Bryce Dallas Howard recalls the shocking moment a former friend told her 'she wasn't a natural mother' amid her battle with postpartum depression
Bryce Dallas Howard has spoken openly about her battle with postpartum depression while discussing the trials and tribulations of motherhood.
Speaking in the new issue of BALANCE magazine, the actress revealed that after her first child Theodore, now 12, was born in 2007 she expected nothing less than an 'euphoric experience' - but instead was left struggling with her mental health.
The Jurassic Park star, 38, even recalled a friend at the time had told her 'she wasn't depressed, she just wasn't a natural mother' - even though 'something giant had shifted out of her control.'
'Painful': Bryce Dallas Howard, 38, has spoken openly about her battle with postpartum depression while discussing the trials and tribulations of motherhood
Bryce, who will soon be seen in the new Rocketman movie, is a mother to 12-year-old Theo and seven-year-old Beatrice with her husband Seth Gabel.
However, Bryce has been vocal in previous years when it comes to discussing her battle with Postpartum depression.
And Bryce detailed her time in her life further, as she revealed: 'I had someone tell me – when I was super-depressed and trying my f***ing hardest with Theo, before I read books, before I looked it up online and before I began to come to terms with the fact that something giant has shifted out of my control and my life would never be the same – I had someone literally tell me: "No, Bryce. You’re not depressed. You’re just not a natural mother."
Going on to reveal that the 'negative' friend has since been removed from her life, Bryce admitted that her mental health battle came as a shock.
Struggles: The actress revealed that after her first child Theodore, now 12, was born she expected nothing less than an 'euphoric experience' - but instead was left struggling with her mental health - Pictured in 2011 while pregnant with second child
Shock: The Jurassic Park star recalled a friend at the time had told her 'she wasn't depressed, she just wasn't a natural mother' - even though 'something giant had shifted out of her control'
'I really had no reason to believe that it would be anything other than this euphoric experience. Yes, I knew I would be tired and that it would be hard and painful, but I did not think that I was going to struggle with mental health to the degree that I did,' she admitted.
In 2015, Bryce confessed that she had returned to work two weeks after giving birth to Theo to work to promote her film, Spider-Man 3.
Speaking to Sunday Life, she stated that it was 'crazy' to be on the red carpet while she was still bleeding from stitches.
'I thought it would be euphoric': Going on to reveal that the 'negative' friend has since been removed from her life, Bryce admitted that her mental health battle came as a shock
Candid: Bryce has been vocal in previous years when it comes to discussing her battle with Postpartum depression. Pictured 2011
But with her husband Seth's compassion and support, she came out the other side and five-years-later fell pregnant again with their second child, a daughter Beatrice.
Bryce met her husband Seth while attending NYU in 2001 and the pair dated for five years before marrying in June 2006.
The actress started filming for Elton John's biopic, Rocketman, in August last year.
She plays the role of Elton's mother Bernie in the upcoming film, which is set to be released in the UK on 24 May and in the US on 31 May.
Family: Bryce, who will soon be seen in the new Rocketman movie, is a mother to 12-year-old Theo and seven-year-old Beatrice with her husband Seth Gabel
