Nancy O’Dell returns from maternity leave; faces ‘big test’ on the red-carpet

Nancy O’Dell, 41, is back at work after her three month maternity leave following the birth of daughter Ashby Grace, 11 weeks, and she’s coming back at a busy time — she broke news of Halle Berry’s pregnancy and now must rush into preparing for the September 16th Emmy Awards.

However, interview questions aren’t on Nancy’s mind — instead, it’s her boobs! The Access Hollywood host is nursing Ashby for ‘at least six months — a year if I can do it‘ and is concerned about her duties as a mom and as a co-host colliding on the red carpet.

It’s my first big test. On the Emmys, you don’t get a break. I’ll go immediately from the red carpet to the one-on-one room with the winners. I’ll have to find time in a private place to pump. I can imagine having time for only one side and then going out lopsided. They’d definitely be different sizes.

There could be problems with my dress. I already told my stylist, ‘Don’t get thin material.’ You know, you have all these issues you have to deal with for red carpet gowns anyway — the microphone, having fabric that’s sweat proof. This is certainly another dimension.

Breastfeeding is a whole ‘nother profession. The skill that it takesto breastfeed. [laughs] It’s a whole other career in itself.

Nancy also has four more pesky pounds to lose before she’s back to her pre-pregnancy weight — she’s lost 26 of the 30 lbs she gained while expecting. However, she’s placing Ashby first and is being smart about her workout routine.

Maybe I’ll get the last four by Emmy time. Before I was pregnant, I had a bulging disc, so I wasn’t able to do the high-energy workouts I like to do. Four weeks after she was born, my doctor said it was OK to start back in. I’m trying to be so dedicated. I’ve also gone running up and down my driveway when I know it’s about feeding time so the baby won’t have to wait.

Click below for how Nancy views starlets like Lindsay Lohan now that she’s a mom, and her hopes for Ashby’s future.

Now that she’s a mother, Nancy views some of the celebrities shereports on in a different light — and prefers that Ashby stay as faraway from the glare of Hollywood as possible while young.

People would ask me about the whole Lindsay Lohanthing, like, ‘What’s up with her?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know!’ I cantell you all about breastfeeding and diaper-changing, but I have noidea about Lindsay.

I’m definitely a little more sensitive [now that I'm a mother].One thing that I told myself when I was watching everything aboutLindsay was that I hope that I have a relationship with my daughterlike my mom did with me, where I felt like I could talk to her aboutanything. Because obviously there’s something troubling going on with[the Lohan's relationship].

I’d prefer [Ashby] not to go the Hollywood route. Especially ifthey’re successful young, like Britney [Spears] and Lindsay. There arejust so many ways it can go wrong. I will support anything Ashby wantsto do and help her through it all, but I think sometimes you get toomuch too soon in Hollywood and the expectations can be a little high.

Source: New York Daily News; National Ledger; March of Dimes