Claire Danes is opening up about her surprise pregnancy with baby number three at 44 years old. Let’s just say, her first emotions were not ones of joy.
Meltdown About the News
The actress sat down with comedian and podcast host Amy Poehler for an episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler, where she discussed the news.
“I called my OBGYN in convulsive tears. It was pure like … meltdown,” she explained, pointing out that each of her children is nearly five years apart.
“None of this was by design. I didn’t know it was physically possible. I was 44. And actually, Rowan was very hard-earned. I had to do two rounds of IVF.”
Having a Later Pregnancy
Now 46, Danes previously spoke on the Smartless podcast about having a later pregnancy and the complicated experience that went along with it.
“I was so old when that happened. I was 44,” Danes said. She later even commented she “didn’t think it was possible” to get pregnant at that age. It wasn’t only the shock of being pregnant when older, but she also encountered some stigma around the subject.
“I did not foresee this at all. And it was weird. Suddenly, I felt like a funny shame. I was naughty. I had been caught fornicating past the point I was meant to,” she said. “No, it was weird, and it was like I found an edge that I hadn’t been quite conscious of — like I was going outside of the parameters a little bit.”
Nine months later, Claire Danes gave birth to a baby girl. Today, she has three children: Cyrus, 12, Rowan, 7, and Shay, 2.
A Teenager and Toddler
Another unexpected thing Danes had to deal with was having a teenager and a toddler under the same roof.
“It’s a trip. I mean, I have a teenager and a toddler at once,” she said.
At least she’s in high spirits about the experience, which is extremely rare. When Danes Google the chances of getting pregnant naturally at 44 years old, the results were less than one percent.
“So that was obviously ridiculous,” said Danes.
With two boys to begin with, Danes thought she would get a third, but instead, baby girl Shay came along. “This beautiful girl emerged,” Claire shared, getting a little choked up. “She’s the best. None of it was up to me, and I’m just delighted.”
Danes shares all three kids with husband Hugh Dancy. The pair met in 2006 while starring as love interests in Evening.
Soon after, they started dating, and they later tied the knot in 2009. They have been happily married ever since.