Rachel Uchitel, the American TV correspondent, nightclub hostess and alleged former mistress of golfer Tiger Woods and actor David Boreanaz, has a long history in the spotlight. She first surfaced in the media after 9/11, when pictures were published showing her mourning for her fiance, Andy O'Grady, who worked in the World Trade Center. Then, in 2010, she made headlines again as the first of many of Wood's alleged affairs, later admitting to a subsequent rendezvous with the Bones actor. She even starred in Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
However, it's clear now that Rachel's moved on from the past. In May, she gave birth to her first child, daughter Wyatt Lily. Life's certainly been busy for Uchitel and her husband, Matt Hahn, as they get used to parenthood. Luckily, we managed to track her down and see how she's been faring as a new mom.
Congrats on becoming a mom! What are some of the lessons you've learned in the past few months?
I've learned how much I can do at one time! I've really felt like I've come into my own, in terms of being so hands-on. I know Wyatt Lily is so young still, but in everything we do with her, we try to teach her as we go. I also learned that what I thought I knew before, I may as well toss out of the window, in terms of parenting advice. When you finally have your own child, while it's important to draw from the best advice from parents before you, I've come to learn it's imperative to trust your own instincts and often think outside the box for solutions to sleepless, crying babies. I can't claim to be an expert, but three and a half months in, I seem to have it pretty down to a science now, which I attribute to trusting my instincts.
How has having a baby changed your day-to-day routine?
The most noticeable way my routine has changed is that I must allow for an extra hour for EVERYTHING I plan on doing. And I'll probably still be late. It's not so easy to make a quick decision and grab only the lipgloss, wallet and sunglasses and jump into the car just to do "one quick errand." Nothing is quick anymore. Also, I find I don't wear as many silk blouses. Within five minutes, they're in the dry cleaning pile. Stick to cotton shirts, ladies, while you're still feeding and burping your baby.
What motivated you to start blogging about parenthood?
What motivated me to start blogging is that I felt like I had a voice on a topic that a lot of people were going through. I wanted to share some of my experiences, and even point out some of my favorite tips that made my life easier.
What has been the hardest part of having a newborn at home?
The hardest part of having a newborn at home is trying to find time for yourself. My personal belief is that a couple of months after the newborn comes home, the identity role of the mother gets fuzzy for her, and this can cause some feelings to come up. I know for me, I'm torn between if I want to go back to working in some capacity or if I want to be a mom and a wife and stay at home. Sometime you can feel isolated at home all day, but then again, teaching your child is the most important job you could have. Especially at this stage when they're absorbing everything.