13 Sweetest Things Celebs Have Said About Motherhood

It's safe to say that celebrity moms are pretty visible, so it's always interesting to hear about their experiences having children and how they feel about the whole subject. A lot of stars are also quite busy, and while their life experiences might not parallel the average person's in all ways, their emotional experiences generally do. It's a good reminder that no matter who we are we all feel the same emotions, hopes, and fears. Here are 13 celebrities that talk a lot about motherhood and what it has meant to them.

13 Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has discussed how this phase of her life is different from her younger years, and she makes motherhood sound pretty good. She has said,  "I don't have anything to lose. I feel like I've done all the hard work. I really was married to my work for so long that I've kind of been there, done that. I was ready for a new phase in my life. When I became a mom, I just kind of opened up and got a new perspective. I have a fearlessness and a confidence that I think you can only get with experience and age. Some people get it earlier, but it took me a while."

12 Nia Vardalos

The My Big Fat Greek Wedding star is known for being a hilarious writer and actress. So it makes sense that she also has a humorous view of parenting. Let's be honest, kids are full of surprises and going with the flow is going to make life a whole lot more enjoyable. She has spoken about about being a mom: ""Becoming a mom to me means you have accepted that for the next 16 years of your life, you will have a sticky purse. [Mine] is always filled with stuff I didn't put there, from leftover Tootsie Rolls to wet wipes that got squished to the bottom. It makes me laugh every day."

11 Brooke Shields

The actress admits that she comes on a little strong as a parent, but that she just thinks that's the best way to handle raising children. There of course is no single "right" way to do things so opinions on the matter vary dramatically. She has said she might appear to be "an overbearing, controlling parent" but this is her parenting style because she takes it very seriously.

10 Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek's reflections are a good reminder for moms balancing both work and family. She has said that her aunt gave her some awesome advice: make sure to be part of the bedtime routine every single night of the week because before you know it, she's totally grown-up and you missed your chance. Solid advice, we would agree.

9 Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum seems to have a pretty relaxed take on being a mom. She should know: she's got four kids -- two daughters and two sons. Her house definitely sounds like the kind of place you want to spend your childhood in. She has said, "I'm not someone who [lives] like, 'OK, this is a museum and you can't sit here and you can't touch this and everything has to be put in its place - [the kids] live here as much as we do. You come into our house and a giant elephant and lion are welcoming you. We have toys and things everywhere."

8 Tina Fey

Tina Fey has admitted that being a working mom can be hard for everyone, and she understands it as much as anyone else out there. Somehow everything always ends up getting done. As she very wisely said, "I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you're just thinking, 'This is impossible - oh, this is impossible.' And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible."

7 Ellen Pompeo

No one can ever totally be prepared for parenthood, and the Grey's Anatomy star sums it up pretty well when discussing the shock of actually getting pregnant after a period of trying. She said she and her husband Chris Ivery were super psyched… then scared. She started wondering how she would know what to do and then she realized that it's not really about doing stuff right or wrong, "as long as your baby is your priority, that's the best you can do."

6 Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman has discussed the inevitable: when you become the parent that you never thought you would be. She has said, "You know how parents rattle on to you about, 'Oh, you won't believe your life will never be the same,' and you think, Why can't these people just get over it? All they're doing is yakking about their kids. It's such a bore. And then you have kids and you just want to do the same thing."

5 Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman has discussed what must be a totally common theme in parenting: figuring out how to protect your children while still feeling the desire to give them the freedom to have the best life experiences for their personal growth. She has said,  "My instinct is to protect my children from pain. But adversity is often the thing that gives us character and backbone. It's always been a struggle for me to back off and let my children go through difficult experiences." We think that's very wise.

4 Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon has been open about what she thought motherhood would be like… and what the reality actually ended up being. She has chatted about the expectations you have about a child before they are born. She has a pretty beautiful outlook on motherhood: “I know it's corny, but being a parent to me is such a great privilege; that I get to chaperone these beautiful little souls through life. They astound me with their knowledge and their humor. Parenthood is not at all what I expected it to be. I thought you make little people in your image. But they are just nothing like me or their father. They are their own individuals.”

3 Amanda Peet

The actress says that parenting has forced her to give up a certain kind of control, even though having a family means you do have a routine and some kind of structure. She has said, "One surprise of motherhood for me was how little control I have. I thought it would be a blissful romance with me at the helm, cuddling this little creature. It's been bittersweet and humbling to let her lead and to not try to be perfect myself."

2 Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie has admitted that being a mom was never on her list of priorities, and yet she ended up becoming a mother to six. She talks about the importance of making sure that her kids never have to concern themselves with how she's feeling: "I want to make sure my kids are never worried about me. Even if I'm going through something, I make sure they are very aware that I'm totally fine. I'll stop and make a joke. I talk to them. I never, ever want them to have that secret worry and feel that they have to take care of me."

1 Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton has talked about the accountability that motherhood brings that you should always be true to yourself. We often think that if you're a mom, well, you're doing stuff for another person, which of course you are. But it's also important to be centred. In her words: "Motherhood is the most completely humbling experience I've ever had. It puts you in your place, because it really forces you to address the issues that you claim to believe in - and if you can't stand up to those principles when you're raising a child, forget it."