Ileana D'Cruz Opens Up On Postpartum Struggles After Second Baby, Keanu, 'It's Not Just The Baby..'

Motherhood is the most beautiful feeling but it often comes with its own challenges that are rarely discussed. Popular actress, Ilena D'Cruz, who is known for films like Barfi, Happy Ending, Mubarakan, Rustom and more, embraced motherhood for the second time in June 2025. Recently, Ilena opened up about her overwhelming postpartum phase. 

Ilena D’Cruz was unmedicated during her second delivery

Recently, Ilena D'Cruz had a candid conversation with NDTV, in which she opened up about her second pregnancy and how difficult her postpartum phase has been. The actress first shared that for the second delivery, she wanted to do things differently. She mentioned that since the hospital and doctor were the same, she wanted to be a ‘little crazy’ and go unmedicated. She revealed:

"I said I'm going to go unmedicated this time. I'm not going to do the epidural. I told my nurse that we need to come up with a plan because this is what I want to do. And it was great because she worked with me and we actually did it. It was amazing. And my doctor kept telling me that the second time around is going to be a lot faster than the first time around. I did not expect how quickly it was going to be. I went in, he was born, and I went back home the next day. So it was great."

Ilena D’Cruz’s mental space was messed up after the delivery

In the same candid interview, the Mubarakan actress spoke about the hurdles she faced during the postpartum phase and revealed that it was harder than the first time. She shared that the second time, she had to think about her baby, her toddler and herself, which has been quite difficult. She mentioned that she was trying to get back her strength as her mental space was completely messed up. In her words:

"First time, you're trying to come to terms with everything. It's like you've gone from being a single woman to suddenly you've given birth, and now you've got to take care and ensure this baby is healthy and surviving and thriving. But the second time, it's not just the baby, it's the baby, it's your toddler, it's you. It's all those factors. It's trying to figure out yourself physically and get your strength back, and the new mental space is completely messed up. So it's incredibly hard. And even though I was aware of what was going to happen, I think mentally it's just been very difficult."

More about Ilena D’Cruz

Ilena D'Cruz is a popular Portuguese actress, who started her career in Indian cinema with Telugu films like Pokiri and Kick. Then she shifted towards Bollywood and gave hit films like Barfi!, Main Tera Hero, Phata Poster Nikla Hero, Rustom and more. She has built a huge fanbase with her natural charm and strong screen presence. In her personal life, she married Michael Dolan in 2023, and the same year, she welcomed her first son, Koa Phoenix Dolan. In 2025, she welcomed her second son, Keanu Rafe Dolan. She was last seen in the film, Do Aur Do Pyaar, which was released in 2024. 

What are your thoughts on the revelations made by Ilena D’Cruz? Let us know.

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