gwyneth apple

Gwyneth Paltrow reveals the moment she 'almost died' during labor

The Oscar-winning actress welcomed Apple in 2004 with ex-husband Chris Martin

Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
October 26, 2021

Gwyneth Paltrow has shared the moment that she "almost died" giving birth to her eldest daughter.

MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow reveals sweetest handwritten note from daughter Apple

The Oscar-winning actress welcomed Apple in 2004 with ex-husband Chris Martin but has now emotionally opened up on the cesarean surgery she had to have as part of an emergency labor.

WATCH: Gwyneth Paltrow shares look inside marble kitchen

"I had two cesareans," Gwyneth told Dax Shepherd on his Armchair Expert podcast, adding: "My daughter was an emergency. It was crazy — we almost died. It was, like, not good."

The mom-of-two then shared that the biggest concern for her after the birth was the surgical scar, a new change to her body which took her some time to get used to.

MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow shares nude bath selfie to mark special occasion

MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow's stunning homes amid house renovation near Prince Harry – photos

"Anyway, there's a big scar across your body, and you're like, 'Oh, wow, that didn't used to be there.' And it's not that it's bad, or you want to judge it, but you're just like, 'Oh, my God'," she added.

Although the 49-year-old didn't go into further details about the harrowing birthing experience, she did reveal how grateful she was to have given birth to her children before the dawn of social media.

Gwyneth has cesarean sections with both of her children

"Thank God there wasn't Instagram when I had babies because now it's like if I see someone, 'Oh I just gave birth two weeks ago and I have a completely washboard stomach,' and I'm like, 'wow that's not what I [looked like],'" she explained.

"And like great, more power to the lady with the washboard [abs] but that is totally the exception and then now we're being fed all of these other images of what we're supposed to look like all the time — babies, no babies, whatever."

Gwyneth and 17-year-old Apple have a close bond and she recently admitted they have started to swap clothes.

Apple, 17, now borrows her mom's clothes

"Apple borrows from my closet. Although I did take a hoodie from her about two weeks ago. So, fair enough. But she likes my t-shirts and my shoes. She likes my shoes," Gwyneth revealed. "Apple gives me beauty tips all the time. She's really amazing at doing eyeliner and all that kind of stuff, so she tries to get me to be a little bit more glam at home, which I just am not."

The Goop founder went on to describe her experience of raising Apple as "really interesting".

She explained: "Because as she's come into her own, it's almost like, you know, it's like watching her harness her own power with every passing year, and I'm just like, 'What is this child here to do?' She's so bright and so funny. She's hilarious."

Read more HELLO! US stories here

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Parenting

See more