Erykah, you have a tonne going on with your tour and a new album coming up (New Amerykah Part II comes out later this year), but first things first: you just home-delivered a daughter and tweeted about it! Tell us about that.

Well, the home birth and the tweeting are two separate things. I had all my children at home, naturally. First my son [Seven Sirius] was born at home in 1997, because that’s the natural environment, the old way. There’s not a lot of fuss and moving around. I had a very wise doula and midwives giving me the freedom to continue living my life. I didn’t have to uproot myself.

You had no fear, though? You weren’t scared you’d need medical attention?

No. Maybe to some it’s scary, but preparation is the whole key. When a mother has found out she’s going to have a baby, her whole life — her diet, her mood, her energy — should kind of prepare her. After she prepares herself, fear is never a part of it. I expected success and health, so I made sure I surrounded myself with it. By the time I had my third baby, childbirth seemed a very natural part of life to me. And it’s always been a part of my life since I’ve been in music — my first album [Baduizm] came out Feb. 11, 1997, right when I got pregnant. Then I had my first baby Nov. 19, 1997, the same day my live album came out. So I’ve never known a life in music outside of being a mum.

Got it. But what about the tweeting? What made you want to tweet while giving birth?

I was dared to do it. Actually, Questlove of The Roots — he said, "I bet you won’t Twitter while you’re in labour." I said, "I bet I will." So I did. I tweeted about what was happening with the birth between contractions.

Wow. And your kids were in the room, too?

Yeah. They were a big part of it. A very big part, because it was very sacred. They helped me welcome this baby into the world.

In addition to your incredible baby deliveries, you are also an incredibly hands-on parent. For example, you home-school.

Yes. I wanted to give Seven Sirius [who is entering grade six in spring] special attention academically, to give him an advantage. So by being home-schooled he learned how to learn — he learned how to solve problems in a non-traditional way. In doing that he developed an edge in his schoolwork. He enjoys challenges. He pushes himself. He does his homework voluntarily. He does not want to miss school or be late or be untidy or not have his things in order because that was a big part of how he was brought up [Seven was home-schooled until he entered the second grade]. I don’t have any idea what Seven is going to choose to do, but he knows how to be disciplined and how to learn, and because of that he’s one of the top students in his school, and one of the top students in Dallas.

Did you home-school him yourself, or was there a teacher you hired? And what about the other kids?

I home-schooled him myself. And my daughter, Puma Sabti, she’s five — she’s home-schooled. And the new baby just started school this week, now that she’s six months.

All with you?

Yes, all with me. Of course.

You’re also a vegan. Are the kids vegan too?

Of course they are. When Seven was born I was a vegetarian and his father [Andre 3000, of Outkast] was too, so it was a natural progression for him in life to eat the things we eat. Puma [whose father is the rapper The D.O.C; Mars' father is longtime boyfriend Jay Electronica] is the same way. It’s just what’s in the house. They also now have an understanding of how to read ingredients — it’s Mummy’s lifestyle so it’s their lifestyle.

But don’t they ever get curious about hot dogs? Or hamburgers? What do you do about that?

I don’t in any way force them to have the same lifestyle, but I think they should know the benefits of having a healthy body. If they were to choose to do anything else after they become high school students, I would have full confidence that they know how to take care of their bodies and themselves. By making sure they use preventive medicine — getting plenty of water, plenty of chlorophyll and vegetable juices and good, healthy rest and activity — I know they’ll be able to take good care of themselves.

But what about the hot dogs? They never ask?

They joke about it. And I’m sure as children they feel left out sometimes. But that’s why we provide them with alternatives. We make sure we keep a school menu on hand, and we prepare the same foods the kids at school are eating but in a healthier manner. That’s what this lifestyle provides us with. I work really hard the way I do so I can give them all the things they need without them feeling like they’re being punished. So they can have a good understanding of what it means to be healthy.

What do you think is the worst parenting practice going on today?

Parents not participating in kids’ schooling. I don’t think it matters what school you go to, but I think it’s important for parents to be involved. And to know that when school stops, learning continues, and to continue teaching at home.

Back to Mars for a minute — how did the people who were reading about her birth react on Twitter? Did you get any criticism about tweeting while birthing?

I have no idea, actually. But the Twitter community was happy to welcome her into the world. They ask about her every month. She just turned six months, and I got a lot of "happy six months." She’s the first Twitter baby, and she’s breastfed on Twitty milk.

Ha! Is that vegan?

Actually, we’re applying a macrobiotic diet with her — it’s different from being a vegan, in that it goes a little bit deeper into the yin and yang of what a human being needs. I always wanted to do it, but I didn’t really understand the dynamics. Then, the more children you have, the more you get into health and holistic living. Which goes so far beyond being a vegan.

How?

With macrobiotics, each person is different. So it’s critical what you give each individual. People have so many food allergies — Seven, when he was tested, he was allergic to some nuts, legumes, melons, and apples. And we would have never known that unless he was tested. So the macrobiotic diet affords us the chance to avoid some of those allergies.

You take this very seriously.

I do. I’m totally into my health — I’ve been a vegetarian for ten years and vegan for 11. I’m also a holistic health practitioner. I see patients. And that helps my family in a lot of ways.

You see patients? In addition to your music and home-schooling? That’s incredible. Aren’t you exhausted??

I feel great. And I think I’m real smart.

In an alternate universe, Jon and Kate Plus Eight’s Kate Gosselin could have been the mum we all love to hate: children with co-ordinated outfits, a spotless home, every detail of her life meticulously planned and executed. However, in this universe, Kate Gosselin gave birth to twins, followed four years later by sextuplets — and with her type-A personality subverted by the constant chaos of eight children, she’s become one of US reality televison’s most sympathetic characters. So much so, that when I went to interview Kate at a New York City Brandsaver promotion a few US winters ago (when Jon and Kate were still together), 200 female fans were lined up outside in the freezing cold, hoping to get a moment with her (as well as a handful of Proctor & Gamble coupons!). Babble talked to Kate about her obsessive money-saving strategies, why text messaging is her favourite form of communication, and how the Gosselin kids really feel about living on camera. — Gwynne Watkins

So, you’re here to talk about saving money. How has your own financial situation changed over the past couple of years?

Well, actually you know, we’re still the same. We’re still clipping the coupons, saving the money, watching for sales. That’s me. I’m still the same person.

Did you ever have a moment of financial panic before the show when you thought, "Oh my God, how am I going to do this?"

Well, seeing as how Jon was unemployed for nearly a year and we had eight kids, yeah! That is when my coupon-clipping and my sale-watching and my literal obsession started — I had a "prices/places" book that I started back then and still have, to figure out the cheapest place to buy any number of things — toilet paper, everything toiletry-wise that we buy, food, whatever — down to the tenth of a cent.

You literally keep a list of the prices of every single item you buy at every place you shop?

Yep. It’s a book that I wrote out. [Laughs.]

How old were the kids when Jon lost his job?

He lost his job before they were born, because of the pregnancy, and of course I lost my job because of the pregnancy, that goes without saying. He was unemployed for ten months, so we survived. We got smart fast. We learned what to cut out and it was then that I realised that saving money is not optional; it’s mandatory.

On the show, we rarely see your kids with anyone except you or Jon. What kind of help do you have?

Very minimal, because we want it that way. We patch our help together as we need it, but it’s important that one of us is with the kids 95% of the time. We’ve always switched our shifts off and on, like Jon would work days, I would work evenings back when we had two kids and then he would work days and I would work weekends when we had all eight. Now we’re blessed enough that we can work from home, but then when I travel he is home, and when he travels I am home. As much as possible, we want to be the ones to raise them, so it’s important.

Is he home with them now?

Yes he is, holding down the fort. And he does a good job.

When you check in, do you call and talk to every single kid?

I have him call me. He’ll know my general schedule, and then he’ll call me because it’s loud there and he’s got to have the chance. Like, it doesn’t help if I’m available at five o’clock but the kids are eating dinner, because he can’t hear me. Texting works best. And I always say my motto is "No news is good news." [Laughs.]

What is something people could do to save money that might not occur to them?

I don’t think enough people realise that coupons are money. The other thing is, you can save money by really looking at what you spend and shaving down those things that aren’t necessary.We all have to buy food, and there are the extra things, the little treats that we all deserve because we work and it’s nice, but there’s all that stuff in between that you can save a bunch of money just by cutting down.

Is there a sacrifice you’ve had to make in particular?

Back in the beginning, it was very difficult just to wrap our minds around buying shoes and clothing for eight kids. You know, going from two to eight, obviously the shoe bill alone went through the roof. I feel like we made a lot of sacrifices, but parents make sacrifices for their kids and it’s worth it, and you don’t think twice about it. If they need new clothes, they get them, and if you need clothing, you’re a little lower on the list. You do that because that’s what parents do.

What is a common misconception you think people have about you, from watching you on TV?

I know people think that I treat Jon horrendously, which, that’s the way we communicate. It’s not always wonderful, but you know, I’m working on it. Aren’t we all working on our relationships? I think it comes across that we yell at each other, but we’re really yelling over the noise a lot of the time. When you have to talk that loud it tends to sound like you’re yelling instead of talking, but we’re all works in progress and none are perfect.

One thing that comes across on the show is that you are very orderly and like keeping things a certain way. Has having kids caused you to relax at all, or has it made you tighten your grip?

I still like a schedule that runs properly. I still like order. I still like organisation. Everything has its place because with eight kids, if you lose track of those things and you relax too much, it will spin out of control. The flip side of that is while I still enjoy all of those things, I cannot be as ridiculously over the top as I once was and I feel like in the last year or two I have really started to chill. Like, I’ve forced myself, whereas once if I saw a crumb on the kitchen floor I would swoop to get it no matter what I was doing and now, just the other day, I challenged myself to step over it and keep walking. [Laughs.] It’s like my own little therapy and I did it, and didn’t someone come along behind me and pick it up and throw it away! I made no mention of the crumb, I just stepped over it and someone came along and threw it away, and I thought, “All right, that works too.” But the point is, I have relaxed. I am a lot better than I was. I feel a lot better being that way and I know that if I try to control every little facet of every little thing, I’ll go insane.

That’s really funny; one thing I’ve noticed since I’ve had my baby, a little tiny life thing that no one tells you about, is you’re carrying him to another room and you drop something, you can’t stop and pick it up all of the time.

It’s true.

There are all these little tiny ways that you used to have control, and you suddenly don’t anymore.

Now take something that little, and add up five of those things and you could maybe go nuts. And that is the truth.

What’s been the hardest phase of motherhood for you so far?

The first year, with unemployment, with six additional people in my house. Read Multiple Blessings, you can see that I really, really struggled. Hard, very hard. Love my kids, so glad it’s done.

What’s an advantage that you have over people with small families?

Well, we have eight times the laughter, eight times the noise. We’re a sports team in and of ourselves; we can split into two and be two full basketball teams playing against each other. We Christmas carol and we’re a whole Christmas carolling group. We don’t even need company to have a dinner party. Those are our advantages, I’d say.

How is your family dynamic changing as the kids get older?

Their personalities are really coming out and we’re starting to see who they are and who they will become. The kids are close. They love each other. I’m starting to see, like, by the time they get to high school, don’t mess with them! They’re a group of six — back off. That tightness is there. We’re really starting to see it. They help each other out. They take care of each other when they’re sick. That kind of stuff is neat.

Jon said early on in the series that you had a much harder job than he did, being the one to stay home with the kids. Have you ever felt ambivalent about being the one who has that job?

Never. While I enjoy getting to do a little more of this kind of [publicity] stuff, home is where my heart is. I enjoy cooking and providing for the kids in that kind of way, doing the laundry. I’m probably close to the happiest when I’m in my kitchen or doing laundry. I don’t like to fold it and put it away but I do love doing it; it’s just those mom processes that I love. I never envied him.

No? If you could switch with Jon’s job for a week, would you do it?

I feel like we have switched a little bit recently, but no, back in that day, no. I worked on Saturdays for those years at the beginning of the little kids and I was gone for 18 hours, every Saturday. By the time I took the leap of faith and quit that job, we still needed the money, but I couldn’t take away a Saturday from my family every week. I mean, I was absent. It was huge. So every Saturday for a year and a half after quitting that job, I’d get up and make pancakes and say, “Oh, I’m so glad to be home.” I really felt strongly about being at home, and the girls cheered when I told them I quit my job. They had missed me on Saturdays. So that was nice.

You have faced some criticism for having your kids on camera 24 hours a day. What’s your take on that?

I feel like it’s normal and healthy for our family. I feel like we’re inspiring and helping a lot of people. I feel like as long as it’s safe and healthy and normal for our kids, it’s fine. The added benefit of the show that we never forget is, again, we work from home. We work many nights until midnight, finishing up e-mails and things that are due for tomorrow. The kids are playing and living life. It’s the hardest job we’ve ever had, but we’re very thankful for it because we can work from home and our kids are with us 95% of the time. Never in a million years did I think that would happen, so I’m really grateful for it. It’s working for us and I think that our kids — with the travelling experiences, with the different life experiences that they get — they’re all the better for it. I don’t expect other people to understand it because they don’t live our lives so they really almost can’t say without being in our situation. It’s a weird situation, so, that’s what I have to say about that.

Do your kids have a sense that other kids don’t get followed around by cameras?

No. Little kids at this age, their normal is normal. I’m sure they assume that every child at school has cameras following them. They’ll figure it out later and be like “Oh, all right. Cool.”

Let’s talk about Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Is it fun to come back to a role (Sid the Sloth) three times?

Oh, I looove Ice Age, man. I love that character I created. I worked really hard to get that character to be an entity unto itself, y’know? I’m a big fan of Mel Blanc. I think he was a genius. The way he did those voices, they felt [like] they could only exist out of that drawing, y’know what I mean? So that’s what I tried to do. Come up with the voice, the personality, so you didn’t think of John Leguizamo. I didn’t want people to think "John Leguizamo", I wanted people to think "this is Sid", you know? I felt like I accomplished some Mel Blanc-ism there.

Was there a process where you tried out different voices?

I tried 50 voices for the director. He didn’t like anything. (Editor’s note: as he tells this story he switches voices.) I did the (Southern) Southern cop voice for him, (Indian) I did this type of voice for him, perhaps that could work, (Peter Lorre style) this type of voice, (normal) I did everything, man. So I said, "give me some Discovery channel footage of sloths." When I learned that they store their food in their cheek pouches, that’s when it all came together. I started walking around the house with a sandwich, and I said (gradually shifts into Sid’s lisp) how’m I gonna come up with this voice, how’m I gonna come up with this voice…Voice! This is the voice! This is the character! True story. (Laughs.)

Do your kids like seeing you, or hearing your voice, in movies?

Not at first. Now they love it. At first they were creeped out. They were too young. They didn’t understand. "Dad… cartoon… why does it kinda sound like…" But now they dig it. They asked me to be in Ice Age. I heard Ray Romano had his kids in it, so I said if he can, I can too. So I got my kids in it.

Do you want them to go into show business?

No. I just thought they would get a kick out of this.

But you specifically don’t want them to go into acting?

No, cuz I love ‘em.

You don’t think they’ll look at you and say, look at what dad does, maybe we can do that too?

Of course they do. They wanna be actors, and I say, “That’s great.” But I don’t really mean it.

Do you think there’s any way to keep them out of it?

I’m going to try and steer them into other things. You can’t be an actor unless you need to be an actor. You cannot want to be an actor. You have to need it. That’s the only way you can do it.

Is that what it was like for you growing up? That you needed to do it?

Absolutely. I totally needed to do it. I needed that form of expression and without that form of expression I was lost.

I saw your Tony-nominated solo show Sexaholix, which had some bits about parenting. For example, the one where you have to stay home with your infant son for the first time and you call your dad for help. (In the show, John’s dad says he should get a beer, and offers the immortal advice, "If he’s screaming, he’s breathing.") Did that really happen?

Yeah, it did. I tweaked it a little bit, but it happened. [My wife] was smart enough to know that I needed to bond [with the baby] and the best way to bond is to just be with the kids, and do the nappying, do all that stuff and be with them… It’s true. There’s no bonding like when you actually have to do things with them.

What about dads who don’t change nappies?

Not anymore. That was back then. Life isn’t like that anymore. You don’t have that luxury anymore. Guys gotta do shit that women used to do, and it’s good. I see a lot of dads feeding those babies at the park, with the bottle. It’s tougher for us, it’s tougher for the dudes. But in the end, you do get closer to your kids.

Do you think because we pay more attention to our kids then our parents did, we worry about them more?

Hell yeah. I mean, the whole world is worrying. It’s so bizarre. I used to hang out in the street all day by myself, until the lamppost went on and then I had to come in for supper. Then I’d beg to go back out. If I begged enough, maybe I could go back out for another half hour after dinner. But I’d be out there all by myself. We never let our kids out by themselves.

Is the world more dangerous, or are we more worried?

I don’t really know, dude. I talk about this with my friends, and nobody has an answer.

Did you have any expectations of what being a parent would be like?

Nothing prepares you. I think people don’t prepare you because they want you to suffer like them. (Laughs.) But nothing prepared me for this. I never knew that I could love something outside of myself so much like I love my kids. And the amount of pain and suffering that comes with that. I used to live such a carefree life! And it makes you care about the world in a way that I never did before. Like, protect this world for them and the future. I never felt that before, you know? It’s interesting how that love for your kids just bleeds out into so many other things.

Another line that I love from Sexaholix is when your daughter is born and you say something like "I looked her in the eyes and said ‘I’m going to screw you up in ways you can’t even imagine’." Do you really feel that way?

Yeah. I mean, come on. You know we’re gonna fuck ‘em up somehow. I already know. And I’m so guilt-ridden about that. I read tons of books about parenting, about siblings. I’m so obsessed with doing it the right way. But I still catch myself doing crazy things. Doing things my parents did!

You read parenting books?

Yup.

Did you do that before they were born?

When it started to become more difficult. When the terrible threes came. That’s a horrible thing.

Lots of men don’t read parenting books.

Well, I knew I was raised in a fucked-up way, so I didn’t want to be the one that contributed the worst to my kids. (Laughs.) It’s more of a competition with my wife. Who’s gonna be the one to pass on their fucked up-ed-ness to their kids?

Do you ever look at your kids and say to your wife, okay, that came from me, that came from you?

Yeah. You can see that. Nothing you can do. Even if you’re aware, and you read, you’re still doing shit. My parents were so immigrant and so driven, and I can’t help but do that to my kids. [I tell them] "You have to earn everything. I’m not buying you another toy." And I go, oh my god. That’s my parents. (Laughs.) "Earn every toy, every Wii, every Nintendo DS – you have to read a book, you have to earn it." They’ve got to read certain books over the summer, or they don’t get the ping pong table. They gotta earn everything.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is in cinemas now. You can follow John on Twitter at http://twitter.com/johnleguizamo, or visit his web site, http://johnleguizamo.com.

1. Catherine Zeta-Jones, 2003

Catherine Zeta-Jones was just entering her ninth month when she walked down the red carpet in a low-cut black gown with beaded straps and pink coral Fred Leighton earrings. When she won for Best Supporting Actress (for Chicago), the actress cried “My hormones are way too out of control to be dealing with this!” Backstage, Zeta-Jones reported that her unborn daughter Carys was “kicking like crazy.”

2. Naomi Watts, 2007

Naomi Watts hadn’t yet announced her pregnancy (five months along) when she walked the red carpet in a yellow drop-sleeved Escada gown — but the loose fit and empire waist had tongues wagging. Lucky for gossip hounds, before Naomi could confirm or deny, the Escada PR department released a statement announcing that the dress “set off her most precious new asset — the baby she is expecting with longtime boyfriend Liev Schreiber.”

3. Eva Marie Saint, 1955

Eva Marie Saint, who won for her performance opposite Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, has the distinction of being the most pregnant woman ever to attend the Oscars — in a time when many people found it downright improper. Her giddy comment when she accepted the award — “I think I may have the baby right here” — shocked the day’s gossip columnists, who accused her of being “tasteless” (Louella Parsons) and “cheapening the ceremony” (Hedda Hopper). Saint’s first child, Darrell, was born just two days after the ceremony.

4. Ann Blyth, 1953

Actress Blyth caused a minor scandal at the Academy Awards when, visibly pregnant, she performed the Best Song nominee “Secret Love” ? with the lyric “And my secret love’s no secret anymore.” The awards committee nearly prohibited Blyth the song, but ultimately decided that it was okay — since she was married.

5. Meryl Streep, 1983

Unbeknownst to the public, Meryl Streep was six months pregnant with Mamie Gummer when she won the Oscar for Sophie’s Choice. The beading on her stunning gold gown kept all eyes on the star’s face, and the clever pleated skirt disguised her bump.

6. Lauren Bacall, 1952

Lauren Bacall wasn’t nominated for any awards in 1952, but she got to watch her husband Humphrey Bogart walk away with his first and only Oscar, for Best Leading Actor in The African Queen. As she recalls in her autobiography: “I was in my fourth month, but had managed to squeeze myself into the only original Christian Dior dress I would ever own.”

7. Rachel Weisz, 2006

Designer Narcisco Rodriguez made three separate dresses for seven-months-pregnant Rachel Weisz to choose from; the Best Supporting Actress winner (for The Constant Gardener) selected a black off-the-shoulder number the day of the ceremony.

8. Nicole Kidman, 2008

Five-months-pregnant Nicole Kidman, in black Balenciaga, kept things simple — except for that L’Wren Scott diamond necklace, which weighed in at a whopping 1,399 carats.

9. Annette Bening, 2000

Pregnancy has never kept Annette Bening away from an awards ceremony; she attended the Golden Globes for Bugsy just ten days after giving birth, and in 2000, she made the rounds (along with husband and baby-daddy Warren Beatty) to accept accolades for her role in American Beauty. Although she lost the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Hilary Swank (for Boys Don’t Cry), Bening looked stunning at the ceremony. She gave birth to daughter Ella two weeks later.

10. Cate Blanchett, 2008

2008 was a big year for Cate Blanchett, nominated in two Academy Awards categories (Best Actress for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Best Supporting Actress for I’m Not There) and eight months pregnant at the ceremony. Rather than downplaying her bump, Cate Blanchett decked it out in the night’s most intriguing ensemble — lethal stilettos, a blue satin Dries Van Noten gown, oversized jewellery by Lorraine Schwartz jewels and a Roger Vivier clutch.

11. Vanessa Williams, 2000

Best Original Song presenter Vanessa Williams selected a basic black Carmen Marc Valvo gown to try and downplay her 18 kilos of pregnancy weight (and show off her fabulous mum-to-be cleavage). Her daughter was born two months later.

12. Judy Garland, 1954

No designer was making glamorous maternity gowns in 1955, but Judy Garland (nominated for A Star is Born) looked swanky in satin at the Oscar nominations telecast. She had to skip the actual ceremony, as her son Joey Luft was born the day before.

13. Jessica Alba, 2008

Given her year of clunkers (Good Luck Chuck, anybody? Fantastic Four 2?), Jessica Alba (7 months pregnant at the ceremony) failed to secure any Oscar nominations in 2008. However, her wine-colored, feathered Marchesa gown and Cartier diamonds put her at the top of many of the year’s best-dressed lists.

14. Marcia Gay Harden, 2004

Other stars have attended the ceremony seven months pregnant — but so far, Marcia Gay Harden (nominated for Mystic River) is the only one to have done it with twins. Her royal blue Badgley Mischka gown, lined at the waist with antique beads, was selected to show off her growing belly.

15. Glenn Close, 1988

Nominated for Fatal Attraction, Glenn Close nearly didn’t make the ceremony because of a horrendous traffic jam — she was one of several stars who got out of her limo and walked! Her daughter Annie was born just fifteen days after the ceremony.

Jonathan Taylor-Thomas

Known to his fans as JTT, Thomas is famous for his role of the tween heart-throb Randy Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement in 1991 at age 10.

Where is he now?

Once Home Improvement wrapped, Thomas voiced Simba in the 1994 Disney Blockbuster film The Lion King and appeared in some straight-to-DVD movies. Gay rumours surfaced after he portayed homosexual characters in such films as Common Ground, and Speedway Junky, a claim he denies.
Thomas attended Harvard University and now attends Columbia University Graduate School. The future? Rich businessman.

Keisha Castle-Hughes

At the tender age of 12 the Kiwi actress rode all the way to the Academy Awards playing Pai in Whale Rider.

Where is she now?

Suddenly hot Hollywood Property, Castle-Hughes starred in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and as the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story. At the age of 17 she gave birth to a daughter, Felicity-Amore and now lives back in Auckland. The future? More babies.

Keshia Knight Pulliam

Acting since the age of 3, Pulliam is best known as the adorable Rudy Huxtable in The Cosby Show.

Where is she now?

In 2004, Knight Pulliam posed for a six-page lingerie and swimsuit layout in Black Men magazine in an attempt to get rid of her Rudy “little girl” image. The same year, she starred in Chingy’s music video for “One Call Away”. After denying cocaine rumours, in 2008, She joined the cast of TV show House of Payne as a regular character. The future? On the down low.

Kirk Cameron

Cameron is best-known for his role as teen pin-up Mike Seaver on the television sit-com Growing Pains.

Where is he now?

Cameron “found God” at the age of 17, during the height of his career on Growing Pains. After converting to Christianity, he felt his fellow cast members were immoral and did not invite them to his wedding. Cameron is currently a TV evangelist and partner in the evangelical Christian ministry The Way of the Master. The future? Heavenly.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay hit the big time at age11, by playing identical twins in Disney’s 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. Leading roles in the films Freaky Friday, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Mean Girls and Herbie: Fully Loaded soon followed and Lindsay became the coolest teen in Hollywood.

Where is she now?

Where do we start? Lohan moved into small indie roles while her private life derailed into a haze of car accidents, drug arrests, jail time and rehab. She’s now found stability with female partner Samantha Ronson and has movies due out this summer. The future? We ain’t seen the last of Lindsay.

Macaulay Culkin

Little Macaulay Culkin stole our hearts as the abandoned Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone movie franchise and as a tragic sweetheart in My Girl – he was the blonde haired, male, Shirley Temple of the 90s.

Where is he now?

Culkin had a short-lived teen marriage to actress Rachel Miner and a long period of inactivity after his initial childhood success. His portrayal as the drug-addled Michael Alig in dark drama/comedy Party Monster in 2003 gained him new fans but life soon imitated art when, in 2004, he was arrested for the possession of marijuana and a controlled substance, Xanax.
In 2006, Miramax released Culkin’s first novel, Junior, a book following the life of a child star and he now dates actress Mila Kunis. The future? We predict a comeback!

Matthew Krok

Who? You know, the guy universally referred to as “the fat kid from Hey Dad..!” He also appeared in a popular Sorbent toilet paper ad during the 90s.

Where is he now?

Krok’s last credited acting appearance was in the 2001 children’s television series Outriders. Since then, he has done a stint as Mormon missionary and is now undertaking a double degree in civil and environmental engineering. He has an open Facebook profile. The future? Oblivion.

Neil Patrick Harris

Remember Doogie Howser, M.D? Yep, Neil Patrick played the brilliant teenage doctor who was also faced with the problems of being a normal teen.

Where is he now?

Harris had had consistent but low-key roles in theatre, film and TV ever since his Doogie Howser days. He hit the big-time again in TV series How I Met Your Mother and has recently come out as gay. The future? Let’s hope he’s wearing shades.

Nikki Webster

She was the star of the Sydney 2000 Opening Ceremony, a singing, dancing, ringlet-ed cutie pie. Her Olympics success earned her a record deal which launched the hit “Strawberry Kisses”.

Where is she now?

Webster’s career has been quiet since ending her BMG contract expired in 2004. Webster launched a more mature look by posing in a bikini for FHM in 2006 and performing as a wind-up doll at the 2007 Sleaze Ball. She has supposedly been working on a new album in the US. Her future? Cabaret.

Sara Gilbert

At the age of 13, Gilbert landed the role of Darlene Conner, the sarcastic middle child, in sitcom Roseanne. Over the nine years it ran Darlene became a cult character.

Where is she now?

Since Roseanne, Gilbert has had semi-regular cameo work in film and TV, shooting spots for popular shows like Private Practice, 24 and Law and Order. She has two children with her partner Allison Adler. They had a son born in October 2004 and a daughter born on August 2, 2007. Allison carried the couple’s son and Gilbert carried their daughter. The future? Plenty more “wasn’t she in…?” moments.

Soleil Moon Frye

This quirkily-named actress became an overnight sensation when at 8 years old she starred in the title role of TVs Punky Brewster.

Where is she now?

Frye has continued to act in TV and film, including a three year run on Sabrina The Teenage Witch. She is best friends with co-star Melissa Joan Hart and has two daughters (Poet Sienna Rose and Jagger Joseph Blue Goldberg – yes really). She is also co-founder of “the Little Seed”, an environmentally-conscious children’s specialty boutique in where else but L.A. The future: fabulous, but not famous.

Tina Yothers

She was the child actress who played environmentally-conscious third child Jennifer in the sitcom Family Ties.

Where is she now?

After the series finished, Yothers died her distinctive blonde hair black and has worn it dark ever since. She wrote the book Being Your Best: Tina Yothers’s Guide for Girls and formed the band Jaded with her brother. After a nine year absence from acting, Tina was given the lead role in Lovelace the Musical, a 2004 stage show based on the life of porn star Linda Lovelace. She has two children and has battled with her weight on TVs Celebrity Fit Club. The future? Suburban.

Anna Chlumsky

When she was just 11 years old Anna Chlumsky stole our hearts as Vada Sultenfuss in the 1991 movie My Girl.

Where is she now?

Chlumsky has had consistent TV and stage roles, and with several movies in production her star seems to be on the rise again. The future? Looking up.

The Two Coreys

You couldn’t switch to your Betacam in the 80s without finding the two Coreys – Haim and Feldman – on your screen. Individually and together they acted in a number of iconic 80s teen flicks, including The Lost Boys and Licence To Drive.

Where are they now?

After their 80s career high, the Coreys struggled to maintain their position in Hollywood and turned to direct-to-video and voiceover work. Both served time in rehab for drug addiction. The duo made a return back to the spotlight for the reality show The Two Coreys, although they had a falling out with Feldman now refusing to have any contact with Haim again. The future? It’s back to obscurity, I’m afraid.

Danica McKellar

She shot to fame at the age of 13 as the winsome Winnie Cooper in TVs The Wonder Years, which ran from 1988-1993.

Where is she now?

McKellar has had a patchy career in entertainment since becoming an adult. Although filming several guests roles on high profile TV shows such as The West Wing, McKellar has had more success in the field of… mathematics! Since majoring in the topic at college, she has gone on two write two books popularising maths for girls. The future? The sexy mathematician niche is one worth exploiting.

Drew Barrymore

E.T at 5. addiction at 9 and rehab at 13 – Drew Barrymore is the poster child for out-of-control child actors.

Where is she now?

An extremely successful actor and producer, Barrymore was named Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). She also models for Cover Girl cosmetic and Gucci Jewellery. The future? We hope you’re wearing sunglasses, Ms. Barrymore.

Dustin Diamond

Acting since the age of 10, Diamond was the uber-geek ‘Screech’ in 90s hit TV show Saved By The Bell.

Where is he now?

After Saved By The Bell ended, Diamond has appeared on the A-Z of dreadful celebrity reality shows, from Celebrity Boxing 2 to The Weakest Link and Celebrity Fit Club. A guy who’ll seemingly do anything to stay in the spotlight, he pretended he was going bankrupt and organised a telethon, which was cancelled after a TV executive doubted his credibility and concerns about his “obnoxious behaviour”. His latest move is to “accidentally” leak a sex tape. The future? Pass the bucket.

Edward Furlong

His breakthrough role in Terminator 2 at age 13, seemed to auger a glittering career for Edward Furlong.

Where is he now?

Furlong has fought a long battle with drug and alcohol problems, stating that “lots of money and lots of free coke will turn anyone into a cokehead”. Despite indie film success in the 1990s, the work has dried up, with Furlong last seen on screens as a guest player on CSI:NY. He is married to actress Rachael Bella and has a 2-year-old son, Ethan. The future? Grim.

Emmanuel Lewis

His 80s show Webster rivalled Different Strokes in the black-kid-in-white-family genre (why didn’t they ever try the reverse?) Emmanuel Lewis is also known for his short stature, at just 1.3 metres high (he claims there is no medical reason for it.)

Where is he now?

Now 37, Lewis has had sporadic work since his Webster days, with the exception of two series of MTV reality show The Surreal Life. The future? We see him spending a lot of time in Vegas.

Fred Savage

He played the everykid of our collective past in TVs The Wonder Years throughout his real-life adolescence, after an adorable performance in cult classic The Princess Bride.

Where is he now?

After The Wonder Years, Savage primarily did guest and supporting roles including appearing as a serial rapist on Law and Order: SVU.
His behind-the-scenes directing career earned him a nomination for “Worst Director” at the 28th Golden Raspberry Awards (for Daddy Day Care). The future? Back to to the other side of the camera.

Gary Coleman

As Arnold Jackson in after-school special Diff’rent Strokes he brought us the line, “What’chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” Earning up to $100,000 an episode as a mere teenager, Coleman’s future looked bright.

Where is he now?

Coleman’s popularity continued during the 80s, starring in feature films and filming TV guest appearances. But bankruptcy and legal problems have marred his career since. Coleman’s latest claim to fame is appearing with new wife Shannon Price, 18 years his junior , in US reality show Divorce Court. The future? Troubled.

Haley Joel Osmont

As the creepy kid who saw dead people in The Sixth Sense, Haley Joel Osmont was the go-to precocious child actor during the late 90s and early noughties, also appearing in Forrest Gump, A.I and Pay It Forward.

Where is he now?

Now 20, Osmont has spent much of the last six years doing voiceover work. Two years ago he crashed his car while drunk and in possession of marijuana and was forced to go to rehab. He now seems to be back on track, with two feature films in post-production. The future? Looking up.

Jodie Sweetin

Best known for playing spunky middle child Stephanie on Full House from age 5 to 13, she was famous for the catchphrase, “How rude!”

Where is she now?

While the Olsen twins, who played younger sister Michelle on the show, went on to achieve mega-stardom, Sweetin went back to high school, married young and fell into a meth addiction. The nadir of her career was hosting a TV contest for strippers called Pants-Off Dance-Off in 2006. Sweetin has since re-married, kicked her addiction and had a daughter Zoie, 6 months. The future? Quiet.

Jonathan Lipnicki

He was the uber-cute 6-year-old who stole Tom Cruise’s heart in Jerry Maguire playing the son of Renee Zellweger.

Where is he now?

Now 18, Lipnicki is in his final year of highschool. While he’s had intermittent film and TV work, it looks like he’s stayed out of trouble and concentrated on school work and being a strait-edge vegan (for serious!) The future: solid.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Child Star series next week.

Maybe it’s that celebrities are operating on a higher creative plane to the rest of us. Maybe they’re on crack. Or maybe, like Penn Jillette, father of Moxie CrimeFighter and Zolten Penn they only have their child’s best interests at heart:
“I think it’s pretty cruel to give a kid a name that others are going to have. I think it’s very important to have a unique name within any group you’re likely to be in. It’s more friendly to go to school being the only “Penn” then to have to be called by your full name, “Mike Jones” or whatever. I always felt sorry for the Mikes and Bobs.”

That may be Penn, but try to spell out Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily to the school principal.

So here it is. The absolutely definitive, up-to-date list of shocking celebrity baby names.

1. Alcamy: Lance Henriksen and Mary Jane Henriksen
2. Apple: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow
3. Audio Science: Shannyn Sossamon
4. Banjo Patrick: Rachel Griffiths and Andrew Taylor
5. Beckett: Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher
6. Bogart Che Peyote: Reality star David “Puck” Rainey and Betty Rainey
7. Blue Angel: U2’s The Edge and Aislinn O’Sullivan
8. Bluebell Madonna: Geri Halliwell
9. Calico: Alice and Sheryl Cooper (also parents to Sonora Rose)
10. Camera: Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy
11. Destry: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw
12. Diezel Ky: Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis (also parents to Denim Cole)
13. Ever Gabo: Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson
14. Everly Bear: Anthony Kiedis, 44, and his model girlfriend, Heather Christie
15. Fifi Trixibell: Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (also parents to Peaches and Pixie)
16. Free: Barbara Hershey and David Carradine
17. Fuchsia: Sting and Frances Tomelty
18. Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily: Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence
19. Homer James Jigme: Richard Gere and Carey Lowell
20. Hud: John Cougar Mellancamp and Elaine Irwin. Brother to Spec Wildhorse.
21. Jermajesty: Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza
22. Kal-El Coppola: Nicholas Cage (Kal-El is Superman’s original birth name)
23. Kyd: David Duchovny and Tea Leoni
24. Lark Song: Mia Farrow and André Previn
25. Makena’lei Gordon: Helen Hunt and Matthew Carnahan
26. Marquise: 50 Cent
27. Moon Unit: Frank Zappa, also father to Dweezil and Diva Muffin
28. Moxie CrimeFighter: Penn Jillette (also father to Zolten)
29. Peaches Honeyblossom: Paula Yates and Bob Geldof
30. Pilot Inspektor: Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf
31. Pirate: Korn frontman John Alexander and porn-star wife Devon
32. Prince Michael II/Blanket: Micheal Jackson
33. Princess Tiaamii: Katie Price and Peter Andre
34. Ptolemy John: Gretchen Mol and Tod ‘Kip’ Williams
35. Puma: Erykah Badu and Tracy Curry
36. Reignbeau: Actor Ving Rhames and Deborah Reed (sister to brother Freedom)
37. Rocket: Robert Rodriguez (also father to Racer, Rebel and Rogue)
38. Sage Moonblood: Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack (also parents to Seargeoh)
39. Sailor Lee: Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook
40. Satchel: Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
41. Seven Sirius: Andre Benjamin and Erykah Badu
42. Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
43. Story Elias: Jenna Elfman and her husband Bodhi
44. Tu Morrow: Rob Morrow
45. Zuma Nesta Rock: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale

Did we miss any? Let us know below.

This is the new perfect mother: skilfully juggling career, motherhood, activism and a loving relationship, while being a perfect size 6.

Angelina is an extreme example, but the fact is that the ideal of the perfect mother has changed — and is perhaps more unrealistic than ever.

As Susan J. Douglas, co-author of The Mommy Myth, tells Salon.com, the mother workload has actually increased since the 1950s:
“People say, “Well, what about June Cleaver? But it’s actually worse. I mean, June Cleaver was not expected to drill the Beaver with algebra flashcards when he was 6 months old. June Cleaver was not expected to drive 10 hours round trip to a soccer match. June Cleaver wasn’t expected to home-school and, by the way, look sexy the whole time doing it. So even June Cleaver couldn’t meet these standards today, which are absolutely through the roof. So it’s actually different from the ’50s: It’s more intense.”

The Mommy Myth is about the rise in the media of what Douglas calls ‘new momism’, which she defines as,
” the insistence that no woman is truly complete or fulfilled unless she has kids, that women remain the best primary caretakers of children, and that to be a remotely decent mother, a woman has to devote her entire physical, psychological, emotional, and intellectual being, 24/7, to her children. The new momism is a highly romanticised and yet demanding view of motherhood in which the standards for success are impossible to meet.”

Of course, the pressure to be an über-mother is a boon for advertisers who want to push upon sleep-deprived, guilty women all kinds of products, from anti-bacterial cleaning solutions to educational children’s DVDs and push-up bras.

” Women have been deluged by an ever-thickening mudslide of maternal media advice, programming, and marketing that powerfully shapes how we mothers feel about our relationships with our own kids and, indeed, how we feel about ourselves,” writes Douglas.

We can also blame Nigella Lawson. Martha Stewart and Donna Hay may have made domesticity fashionable again, but Nigella taught us how to be domestic goddesses. If you can’t whip up a chocolate pudding while wearing four-inch heels and a low-cut twin-set, well, you’re just not trying hard enough.

It’s all about the sexy, something a woman needs to bring back if she has any hope of being a MILF. Celebrities flaunt their post-baby bodies like a badge of honour, and who wouldn’t, if you had a multi-million dollar movie career riding on it.

Denise Richards, who gained 15 kilos while carrying her first daughter Sam took it all off (the weight and her clothes) for Playboy magazine just five months after she delivered. Not to be outdone, supermodel Heidi Klum hit the Victoria’s Secret catwalk in a bra and g-string just eight weeks after giving birth to son, Henry. “I’m still sexy! I’m still relevant!” such displays of flesh seem to shriek.

But Jodie Hedley-Ward, author of You Sexy Mother, claims that sexy doesn’t have to mean looking good in a g-string.
“It’s about living a sexy, vibrant, passionate life — one that you are excited about and grateful for,” she told Babblebaby last week. “By striving for a life that is your best yet, you can’t help but feel better about yourself and therefore more desirable, sexy and authentic. It isn’t about wearing red lipstick and lingerie — it’s about rediscovering the magic in life and believing that you deserve to live a phenomenal life that you love.

Still, plenty of women do want to look good in their underwear, and judging by the popularity of the mummy makeover, are going to extreme lengths to do so.

On one hand, women are told breastfeeding is best for their baby, but when that’s over, are told by plastic surgeons that pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding is “severe physical trauma” which can have “profound negative effects” on their body.

When you can fly to Malaysia for a boob job, tummy tuck and liposuction for just $16,000, inclusive of surgery, hospital stay, 4-star accommodation for 21 days; you’d be crazy not to, right? It’s just a “gorgeous getaway” to restore your body to pre-pregnancy shape. Because pregnancy is sexy (Maxim tells us so), but saggy breasts and loose tummies are not.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look good after you’ve had a child. It can be deeply satisfying to have a shower and put on a nice dress after a day spent changing nappies and covered in vomit.

But the competition to drop kilos quickly can be downright dangerous. “It probably takes on average four to six months to lose a normal amount of baby weight gain,” says Dr. Laura E. Riley, practising OB/GYN and author of You and Your Baby: Pregnancy.

“It took you nine months to put it on. It’s not going to come off in nine weeks.” She suspects that a fair number of celebrities do calorie restriction while pregnant so that their weight gain isn’t so high. The tendency to cut calories and over-exercise in order to stay thin even while pregnant has been dubbed “pregorexia”.

So how do you overcome the pressure to be a Yummy Mummy? The most important first step, says Reynolds, is to rip the veneer off the mummy myth. “It’s important for mothers to get together and talk back to and make fun of these ridiculous ideals in the media.”

It’s time to get our fight on. “We’re not supposed to be angry. We’re supposed to be all sweetness and light and understanding” says Reynolds. “Well, where did that come from? You know, if mothers had never gotten mad… there would never have been social change. We wouldn’t have child labour laws if mothers hadn’t gotten mad. Birth control would be illegal if mothers hadn’t gotten mad. So yeah, it’s time for mothers to get mad.”

The truth is, Angelina Jolie and Nigella Lawson are both inspirational women for very valid reasons. But they also have help, and money. So the next time you find yourself reaching for the muffin tin at 10pm before the daycare fundraiser the next day, leave it. Go to bed. You can pick something up in the morning.