Hayden Panettiere‘s new memoir goes into detail about the connection between her postpartum depression and alcohol dependency.

The actress recently released the tell-all book, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which captures the shocking details about her life from substance abuse to sexual harassment and her complicated journey into motherhood.

Hayden Panettiere became a mother for the first time in December 2014 when she welcomed a daughter named Kaya with her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko.

Hayden Panettiere’s Addiction Worsened During Her Postpartum Depression

Panettiere detailed how traumatic her postpartum depression was, revealing she had undergone a C-section to bring her daughter into the world. However, the operation left her with severe consequences, such as a uterine infection and needing seven blood transfusions. 

After overcoming the health ordeal, Panettiere was hit with postpartum depression and struggled to connect with her newborn daughter. She shared that knowing another mother had gone through similar experiences took the weight off her shoulders, and she sought similar relief with alcohol.

Panettiere, per TMZ, recalled how she hid Fireball bottles from her then-lover and spent her days in a daze after drinking from morning to night. She managed to get sober, but the brief clarity ended after she returned for season 4 of the “Nashville” series.

The Actress Nearly Lost Her Life During Childbirth

According to Panettiere, her anxiety returned while filming the series, and she went back to depending on alcohol to cope. Eventually, Panettiere realized her addiction had gotten out of control, and she entered rehab for eight months to save herself from her demons.

Days before her memoir dropped, Panettiere opened up about her difficult childbirth in an interview. The Blast covered the story, reporting that she recalled having a “wonderful pregnancy” before things nearly took a turn for the worse during labor.

Panettiere confessed that she almost didn’t make it through and was hit with postpartum depression almost immediately after welcoming her daughter. She shared that she had been “so depressed” and feared hurting Kaya the same way her own mother, Lesley Vogel, had traumatized her.

The TV Personality Has Reconnected With Her Daughter

Despite the hurdles she experienced during and after childbirth, Panettiere managed to salvage her relationship with her daughter. She explained in the interview that they share a close bond despite Kaya living with Klitschko in Ukraine.

Panettiere noted that she ensured to spend as much time as possible with her daughter through frequent visits and FaceTime calls. Their relationship had even reached the flaunting stage, with the actress recalling one of their adorable interactions.

She claimed Kaya had FaceTimed her one day and called her Britney instead of mom. Panettiere soon realized that Kaya did so because of her character Britney Allen in the 2006 movie “Bring It On: All or Nothing.” She added that her daughter wanted to flaunt her off to her friends.

The Entertainer’s Honesty Cost Her A Skincare Brand Collaboration

Years before Panettiere’s memoir, she had opened up about her postpartum depression in a 2015 interview. She reflected on the moment in her book, with The Blast reporting that she lost her contract with the popular skincare brand, Neutrogena.

Panettiere described the loss of her long-standing contract with the brand as a huge loss in a year filled with difficulties. She echoed similar sentiments in an interview earlier this month, confessing that she never expected the consequences of her honesty.

The TV personality expressed disappointment in the skincare brand, recalling how shocked she had been to be fired for “something that is so human and so real.” Panettiere also addressed giving up custody of her daughter in her book, describing it as one of the hardest decisions of her life.

Hayden Panettiere Remains Estranged From Her Mother

Another emotional topic addressed in Panettiere’s memoir is her complicated relationship with her mother. The Blast shared that the matriarch had been very displeased with Panettiere’s book, slamming it as a cash grab.

When asked about her thoughts on Vogel’s reaction to the memoir, Panettiere expressed disappointment. She confessed that she had never closed the reconciliation door despite her years-long estrangement from her mother.

However, Vogel’s comments about the book had “slammed that door pretty hard.” Panettiere added that her mother had prioritized herself over fixing their relationship and wondered how she could continue to do the things that fueled their estrangement.