Gwyneth Paltrow Says She 'Almost Died' While Giving Birth To Her Daughter Apple

Gwyneth Paltrow is a true Renaissance woman. She's an Oscar-winning actress, a business mogul, a role model, as well as a devoted mother of two. From the outside, her life looks perfect.

But during a recent appearance on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Gwyneth revealed things haven't always been that way. It turns out that she nearly died while giving birth to her daughter, Apple.

Gwyneth Paltrow is nothing if not polarizing.

Those who like her, like her a lot. And those who feel differently, well... let's not go there. Whether you love her or hate her, most are well aware that Gwyneth shares two children with her ex-husband, Chris Martin.

As difficult as it is to come to grips with, her daughter Apple is now 17-years-old and son Moses recently turned 15.

What most people are unaware of is that both of Gwyneth's children were C-section babies — one of which was planned, and the other was not.

"My daughter was an emergency. It was crazy; we almost died. It was like not good," she said.

During a recent episode on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Gwyneth went on to explain the accompanying emotional trauma that goes along with an emergency C-section.

Gwyneth said that it took time for her to adjust to the new way her body looked.

Whenever she looked down and saw the giant scar, it was like she was reliving the moment over and over again. "And it’s not that it’s bad or you want to judge it, but you're just like, 'Oh my god,'" she explained.

The Oscar-winning actress and business mogul went on to say how fortunate she felt that Instagram wasn't around back then.

"Now it's like if I see someone, 'Oh, I just gave birth two weeks ago, and I have a completely washboard stomach,’ and I’m like, ‘Wow that’s not what I...'" Gwyneth recalled.

"And like great, more power to the lady with the washboard, but that is totally the exception," she clarified.

Gwyneth shared her thoughts on some of the other pressures that women are faced with each and every day: how to look, how to dress, and when to have children.

The Goop founder also had plenty to say on the topic of breastfeeding vs. formula.

"Guess what, whatever it is, it's OK. I feel like we also have this weird thing around. It's past perfectionism," Gwyneth explained to Dax Shepard.

"It's like I can do this gargantuan task that's superhuman, and why? For what?" Gwyneth asked rhetorically.

Gwyneth isn't the only celebrity mom in Hollywood who feels this way. In recent years, more and more women have come forward in an attempt to break the stigma surrounding formula/bottle feeding.

Some celebrities, such as Adele, simply couldn't do it.

During a live concert at the O2 arena, Adele stopped the show to communicate a special message to all the new young mothers in the audience:

“Breastfeeding mommies? You know what, it’s [expletive] ridiculous, and all those people who put pressure on us, you can go [expletive] yourselves, all right?”

While others, such as Jennifer Lopez, chose not to.

During an interview with People magazine, Jennifer explained how her own mother had never breastfed her as a child. "My mom didn't breastfeed, and I think that was the thing for me," she said matter-of-factly.

According to the experts at Mount Sinai, the choice of whether or not to breastfeed is a personal one.

Unsplash | Wes Hicks

It all depends on what's best for both the mother and the baby. For those who choose not to breastfeed or for those who cannot, the formula is a safe and nutritious alternative.