Jenn? Not her listed Hollywood age but her real age. I think she’s in her 40s. So yeah, not having a nanny even if she’s not working is still impressive for someone her age.
Jennifer has being working she was a child so what you think about her age is in your mind only.
I wouldn’t get a nanny. I’m expecting it to be difficult but I would never trust a stranger to raise my children. And who knows if they’re child abusers, but of course there’s ways around that. Luckily I have tons of extended family and because of culture, we’re all really close and they can help out.
That is what camera’s are for. Our whole house is wired. Sooner or later you have to learn to let go.
I am way too paranoid to ever leave my baby in the care of anyone but his father or family. Even if it means making sacrifices.
She made herself sound a little daft by calling it interesting.
I always hate how smug this sounds. Like not having help makes you a better mom. It’s nothing but a parenting choice.
I’m a stay at home mom but have total respect for my mom friends with nannies or kids in daycare. They have a rough time too.
I still hate the name Autumn. Maybe she’ll name the next one summer lol
Nothing bad to say here. I think she tells the truth but I think with a job and having her 2nd kid there would be nothing wrong having a nanny.
I had a nanny when my kids were toddlers. I didn’t have my own practice yet and needed to get back to work.
She has a job (or at least up until recently). I think it’s perfectly reasonable for someone to have childcare when they go to work. Does this mean her husband is a stay-at-home dad? (If that’s the case that’s awesome)
He was a regular on Revenge last season so he was working steady as well.
Great for him, but I sure hope they had childcare of son sort while both were at work!
She lives in a world where women who hire help are considered selfish and terrible mothers so I get why she proclaims she doesn’t have anyone hired to help her out.
If I had enough money to pay for a nurse/ part-time nanny I would definitely do it. I don’t know what it is with martyr syndrome some people have. If you can make your life more comfortable, why not?
My mother stayed with me and pretty much was the night nurse for the first month with my kids, and I plan to do the same for my kids. I see nothing wrong with it.
I also had a live-in nanny for one of my kids (au pair) when I went back to work, and the kids loved her. I think all of our lives were enriched by having her.
Life is too short, not to enjoy it. If you can afford to make it easier for you, do it.
The whole point in having kids is raising them isn’t it?
Having help in any capacity in no way means you’re not raising your kids yourself! I really hate the implication that anyone who has a nanny or nurse is automatically abdicating their responsibility.
No night nurse but I suppose the more relevant information is has she utilized a housekeeper?