Hilaria Baldwin shares meaning behind newborn daughter's name after backlash
Published
| Last updated
Featured Image Credit: @hilariabaldwin/Instagtram/REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo
Hilaria Baldwin has explained the meaning behind her newborn daughter's name after facing a wave of backlash when she first shared the news.
In a sweet post to Instagram this week, Hilaria announced that she and her husband Alec Baldwin had welcomed their seventh child together, and have named her Ilaria Catalina Irena.
Check out her video announcing their daughter's arrival:
Loading…
The yoga instructor and author has previously come under fire for allegedly 'faking' her Spanish heritage, when fans discovered that she was born in Boston to American parents, had no ties to Spain and was previously named Hilary.
That explains why, when Hilaria and Alec announced their exciting news, some people took issue with the name choice.
A few days after welcoming baby Ilaria, the mum-of-seven decided to explain why she chose that name for her new daughter.
Posting an adorable video of her newborn baby cooing and hiccupping, wrapped up in a blanket, Hilaria wrote: "Dear Ilaria, Tonight you will be 6 days old and if you ever read this, I want you to know how happy we are that you came into our lives.
"Our names mean 'happy,' and to share this connection with you feels like an honor to me.
"We are exhausted, trying to juggle this transition... trying to be as good parents as possible to your siblings, trying to be as present and active as possible, while also trying to having compassion for my body that I just had a baby."
She continued: "It’s a hard balance and one that I don’t think I do very well, since it pulls at my heart in such a painful way when I feel I’m not giving enough to all my children. Mom guilt…it’s real.
"Every mother knows how wonderful and hard it is to have a baby, and that we often feel that we’re never enough. And unfortunately, every mother knows we just have to suck it up and continue on.
"I want to do my very best to change it for all women, including you and your sisters."
Further elaborating on the name choice, she explained: "I named you in honor of happiness and the mothers in our family who came before you.
"Our name means happy in all languages. A few letters different here and there... same meaning.
"Hija mía, sometimes we have to lean into happiness, choose the warm and supportive people, because there are so many, and dial down the negativity to absorb as little of it as possible.
"May we live happy, Ilaria, and may our names always be a strong, feminist reminder."
Hilaria and Alec are also parents to Carmen Gabriela, eight; Rafael Thomas, seven; Leonardo Angel Charles, five; Romeo Alejandro David, four; Eduardo Pao Lucas, 23 months, and Maria Lucia Victoria, 18 months.
