Bradley Cooper Admits He Wasn’t Sure If He ‘Really Loved’ His Daughter When She Was Born & We Love His Honesty
Fatherhood was not what Bradley Cooper expected at first. Movies (and well-meaning relatives) make welcoming a child seem like a Hallmark movie, complete with a supernatural glow that instantly turns you into a mushy, sentimental pile of goo around your new baby. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: that rush of adoration and love for your child doesn’t always come in right away — and that’s totally OK. Cooper opened up about not feeling that love for his daughter Lea immediately after she was born in 2017, and we love that he is talking about this common issue that is often not shared.
Delayed Bonding
On Monday’s episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, per The Hollywood Reporter, the Maestro star admitted that the first couple months of Lea’s life, he thought, “I don’t even know if I really love the kid.” He continued, “It’s dope. It’s cool. I’m watching this thing morph.” But he didn’t feel that unique bond at first.
“All of a sudden, it’s like no question,” Cooper added about the feelings flooding in.
Partner Postpartum Depression
It’s not something that many people admit to, but it is completely normal to feel weird about your baby at first. Especially if you or your partner has postpartum depression. In fact, one study found that at least one in 10 partners of someone who has just given birth experience postpartum depression, known as “paternal postpartum depression” or “partner postpartum depression.”
You should always talk to your doctor if you are experiencing hopelessness, if you aren’t connecting with your baby, if you’re having a tough time making decisions, if you can’t find joy in things like you used to, and more.
Lea Saved Him
The Star Is Born actor, who shares his daughter with ex Irina Shayk, also revealed how his daughter saved his life.
“I’m not sure I’d be alive if I wasn’t a dad,” he said. “I just needed someone to say, like, ‘We’re gonna drop this massive anchor.’ I’m like, ‘Why? We’re speeding! I just got an upgrade on the boat, and I know where the wind’s coming in.’ They’re like, ‘No, no, no, there’s a tsunami coming in, and you need an anchor and we’re gonna drop it.’ Because this is gonna dictate everything you do from now on. Your DNA is going to tell you that there’s something more important than you.”
Fatherhood Changed Him
In June 2022, Cooper opened up about fatherhood again on the SmartLess podcast with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes. “Fatherhood is … everything changed,” Cooper said, per Glamour. “Every single thing is absolutely shaded by, or brought into glorious colors, by the fact that I get to be a father to a wonderful human being.”
He added that every moment is “the greatest moment of my life.”
