Home / Parenting These celebrity moms are getting real about the challenges of motherhood By opening up about mom-shaming, co-parenting, childbirth and more, these moms are proving that the challenges of motherhood are universal. By Jamie Orsini February 10, 2021 Rectangle Being a mom is hard . It’s incredible, too; we wouldn’t trade all the sloppy kisses and sticky hugs for anything. But if we’re being honest, it’s hard. Pregnancy , pregnancy loss , childbirth, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, formula feeding, dealing with mom-shaming and co-parenting —it’s all challenging. Too often, moms suffer in silence, feeling like they’re the only ones not measuring up to some impossible standard. That’s why we appreciate when celebrities and public figures open up about their own challenges when it comes to parenting: it helps the rest of us know that we’re not alone. Sure, celebrities often have boatloads of money, an army of paid help, and a glamorous life. But even with all that, the truth remains: being a mom is hard. These moms understand that and they’re using their platforms to let you know that all moms struggle sometimes. They really do. So let’s talk about it, mama, and help each other feel a little less alone. Hilary Duff opens up about mom-shaming and protecting her family’s privacy In a new interview with The Unwind , the pregnant star revealed how she deals with mom-shaming and “keyboard gangsters.” “I remember we had been to the zoo a couple of months ago and Luca had a mask on and was leaning on [Banks’s head during the car ride home] with his eyes closed, and I guess someone was like, “You’re really making that poor child wear a mask?” said Duff. “Like, first of all, he’s [almost] 9. The days of him sleeping in the car are long gone. I don’t comment on other people’s posts like that, so I don’t understand, but I guess it’s just a need for attention or whatever.” She continued, “It’s hard not to take it personal, so I really have to zoom out. At first, I want to be defensive, but when I zoom out, I’m like, ‘It’s one person. That’s not how everybody feels. That doesn’t really matter. That person’s, like, a keyboard gangster who just needs to be heard or seen.'” It’s so hard to not take comments on our parenting personally because parenting is personal. Duff also reflected on how she loves sharing pictures of her growing family—but on her own terms. “It’s really frustrating because no matter who you are, your kids are your proudest accomplishment,” she said. “Like I post them all the time [on social media] — but guess what? It’s my right to post them, because they’re my kids. What’s not right is, like, a paparazzi hounding them at a sports game when they’re just being normal kids. That’s not OK. And people are like, ‘Well you post them.’ Well, yeah. They’re my kids to post. So I don’t understand the other side of that argument.” Okay, so not every parent has to deal with paparazzi. But any mom who’s ever had to deal with an eager relative sharing pictures of her kids to social media will understand. As parents, we chose when to share images of our children. It should be our decision when to show our child’s face or favorite activities—and no one else’s. Ashley Graham shares intimate breastfeeding video, opens up about maintaining her supply Ashley Graham shared a sweet video of her one-year-old son Isaac breastfeeding and it’s resonating with moms everywhere. In the video, the model is lying down while she breastfeeds her son. As he nurses, Isaac pulls on and pokes at her breast. Moms who have breastfed will instantly recognize the playful gestures. Many of Graham’s Instagram followers found the sweet video relatable. “This is where you get tiny cuts from those baby nails lol! Happened to me all the time,” one woman wrote. Graham hilariously replied, “my boobs are like a battle field of Isaacs claw marks.” In another reply, Graham admitted that she’s not sure how much longer she’ll be able to continue breastfeeding. “I think I’m starting to dry up. I def don’t have as much milk as I did before. It’s all such a wild experience!” she wrote. Kelly Clarkson says co-parenting through a divorce is ‘tough’ Kelly Clarkson is opening up about co-parenting while she and her husband of nearly seven years, Brandon Blackstock, are in the process of divorcing. “It’s tough,” Clarkson admitted on Tuesday’s episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show . “I know with me and Brandon, it’s just a difficult thing because we’re in different places, and it’s like, we both agree on the main things, but it’s a hard thing when you’re not together all the time, for me personally,” she said. Clarkson and Blackstock share daughter River Rose, 6, and son Remington, 4. The Grammy Award-winning singer also said that it’s important to focus on her kids’ needs. “As long as you make sure it’s about the children and their best interests, then we’re both on board,” she said. Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in June, citing “irreconcilable differences.” In October, she revealed that their kids are in therapy to help them navigate the divorce. “We have a lot of help as far as therapists or child psychologists because we want to do it right…I definitely want to do it right,” Clarkson said in an interview with Extra . “Everyone’s sad—and it’s okay to be sad,” she added. Katy Perry opens up about not being prepared for daughter Daisy Dove’s birth Katy Perry opens up about daughter Daisy Dove’s birth Katy Perry says that she wasn’t truly prepared for postpartum life after giving birth to daughter Daisy Dove. “What I will tell you is nobody talks about the first six weeks after you have the baby,” the singer said during a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live . Not only did Perry have to navigate postpartum recovery while learning how to be a first-time mom, but she also released a new album during the week Daisy Dove was born. “What a roller coaster!” she said. “This time, I was giving birth to the greatest gift of all, for me. Then my album came out the next day, and I was in the hospital and I could not wipe my own butt.” “I was like, this is the most unusual album release day for me. And I love it!” We love her honesty! 😂 Perry says she knows that the decision to start a family with fiancé Orlando Bloom was the right one. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my entire life,” she said. The latest News Regulators say infant neck floats are unsafe after 2 deaths and dozens of ‘close calls’ Motherly Stories Is it really true that we’re ‘only as happy as our least happy child?’ Motherly Stories It’s OK if you don’t go to every sports game News New statistics show kids are being sexually assaulted by people they meet on social media