Bollywood actress Ileana DCruz known for her grace and candour recently opened up about the emotional and physical challenges she faced after the birth of her second child Keanu Rafe Dolan. The actress who tied the knot with Michael Dolan in May 2023 became a mother for the second time in June 2025. While motherhood has brought immense joy Ileana revealed that her postpartum phase has been one of the most difficult periods of her life. In an interview with NDTV Ileana candidly spoke about her mental state after giving birth. She said her “mental space was completely unsettled” and that coping with the changes both physical and emotional was “incredibly difficult.” Why did Ileana choose to go unmedicated this time? Unlike her first delivery Ileana decided to approach her second childbirth differently. She revealed “I said Im going to go unmedicated this time. Im not going to do the epidural. I told my nurse that we need to come up with a plan because this is what I want to do. And it was great because she worked with me and we actually did it. It was amazing.” The actress described the experience as empowering but admitted that the journey afterwards tested her patience and strength. What made the second time tougher? Sharing how postpartum recovery felt this time around Ileana said “The second time its not just the baby its the baby its your toddler its you. Its all those factors. Its trying to figure out yourself physically and get your strength back and the new mental space is completely messed up. So its incredibly hard. And even though I was aware of what was going to happen I think mentally its just been very difficult.” Her honesty about postpartum challenges struck a chord with many mothers who silently battle similar emotional hurdles. A look at Ileana’s growing family Ileana and Michael Dolan welcomed their son Keanu on June 19 2025 sharing the joyful news with fans on social media. She posted “Our hearts are so full” along with heart and sparkle emojis. The couple had earlier welcomed their first child Koa Phoenix Dolan in August 2023. Announcing his birth Ileana had written “No words could explain how happy we are to welcome our darling boy to the world. Heart’s beyond full.” As she navigates motherhood with two young children Ileana’s openness about her struggles has been praised by fans and fellow celebrities alike. Her willingness to talk about mental health and postpartum realities highlights the importance of acknowledging the emotional side of motherhood often hidden behind smiles and picture-perfect posts. Highlights: Ileana DCruz revealed her postpartum phase after her second child was “mentally very difficult.” The actress opted for an unmedicated delivery this time and described the experience as “amazing.” She and husband Michael Dolan are parents to two boys Koa and Keanu Dolan.