HAYDEN Panettiere has spoken candidly about her harrowing battle with postpartum depression that drove her to alcohol dependency.
The actress detailed how a traumatic C-section left her with a uterine infection and seven blood transfusions, making the early days with her daughter Kaya incredibly tough.
She revealed that hearing another mother admit to struggling to bond with her baby gave her a fleeting sense of relief she chased through drinking.
Hayden confessed to secretly hiding bottles of Fireball whisky from ex Wladimir Klitschko, drinking from morning till night as her life quietly spiralled.
Even after a brief stint of sobriety during treatment, returning to work on Nashville’s fourth season reignited her anxiety, pulling her back into alcohol.
Eventually, she reached a breaking point and entered rehab for eight months to confront her addiction and reclaim her life.
Her story sheds light on the often hidden struggles new mothers face and the challenges of battling addiction in the public eye.