Katie Holmes on motherhood
Actress Katie Holmes posed for the March cover of Harper’s Bazaar, and inside she talks Tom, Suri, 9 months, and her career. Here are the baby-related highlights.
It’s a wonderful life: "I have a husband and children that I adore. I have a career that I really love. When I sit back and reflect, it’s-wow! I am very grateful."
Pregnancy and birth was empowering: "I felt so proud to be having a baby and so excited. And I felt closer to other women-to my sisters, to my mom. I felt empowered, like ‘I’ve given birth. I did it! There’s nothing I can’t handle."
On getting to know her daughter: "I’ve really enjoyed this time that I have taken to be with Suri as well as the challenges of the first couple of months: feeding and pumping, learning to decipher what each cry means-is she hungry? Is she tired? Does she need a fresh diaper? And figuring out how to really help her."
On going back to work: "My family is very important to me. When I go to work, it will be the right thing, worth my time and worth my time away from my family."
Source: USA Today
Thanks to CBB reader Day.
Did you also feel empowered after having given birth?
- Posted on Feb 1, 07 at 2:44PM
- Permalink
- 25 Comments
February 1st, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Not to diss katie but if family is important to her and how she doesnt want to get away then why dont we see her in public with suri. i mean like jen garner she’s out and about with violet its so sweet you can tell it means a lot to spend time with her in and outside the home. i guess she must have a reason.
February 1st, 2007 at 3:28 pm
I absolutely felt empowered after giving birth. It’s such a natural thing for women to do, and I really felt complete and powerful for having done it. Just the sense of accomplishment was amazing.
February 1st, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I always felt amazingly empowered at being pregnant and giving birth. After giving birth to my daughter, I feel like there is nothing in the world I can’t do. And like Katie, I felt and still feel a special connection to other woman that have gone through the journey of motherhood.
February 1st, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Nat, instead of blaming Katie, we should blame the media. If Tom and Katie doesnt want their daughter to get harassed by the media, we should respect that. I would personally love to see more of Suri since she is such a beautiful little girl but we dont and I totally understand why.
February 1st, 2007 at 4:42 pm
It’s insensitive comments like this that hurt and belittle those of us who are mothers – through adoption – but who didn’t give birth to our children. Who knows…maybe Katie is trying to “zing” Nicole Kidman who didn’t physically give birth to the children she and Tom have together. Whether it was intentional or not, comments like this one are hurtful and inconsiderate to those of us who are mothers, but for whatever reason were unable to go through pregnancy and childbirth. And, I’d like to point out that the majority of the “journey of motherhood” starts after pregnancy and delivery, when as a mother, you spend sleepless nights and challenging days being there for your child as its mother. The ability to get pregnant and birth a baby definitely does not make one a mother.
February 1st, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Stacey, I’m not sure what Katie said that you as a mother of an adopted child found offensive. I read everything Katie said, and to me she sounds like any other proud, involved young mother. What exactly is offensive about her comments? How does one read those comments and think she’s “zinging” her stepkids’ mom for not having giving birth and hurting adoptive moms’ feelings? I’m all for calling celebs out on rude and insensitive comments, but not for making a mountain out of a nonexistant molehill.
February 1st, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Stacey, are you kidding me? Why is it hurtful for you to read about women being asked about the empowerment of pregnancy, labour and delivery? There could just have easily been a question about adoption and adoptive parents…. I have never experienced THAT, but I certainly wouldn’t take offense to it. Perhaps you’re being overly sensitive? Should women who have given birth be not allowed to discuss the experience for fear of hurting those who can’t have it?
February 1st, 2007 at 6:03 pm
I completely agree with you JenB! I think sometimes we are too easily offended. I am glad to hear Kate speak out about Suri and her family. Too bad they had such a strange start!! =}
February 1st, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Stacy I understand were your comming from. But you should not jump to conclusions! If that is katie’s way of lashing out at NK. This just shows her insecurity’s . If im correct, you took on a role in your childs life that no one else was willing to do. You might not have experienced giving birth as a mother. But your experience comes from the heart.
February 1st, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Oh my goodness… I am NOT a celeb,FAN however, I think that our opinions is/are what is truly important here. I’m not even real sure what the exact “debate” is here. Listen, Kate has the terrific bennifit of a nanny, pilot, nutritionist , etc, that does NOT make her a terrible mommy. I think she is really trying to adjust. It might sound “in your face’ or “funny” but I think she is a young gal whose in a BIG TIME situation doin the best she can for herself and her children… that’s all.
February 1st, 2007 at 8:09 pm
How sad that a person can be offended by someone expressing her opinion about an amazing event in her life. Childbirth is empowering however, it does not diminish the empowerment that you achieve through adoption. I adopted my niece after her parents abandoned her and I felt just as great being a mother to a 10 year old girl as I was when I gave birth to my son.
I think this is just the worst example of Katie bashing from a Nicole Kidman fan. God, does the woman have to be attacked for everything that she does and when will the Nicole crap end?
February 1st, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I think Katie is a robot. All her responses sound like they were pre programmed.
February 1st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
I honestly don’t believe that Katie was insensitive, but I understand how Stacy feels. Women who have given birth have every right to feel proud of giving birth and experiencing pregnancy,and to talk about it…but it can be a little painful of those of who will never be able to experience it. I absolutely adore my 9yr old son, who I adopted at birth; he is my life. While it doesn’t bother me a bit that he isn’t genetically mine,I sometimes feel sad about not experiencing pregnancy and giving birth. I know though, that I am blessed to have the role of mother, no matter how I got the part.
February 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 am
Kate is answering questions about her lfe in this interview. Her answers have nothing to do with anybody else. If the magazine wanted info for ‘woman in general’ they would have gotten advice from some doctor. This is infact an interview about Kate. She isn’t talking on behalf of every woman out there, and every single experience EVERY woman goes through.
I find it amazing how people will search for any angle at which to be offended.
February 2nd, 2007 at 1:04 am
I am SO happy that Katie has finally spoken up about her life and children. I’m pleased she does refer to them as “her children”. She looks amazing in the photos and i’m so proud of her!!!
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:07 am
stacey,i feel sorry for you but this is about katie’s experience as a mom and that’s how she feels. she’s not comparing herself to anyone… dont worry being an adoptive parent is also empowering.
Anyway, i like what she said about work, yes it is something worth one’s time away from family.
February 2nd, 2007 at 5:05 am
I disagree w/ the upset adopted mother. Motherhood begins at moment of conception…as you are thinking of names, experiencing morning sickness, weight gain, rubbing and singing to your belly, feeling those little feet kick, going for ultrasounds, wondering what that little person will look like, getting heartburn, sleeing like you are in hybernation, eating to benefit the child, playing music for the baby inside…just so many things. To write those things off is insensitive. Does that take away from you being a mother? No. However, you not getting to experience that doesn’t make the miracle of birth any less miraculous.
February 2nd, 2007 at 9:01 am
Well what about the women who have had to have a c-section? I definitely felt that being pregnant and being a mother and having a child empowered me and I was able to relate to other mothers in a new way and I just have so much admiration for them. But I wasn’t able to deliver my son naturally b/c the cord was around his neck and he wouldn’t have survived had I not had the c-section. Does that mean that I’m any less of a mom? I don’t think so…I think that no matter how you have a child, adoption, naturally, or whatever you are an amazing women b/c it takes a lot to be a mother and no matter how it happened its a gift. I don’t think Katie was being insensitive I think she was just excited and sharing the news of her story. I do feel empowered and proud of women who are mothers and really take pride in being a mom, no matter how it happened.
February 2nd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
You’re 100% right, m-dot. I think that Stacey is just overly sensitive, but she should realize that “the ability to get pregnant and give birth” is the essence of the definition of the word MOTHER! However, the word mother is not only a noun, it is a verb too – that’s exactly where Stacy fits in her children’s lives and that is in no way insignificant.
February 2nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
“I think that Stacey is just overly sensitive, but she should realize that “the ability to get pregnant and give birth” is the essence of the definition of the word MOTHER!”
It might be the definition of the word MOTHER, but not the word MOM. There’s a quote: “Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a dad.” That also applies to mother/mom.
I adopted my daughter even though I could give birth naturally, and I may not be her biological mother but I will always be, and have always been her mom.
February 2nd, 2007 at 11:07 pm
I agree with you too, JenB. And after 26 hours of labor including 6 hours of pushing, all with not one bit of pain medication, I did feel like I had accomplished an amazing feat! That was dang hard to do, and by God, I did it!
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Yay I am soooo happy to seee Katie on the cover of Harpers Bazaar I just can’t wait to see the pics and everythingn she has to say. She seems like a nice person. I just want her to say more stuff, cause I want to hear more about Suri and her life and what it is like hanging out with Connor and Bella. I wonder what it’s like being with Suri. I can’t wait for her to be on the cover of a new mag and to get back into another movie!
February 4th, 2007 at 6:02 am
Kate is answering questions about her lfe in this interview. Her answers have nothing to do with anybody else. If the magazine wanted info for ‘woman in general’ they would have gotten advice from some doctor. This is infact an interview about Kate. She isn’t talking on behalf of every woman out there, and every single experience EVERY woman goes through.
I find it amazing how people will search for any angle at which to be offended.
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ICAM with this message, I just read the post and went what is going on here. This is about Katie and her experience and has nothing to do with anyone else, let alone Nicole. No offense but I saw no reason for anyone to be offended, many new moms feel that way after gaving birth. As for why she isnt everywhere with her child, well the paparazzi arent after the jen gardners of this wold like they are after Suri and Shiloh.
Katie doesnt have to take her child with her on shopping jaunts to be a mom.
February 4th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Come on. The paps are there everytime Jennifer steps outside. But does she stop living her life or taking her child out? No. So I don’t see why Katie can’t do the same…. Maybe she doens’t want to, I don’t know. But really, it’s not as if she can’t do so.
February 6th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
I think I too will defend Katie here, I do not think she is the kind of person to go out of her way to hurt someone else like that. She is in a catch 22 situation, damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t some people have even complained about her calling Connor and Bella her children, I think it would have been worse if she did not seeing that she has a great relationship with them. She even twice went to their games without Tom. Lets not be overly sensitive. Most women feel that way after having children and I think it is unfair for her to be expected not to voice her feelings. I think she is a great mom and a genuinely nice person.