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Hayden Panettiere: My Daughter's Custody Was My Hardest Choice
20 Jul
Summary
- Actress details gut-wrenching decision to give daughter full custody.
- Panettiere discusses her struggle with postpartum depression.
- She aims to encourage other mothers to seek help.
Actress Hayden Panettiere has detailed the agonizing decision to grant full custody of her daughter, Kaya, to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere's 11-year-old daughter has resided with her father in Europe since 2018, a situation Panettiere describes as the most gut-wrenching experience of her life.
Her memoir, 'This Is Me: A Reckoning,' chronicles her severe postpartum depression following Kaya's birth. Panettiere experienced frightening health scares during pregnancy and a life-threatening delivery, leading to a "code crimson" surgery. She candidly admits to self-medicating with alcohol to cope with anxiety and sleeplessness, eventually seeking professional treatment.
Panettiere stated that not being able to parent Kaya directly was incredibly difficult, leading her to grieve the mother she felt she wasn't. She ultimately chose not to contest Klitschko's custody request, believing it was best for Kaya's well-being and stability while she focused on her own recovery.
Now doing "great," Panettiere feels deeply connected to herself and hopes her openness will encourage other mothers struggling in silence to seek necessary help. She maintains a strong bond with Kaya through frequent travel and FaceTime, emphasizing a positive co-parenting relationship with Klitschko.
