On Embracing Your True Self After Motherhood
Jenna Dewan believes that women should not lose sight of themselves after becoming mothers.
"Apparently, when you become a mother, you're supposed to leave your sexuality at the door, and I never understood that," she told Women's Health in July 2018. "I think there's nothing sexier than becoming a mother. You give life. It's everything. And you don't change who you are inside just because you have a kid."
On Her Daughter’s Personal Style
The 39-year-old actress also gushed about her daughter Everly finding her own sense of style at a young age. From dressing in her favorite colors to rocking anything with glitter, she is all about letting her daughter try new looks.
"She has got the most unique style. The girl picks out her clothes every single morning. She is so funky. We went an entire year where she only wore purple, but now we're more into anything that has glitter," she revealed to People in Dec. 2017. "But she's tomboy, so she's got the big chunky sneakers with the leggings, with the tutu, anything that has glitter, magical anything. She's very into that right now."
On Giving Her Daughter Self-Confidence
Dewan knows the importance of encouraging Everly and allowing her to build self-confidence from a young age.
"Starting early and starting to build her confidence in her true authenticity and herself is important, because then when the influences come in that will try and tell her, ‘You're not great' and ‘You're not amazing,' she'll have that strong sense of reminding," she shared with People in 2017.
On Feeling Empowered by Motherhood
We all know that moms have superpowers and Dewan has certainly embraced hers! The Soundtrack star revealed that becoming a mother allowed her to feel more empowered.
"I believe that I can do and accomplish anything at any point with any amount of sleep with any amount of stressors in life," she explained to Us Weekly in Oct. 2019. "[When you have a child], you know that you love something and you can commit and dedicate yourself to something so much, that you can do anything. [It] made me feel very empowered."
On Expanding Her Family
Is there anything sweeter than this pregnancy announcement? Dewan revealed that she is expecting her first child with Steve Kazee, her boyfriend, in Sept. 2019 on Instagram after welcoming Everly with her ex-husband, Channing Tatum six years earlier.
She wrote, "Becoming a mother is quite simply the absolute best most incredible thing that has ever happened to me. @stevekazee you are a gift from above and i couldn't be more excited to be expanding our family together...! Thank you guys for all the love!!"
On Finding Balancing
The Resident actress shared how her outlook on work and finding balance has evolved since giving birth to Everly.
"My [daughter] Everly changed [everything] for me. Now I think, ‘What can I do to be there for her, and how long will I be away for a project?' I say no to a lot now," she said. "When you are a dancer, you are a hustler by nature…I was scared but the universe was like, ‘We got you.' I'm doing what I love more but I don't have to say yes all the time," she explained at The Wrap's Power Women Summit in Oct. 2019.
On Protecting Her Daughter
In 2019, Dewan released her first book, Gracefully You: Finding Beauty and Balance in the Everyday, and opened up about her fears about finding love again after her split from Tatum the previous year. Her no. 1 concern was her daughter, of course!
"Then there was my daughter. She's very shy and funny and standoffish with men. It takes her a long time to warm up to others. I predicted this child was going to be jealous of whoever else I spent my time with. How would I ever date with her blessing? My fears were going haywire," she wrote.
On Her Unconditional Love for Everly
The former World of Dance host gushed about Everly on Instagram last year shortly before her 5th birthday.
"And ohhhhh myyy goodnesssss to this little fairy baby right here. Thank you Everly for choosing me as your mother. I will love, cherish and support you till the end of time. You teach me every single day and i am continually in awe of your strength and your wisdom. I can't believe this was almost 5 years ago....!!!! Love you bigger than the sky and all the stars," she posted.
On Telling Everly About Her New Sibling
Everly was thrilled to find out that Dewan was expecting her second child and she would have a new sibling.
"I knew she would be happy because she's been asking for this. But as soon as she found out, she started crying," she revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Oct. 2019. "She was like, 'This is the best day of my life!"'
On Everly Being a Protective Big Sister
Such a good big sister! On Good Morning America, the pregnant star shared that Everly wants to make sure she is already giving her sibling all the best food.
"She's too excited," she told Good Morning America's Michael Strahan in Oct. 2019. "I go to eat something, she's like, 'Mom, is that good for the baby?' Like she feeds me. And I have to be honest. I had candy corn the other day and I was like, 'No, it's not,' and she was like, 'Hmm, should put that back.' And I was like, 'Oh my God.' She's very excited. She said she's waited her whole life for this. Her whole six years."
On Her Daughter’s Halloween Costumes
Dewan and her daughter take Halloween seriously. In fact, Everly had two costumes for the spooky holiday in 2019.
"We went through many, many sort of ideas and I finally said this is your deadline. You have to decide by today. She chose angel for the day and peacock at night," Dewan revealed on GMA.
"All of the sudden it was peacock. Peacock? I was like, 'Where did that come from?' but she's very excited," she continued.