Taye Diggs on Childbirth: ‘It Was Crazy’
 AP/Courtesy of Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs |
Calling wife Idina Menzel “a warrior” for delivering their 6-week-old son Walker Nathaniel naturally without pain medication, Taye Diggs opened up about the happy day during a Thursday visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“It was amazing. I was holding her hands and cheering her on,” he reveals. “I said I would look two times. I would look when the baby was crowning, and I wanted to look right when Walker came out.”
“Then when he came out, all the sudden it was like my inner gangster came out. I was like, ‘Yeah baby, you did that thing, that’s what I’m talkin’ about, that’s my boy!’”
Adding that “it was crazy” and that he “couldn’t control” himself, Taye likened the experience to “the Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup, everything wrapped up into one.”
There were some tense moments leading up to Walker’s debut, and watching Idina experience childbirth in full was almost too much to bear. “When that first pain hit her and I saw her face, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m just going to be in this other room…’” the 38-year-old actor jokes.
Things got off to a far more mellow start, however. “There was something going on that morning, so we knew, ‘Okay, this is going to be a special day,”‘ Taye explains. “She said, ‘Go off to work, and if I need you, I’ll call you.’”
When that call came, Taye was ready!
“In the movies and on TV, you always hear everybody’s rushing, but everyone is telling me when it actually happens, there is no need to rush. There’s no need to speed. So on the way home, I was constantly telling myself, ‘Relax, relax, be cool.’”
After arriving at the hospital “the labor really start[ed] to kick in,” Taye added, and ultimately lasted between seven and eight hours.
Source: The Ellen DeGeneres Show
– Missy
Click below to watch the video!
- Posted on Oct 16, 09 at 12:30PM
- Permalink
- 23 Comments
October 16th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
LOL @ “my inner gangster”!
October 16th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
What a great interview!! The love he has for his family is written all over this face. Ellen is hilarious!! Can’t wait to see updated pics of Walker. I’m super happy for Taye, Idina and Walker. The new Diggs family!!!
October 16th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Awww, good for them! I just love hearing daddies tell their stories
October 16th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
lol @ taye having a “gangster” side… lol…
October 16th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I love Taye Diggs. You can tell just how much he loves his family and its so sweet. Walker is such a cutie too.
October 16th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
LoL I adore this family…Taye is so sweet & funny!!
October 16th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Don’t really care for him as an actor, but I have to admit, I LOVED this interview! he sounds so sweet and in tune with his dw, good for them!
October 16th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
i always like hearing men describe the birth experience… they are usually a lot funnier than women’s stories
October 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Wow just watching Taye talk about his son and wife puts a big smile on my face. I love the way he talks about his wife, he always has such positive things to say about her and that just makes me respect him even more. They are a beautiful couple and little Walker is adorable!
October 16th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I absolutely adore him. Idina is one lucky woman!
October 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
He is so funny I love him on Private Practice congrats to his wife and him. Walker such a nice name
October 16th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I like the fact that the name has some substance to it. It’s different (there won’t be another Walker in his class), but it’s not a “weird” name like some of the others. Best wishes out to a guy that sounds like he’s definitely got his priorities in the right place!
October 16th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
thats awesome! i love taye and private practice!!!
Walker`s a great name! 
October 17th, 2009 at 2:18 am
There is no denying that Taye is a gorgeous man, but I am more attracted to him because of the obvious love and pride he has for his wife and son. Oh, and lol @ his “inner gangster” comment =)
October 17th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
This is so sweet!
October 17th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I love the name! I have a 16 mon old daughter, Ella, but her name would have been Walker had she been a boy!!!
October 17th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
OMG, what a great interview. He looked so clean cut and handsome…LOVED the glasses on him as well. I always thought Taye and Idina were such an adorable couple…and the baby is truly gorgeous! he looked like he was smiling already in the picture. I can’t wait to see Idina in “Wicked.” She is such an awesome actress, and I know she is going to nail that part!!!!
October 17th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Awwwww, what a beautiful family!
This man is SO fine! Lucky wife.
October 17th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
awww, he’s to sweet!
October 17th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Another beautiful family, hope the son is as handsome as Daddy.
October 18th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
way to go, idina– a med-less birth is something to forever feel proud about. i’ve had two, and i can’t help but feel good about myself. due with number 3 this winter, however, i do intend to get myself some demerol and an epidural this time, if given the opportunity– some of us DO need to rush, taye– lol, my two were born in 2.5 hours, and 30 minutes, respectively. big rush for me!!
October 21st, 2009 at 2:34 pm
jaQ – I feel ya! My daughter was born in roughly two hours! Also had a med-less birth, and I am proud of that. There is no pain like it.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
“My Daddy Diggs Me” lol that’s so cute! Idina is one lucky, lucky gal. Congrats!