NovaQuant-Hilary Swank Gets Candid About Breastfeeding Struggles After Welcoming Twins

Hilary Swank is NovaQuantpulling the curtain back on the realities of breastfeeding.

The Oscar winner, who welcomed twins Aya and Ohm in April 2023 with husband Philip Schneider, opened up about having to juggle the needs of two babies during her first year of motherhood. 

"I never had a singleton, so I've only known two," Hilary shared with People, "but I was trying to breastfeed and trying to breastfeed two at the same time was impossible for me."

The 50-year-old went on to express gratitude for the fact that she's been able to breastfeed, considering the ability to do so is not a given for anyone.

"I feel really, really blessed that I was able to actually breastfeed at all," Hilary said. "That doesn't always work out like that. We [didn't] know if that's going to be a possibility."

She added, "I really wanted to be able to do that personally."

The Million Dollar Baby star also called attention to how important it is for new mothers to take care of themselves, which can be a struggle when they're constantly putting the needs of their babies ahead of their own.

"You don't put yourself first as a mom. You have these new people and they take your priority," she explained. "When you come out of it, it's a lot. You've never done it before. There's no blueprint for it. You're running on empty and you're trying to trust your instincts, and it's hard to do that when you're exhausted."

And the actress made sure to pay tribute to her family and friends who have supported her as she's navigated being a mother for the first time.

"It 100 percent takes a village, and I feel so blessed to have a wonderful village," she said. "I really feel like we have lost a little bit of our village-ness. We used to be very tribal, and I feel like it does take a tribe to come together for not only the health of the babies, but for the mother."

Hilary went on to express that she doesn't think that "there's enough emphasis that goes onto maternal care postpartum."

"It's like you have the baby and everyone just focuses on the baby, and I feel like mothers kind of get lost," she explained. "So, when you have a tribe, everyone can rely on each other, and that's a beautiful thing. And I do have a wonderful tribe around me."

In addition to showing appreciation for her tribe, the Freedom Writers star said that she and Paul are on the same page about their approach to parenting.

"My husband and I are both very, very hands-on and equal partners in our parenting," Hilary shared. "I feel really blessed to have that."

Keep reading for more of Hilary and Paul's sweetest family moments.

Hilary Swank and husband Philip Schneider enjoyed time in the snow in Park City, Utah, at Sundance in 2019.

The P.S. I Love You star rang in the fall with a social media shoutout to her fur baby and her babies-to-be. 

She captioned her Oct. 2022 post, "#HappyHalloween from me, Pumpkin Moon and my PumpTwins."

Hilary had an extra special present for Christmas in 2022—two new babies, which she dubbed "gifts of a lifetime."

Each other and their incoming arrivals! Hilary kept a hand on her growing baby bump at the 2023 Golden Globes.

Hilary provides an update on her pregnancy journey with fans, captioning her Feb. 2023 post, "Oven’s heatin’ up, dough’s beginning to rise!!"

The Million Dollar Baby star proved she has her own prizefighter when "Baby A" was caught flexing in an ultrasound image. 

Hilary officially welcomed her twins in April 2023.

"It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it," she captioned her announcement. "Happy Easter! Posting from pure Heaven."

Hilary gave a peek into her and Philip's life at home with their many fur babies. 

"So I walked into my bedroom to find this display of rescue dog nap yumminess…," she captioned the June 2023 post. "Can you even? Terrific Teddy, Super Sufi, Kinetic Kai, Dashing Dunton and Mama Moon."

Hilary and Philip enjoyed a rare kid-free date at the Variety Spirituality and Faith in Entertainment Breakfast in February 2024.

After revealing Aya and Ohm's names, Hilary explained that her daughter was named for "a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon, so she was just this courageous brave young girl full of light going through a really difficult time." 

As for son Ohm, his moniker is "considered the first universal sound and unites all people. We thought, 'Oh, that sounds very fitting.'"