Minnie Driver Calls Henry’s First Year ‘an Insane Earthquake’

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Before she was a mom Minnie Driver says she treated her career like a baby, mistakenly believing that “it required as much nurturing and as much attention.” Since welcoming son Henry Story, 13 months, Minnie says she finally sees the difference between the two.

“I’ve discovered there’s no amount of hassle that could ever be bigger than my love of Henry and the hilarity and joy that he’s brought into my life and continues to bring,” the 39-year-old actress tells PARADE.

Minnie says that being an aunt to her sister’s three children helped prepare her for motherhood — somewhat. What it didn’t prepare her for, however, was life with a newborn. “My mind was just on the impending birth and the immediate future,” she explains. “Having a little baby is very different than dealing with your kids when they’re older.”

“You’re not juggling school schedules and stuff. I’m sure that all will come, but the first year of Henry’s life has been just an insane earthquake for me.”

That she has tackled that year while continuing to make movies is something Minnie admits is “incredibly challenging.” Her first film postpartum — Betty Anne Waters, costarring Hilary Swank — was shot when Henry was just 5-months-old, Minnie notes.

“We were in Michigan in the middle of winter and it was ten below,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘What am I doing?’” Between baby boy and her film commitments, Minnie concedes that her singing career was temporarily put on hold. “There’s no time,” she observes.

“If he’s sleeping, I’m trying to sleep and when you’re breastfeeding, you’re the milk machine. There’s no time to, like, pick up the guitar and write a song, much less go for a walk or have a beer. It’s like, ‘Good luck.’ But I’m going back in the studio and I’m just about to start another record.”

When she’s feeling overwhelmed or in need of advice, Minnie reveals that she will often frequent Mamapedia. Calling the site “amazing,” Minnie notes that “you can ask questions and mothers across America can answer, so you can get maybe ten answers and it’s kind of a cool resource.” An online community can only go so far, however. Minnie adds,

“Sitting down and reading about somebody else’s tough experiences of being a mother, you’re suddenly like, ‘My God, I’ve got a kid and I don’t have time to read about this. I’ve got to go do it.”

Source: PARADE

– Missy