Below are parts of the interview with Nicole in the next issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Included in the article are beautiful pictures of Nicole and her family.
On her post-baby body: Half my wardrobe is already stretched. Not all my clothes fit the same. I don’t even think it’s a weight thing; I think your body just changes after you have a baby. I don’t care either way, but (gestures to newfound chest) I’m not used to having a tank top or bra underneath my clothes. You always hear that people with blond hair or larger breasts get more attention, but I never really thought that was real! I like wearing shirts that are a bit see-through because before it didn’t really matter. But now it’s like, ‘Uh-oh, I could get arrested.’
On Joel as a father: Joel actually changes more diapers than I do! It’s his time with her. He sings to her … he laughs with her, plays with her. It’s amazing.
On changing perspectives and ideals: You know, I went through a stage of thinking that once you had a baby, you moved to Brentwood, had a white picket fence, and it changed your entire life. But I love where I am right now. Every single thing is for Harlow. Joel took me out last week, and he was like, ‘Why don’t we go out and have a shopping day?’ But I ended up only going to kid stores. (laughs) I didn’t get to buy shoes or anything.
On the choice to do a introductory photoshoot with Harlow: The day before it came out, I was nervous, because there was going to be a picture of my daughter everywhere. But if I didn’t put a picture out, it would have been 10 times worse. I wanted to stop people trying to get pictures of her. I was just being a protective mom.
On the decision to start the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation: I got like 10 cribs and 20 strollers. For one little girl! So we wanted to take the gifts we got and give them to the people who actually needed them. [We met with charity advising firm] Inspired Philanthropy, and they really opened our eyes.
On the paparazzi: It is scary. I don’t want that around her, I just don’t … it’s definitely the thing that makes me most nervous. [But] I’m the luckiest girl alive right now. I have nothing to complain about.
On complaints that she attended events at a few weeks postpartum: You know what? (furrows brow) I was gone for maybe three hours. I never go out. I go four or five days without leaving my house. But the press just went wild with it. [We have] a date night once a week. [Sometimes we see] a movie if the running time’s not too long.
On tattoos: To be honest, it would completely break my heart if she got a tattoo!
On her close celebrity friends, such as Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton, and Mary-Kate Olsen: I feel like my group of five to ten friends, they really love [Harlow], like she’s theirs … my friends never go outside for smoke breaks anymore, they don’t curse, they are definitely more demure. It’s actually been really interesting.