Eva Mendes Gives First Interview Since Becoming a Mom

Eva Mendes became a mom at the youthful age of 40, and she and fiancé, Ryan Gosling are enjoying the unpredictable ride thus far.  The beautiful actress gave an interview with Violet Grey, her first since entering motherhood, and we’re sharing the highlights.

Like most new moms the actress admits that she is “constantly” doing something wrong, but regularly solicits help from one of the grandmothers or aunties.  “…I try not to Google too many things because it is frightening but I do go to babycenter.com and read the comment sections from other mothers because I find so much solace in that. Just knowing that I’m not alone out there and that other moms have gone through the same thing can at least get me through the night.”

The actress also faced the harsh reality some time ago that she and her family cannot hide from public attention, no matter how much she and Gosling try to fly under the radar.  “Whether we like it or not, privacy is going to be very difficult for Esmeralda. I think it’s unfair but that’s our reality. So Ryan and I decided early on to give her as much privacy as we could. And my pregnancy was the first opportunity to give her that. It’s such an intimate time for the mother, too. I know that it seems all very innocuous when you’re flipping through a tabloid at the doctor’s office or see a photo of a pregnant lady online, but I find the media’s “bump watch” obsession to be both intrusive and stressful. So I made a decision to eject myself from it completely. I was like, ‘Annnnd I’m out.”

Although there was great speculation, Mendes shared the inspiration behind her daughter’s unique name, Esmeralda Amada.  “We both love the Esmeralda character from the Victor Hugo novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame and just think it’s a beautiful name. Her middle (name) is Amada, which was my grandmother’s name. It means “beloved” in Spanish.”

Motherhood is no walk in the park, and can be downright challenging, but Mendes shared a different perspective. “People always told me that. But I’ve learned that it’s way harder to be a baby. Everything is a struggle for her. For instance, I haven’t thrown up since the ‘90s and she’s thrown up twice since we started this interview. Motherhood is cake compared to what it’s like to be a baby.”