“I just thought every time he was sleeping, he was dead”: Jennifer Lawrence gets candid about postpartum anxiety after welcoming second child

Jennifer Lawrence is opening up about the difficult time she faced after giving birth to her second baby. On November 1, the 35-year-old actress, in an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE at the New York City premiere of her new film Die My Love, discussed the approach to her character after experiencing motherhood. She appears in the movie as a new mother grappling with the emotional and mental burdens of parenthood, a character that she reported being very personal.

Jennifer Lawrence had the experience of postpartum anxiety after her second child, and it enabled her to learn the role at a better level. The actress revealed,

"I didn't really end up having really bad postpartum [anxiety] until my second [baby]."

The actress noted that motherhood gave her more perspective while preparing for the movie. She explained that being a parent has given her insight into the needs of a child. Lawrence added,

"I mean, I don't think that you have to have kids to play a parent by any means, but having that information about, you know, what a tiny person needs, and is looking for. Just having that information was helpful."

Jennifer Lawrence drawing from her own postpartum experience

Jennifer Lawrence has two sons, Cy, 3, and a younger son born earlier this year, with husband Cooke Maroney. The actress has elaborated on her struggles after she became a mother for the second time around.

In a recent interview with The New Yorker, she shared her anxiety and reaction to it, both in the way she felt and thought.

"I just thought every time he was sleeping he was dead. I thought he cried because he didn’t like his life, or me, or his family. I thought I was doing everything wrong, and that I would ruin my children."

The actress confessed that these feelings made her feel alone and uncertain about herself as a new mother. She claimed she would think too much about details and worry all the time about the well-being of her baby.

Jennifer Lawrence claimed that she was prescribed Zurzuvae, which is a new drug that was created to combat postpartum depression. She claims that the medication enabled her to cope with the symptoms fast and effectively, and that other mothers should be aware of its existence as well.

Read More: What is Diplo's net worth in 2025? Fortune explored as DJ alleges past relationships with Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau

Finding support and connection through shared experiences

During her Die My Love premiere, Jennifer Lawrence also shared how she found comfort through connection with others who understood parenthood. On set, she bonded with her co-star Robert Pattinson, who is also a new parent. Pattinson and his fiancée, Suki Waterhouse, welcomed a baby girl last year.

"[We bonded] over our kids because — like any new parent knows — that’s the only thing you want to do is just, like, look at pictures and show people pictures and videos of [your] kids. And his baby was like brand new, and mine was too."

She also described a lighter moment from her postpartum journey when she became emotional while using ChatGPT to ask a question about breastfeeding. Jennifer Lawrence recalled how those words were stated by an AI chatbot,

“You’re doing the most amazing thing for your baby. You’re such a loving mother.”

Trending

Through her honesty, Lawrence hopes to bring more awareness to postpartum mental health. Her willingness to share her story shows that even those in the public eye can experience the same fears and doubts as any new parent.

Read More: James Gunn shares early Superman CGI footage debunking all AI usage rumnours

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback