Many births don’t go exactly as planned, and actress Lake Bell’s experience is no exception. The Grace and Frankie actress candidly opened up about her two home birth experiences with Dax Shepard on his podcast, Armchair Expert.
Bell is mom to two children, daughter Nova (4) and son Ozgood (2), but neither child’s birth went as planned.
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She opened up to Shepard, with whom she stars in Bless this Mess on ABC, sharing that during the birthing process, her daughter’s umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. Bell’s midwife had to give Nova “three lifesaving breaths,” but the baby was ultimately alright. Though there were some curveballs, Lake said she found the experience to be incredibly empowering.
When she gave birth to Ozgood, she opted for a home birth again. She shared that she had a very similar experience during her second birth: Ozgood’s umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. “He was not coming to,” she told Dax. Paramedics rushed to the scene to cut the cord. Unfortunately, though, Lake ended up going to the hospital so that she could deliver her placenta.
“I was looking at my phone as they were sewing me up and I get a little video from [my husband] Scott [Campbell]: little Ozzy just barely taking breaths with the oxygen mask and I just passed out. Because I was like, ‘He’s alive,’ and then I just passed out,” Lake shared of the birth.
“He was hypoxic, he was without oxygen for longer than the four minutes… We were told that he could [have] cerebral palsy or never walk or talk.”
Fortunately, Ozgood is a healthy, happy boy. We’re always appreciative of moms who use their platform to talk about hard, scary things, so thank you, Lake Bell, for sharing your home birth stories. We appreciate your honesty and candor!
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