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Q&A with Nancy O’Dell

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Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell shares tips for balancing work and motherhood.

As a reporter, Nancy O’Dell has plenty of access to information. She knows how to get the scoop on crime, politics and, of course, hot Hollywood celebrities. So when she was pregnant with her daughter, O’Dell was surprised she didn’t have the information she needed. Based on her personal experiences, O’Dell wrote Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant. Here, O’Dell shares some of her insights on balancing motherhood (she has two stepsons in addition to her daughter) and work.

Q. How long did you wait before going back to work after your daughter, Ashby, was born?

A. Three months. I have to admit, though, I would have liked to have had a little longer. I am so in love with my baby girl. Fortunately, my boss was very understanding and kept my workload light for the first few months after my return from maternity leave. I would be in at about 8 a.m. and would leave immediately after we finished taping the show at 1:30 p.m. to run and hold her in my arms! Plus, I breast-fed for eight months, so I wanted to be home to nurse as much as possible.

Q. Was there ever a question about whether you’d go back to your career?

A. I always knew I would be going back to work. I was there when Access Hollywood started 13 years ago so, in a way, it is like my baby, too. Plus, I think when you have to be away from your family for work a few hours a day, it’s even more special when you get back home; you make more of the time together. And I’m proud to empower Ashby with the idea that she can pursue the career of her dreams and have a close, wonderful family at the same time.

Q. How did you find time to write your new book in the midst of being a new mom and managing your career?

A. I have to admit, it wasn’t easy trying to fit it all in. I even had 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. writing sessions (after the baby was asleep) because I didn’t want to take time away from her. I would write anywhere I could—in the hair and makeup chair and on the set between takes.

I was determined to write the book because I knew I had so much to share with other women about pregnancy. There were things that came as a complete shock to me that I want other women to know about ahead of time. If you don’t know they are going to happen, they can be downright terrifying or embarrassing. And, being the reporter I am, I read a lot of books on pregnancy, but, still, I found that so many things went unmentioned. I kept saying, “I wish someone had told me that was gonna happen!”

Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received about balancing family and career?

A. My husband gave me this advice: Be in the moment. When you are at home with your family, spending time with them, focus solely on them—make that time special! And when you have to be at work doing an interview or whatever, put your best effort into that. If you’re constantly focusing on where you’re not, it doesn’t serve either party well.

Q. What’s been most challenging to you as a working mom?

A. Traveling! I find being away from my daughter, stepsons or husband the most difficult thing. Therefore, my husband always works it out to travel with me. He has to be in New York a lot, and so do I. We schedule our trips at the same time, and we take the baby with us. If we can, we even take the boys, if they’re not in school. Since [Ashby] was born, the longest I’ve been away from the baby is two nights and I couldn’t handle it, so she has become quite the frequent flyer!

Q. How do you create a sense of balance in your life?

A. I make sure I create special time for my family every day. If I don’t get to have that quality time with them, I feel empty, which leads to stress, and that is unhealthy. I also try to do some sort of exercise daily, even if all I have time for is a 15-minute walk or run. Another huge health tip is to get plenty of sleep. I am adamant about getting eight hours of sleep every night because it makes all the difference in the world in feeling good and staying healthy!

Q. What does success mean to you?

A. To me, success means happiness. If you are happy in your profession, that’s part of success, but it’s way more important to be happy in your personal life. If you are happy in your home life, that will lend to success in your career. Success is about feeling satisfied, and I am so lucky to feel complete in my professional and personal lives.

Nancy O’Dell’s new book, Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant, will be released in April 2009.

Source: http://www.sfwmag.com/healthier-you/qa-wit...o%E2%80%99dell/

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  • 3 weeks later...

Tisha Campbell-Martin Debuts Her Belly

Expectant mama Tisha Campbell-Martin takes a peek at Nancy O’Dell’s book, Full of Life Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant — with the author herself! — at Baby & Tween Celebration trade show in Los Angeles.

This is the first time we’ve seen Tisha since she announced her pregnancy!

Tisha, 40, who currently appears on Rita Rocks and Everybody Hates Chris, is due this summer with her second child. The baby will join big brother Xen, 8 ½, her son with husband Duane Martin.

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Nancy O’Dell’s Famous Spice Cake

Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell says this prune-based recipe from her mom Betty is a delicious cure for pregnancy constipation. “Did the trick for me every time!” said O’Dell in her book Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant.

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil (I use Wesson, which is what my mom used)

5 2.5-ounce packages prunes (from Supermarket’s Baby Food Section; look for “Stage 1.” How appropriate!)

3 eggs (add them in slowly one by one as you’re mixing)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (also optional … my mother-in-law Mama Z’s suggestion)

Instructions

First, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Using an electric beater, mix together in a bowl the following ingredients: flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, oil, prunes, eggs, pecans, and raisins.

Transfer the mixture into two greased loaf pans (8-by-4 inches). Or you can use one bundt cake pan.

Finally, put in oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oven.

Makes 12-16 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

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  • 2 weeks later...

From Nancy O'Dell's Twitter:

A musical genius MJ was-such a fan of MJ music.Reporting from memorial locale today and tomorrow.

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At site of MJ's Memorial service.I will be inside tomorrow.Fan.I'm sad.

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For the Adam Lambert fans.....

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