Kelly Ripa recalled being body-shamed when she returned to work on “All My Children” nine days after giving birth to her oldest son, Michael, in 1997.
The former soap opera actress, 53, was talking about post-partum depression on Wednesday’s episode of her podcast, “Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa,” when she talked about returning to work after giving birth to her first child.
“The wardrobe people were like, ‘We thought you’d be smaller by now,” she told guest Hilarie Burton.
“I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to be smaller anytime soon. I don’t know much but here’s what I do know. This looks like it’s going to be here for a while. I’m not in any rush.’”
Ripa, who welcomed three kids with husband Mark Consuelos, furthered that despite showing a strong front, she was struggling.
“I didn’t recognize my body,” the actress told Burton. “I was on a soap and I had to go back to work 9 days after, 9 days! It was brutal.”
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Ripa also talked about how giving birth can be a very isolating experience. She said that, despite Consuelos’ parents moving in to help with their firstborn, she still “felt like I was on an island.”
She continued, “I think all women who have given birth will tell you that they feel they are on an island. I don’t care what the support system is.”
Ripa was cast in the long-running soap opera in 1990 as Hayley Vaughan, a troubled party girl. She concluded her role in 2002 after a 12-year run.
During her time on the show, Ripa met Consuelos, and the two eloped after just a few months in 1996
Besides Michael, they also share daughter, Lola, 22, and Joaquin, 20.
In April 2023, the couple reunited on-screen again as they became the permanent hosts of “Live with Kelly and Michael.”
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