Celebrity Moms Who Had Kids in Their 40s

01 of 21

Da Brat

Rapper Da Brat, 48, announced on Feb. 21, 2023, that she and wife Jesseca "Judy" Dupart are expecting their first child together.

"It's been quite a journey," Da Brat exclusively told PEOPLE, and admitted that at 48, "there's a lot of stuff we learned about women over the age of 40."

The couple's journey to motherhood inadvertently started around the time they tied the knot last year. Harris-Dupart, 41, is the CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products and was in the midst of launching a new line inspired by Da Brat and her iconic braids and protective hairstyles.

"It started as a joke, we were like, 'We're extending our family!' " she says of the tongue-in-cheek marketing tagline for their collaboration. "But then we got a huge response. It was like, 'Oh my God do we want to actually have kids, and if we do, girl, we better hurry up!' "

02 of 21

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank made the surprise announcement that she and husband Philip Schneider were expecting twins on Oct. 5. 2022.

The Oscar-winning actress, 48, shared the news during an appearance on Good Morning America.

"This is something that I've been wanting for a long time and my next thing is I'm gonna be a mom," said Swank. "And not just of one, but of two. I can't believe it."

She went on to rave about her exciting baby news saying, "It's so nice to be able to talk about it and share it."

03 of 21

Chloë Sevigny

In January 2019, a rep for the then 45-year-old actress confirmed to PEOPLE that she was pregnant with her first child.

On Jan. 6, the Oscar nominee and her boyfriend, Sinisa Mackovic, were spotted on a stroll in New York City, smiling with each other as Mackovic embraced her baby bump before sharing a kiss.

News of Sevigny's pregnancy was first reported by TMZ.

In a September 2018 interview with Who What Wear, Sevigny hinted at her desire to have a daughter — if only to pass down her favorite articles of clothing to her mini-me.

04 of 21

Tamron Hall

On April 25, 2019, the former Today host, 48, announced the birth of her first child — a baby boy named Moses — with husband Steven.

Hall shared the exciting news on Instagram, posting a photo of herself wearing a hat adorned with the baby's name while she held him.

"Moses & Mama!! I can't wait to introduce y'all to my #sonshine," wrote Hall. "Photo credit: Dad who can't stop crying tears of joy. Thank y'all for the love and support. It got us here."

Hall first announced her pregnancy in March, revealing she was 32 weeks along.

05 of 21

Alanis Morissette

The 44-year-old singer announced her third pregnancy in a pretty black-and-white Instagram post in March 2019.

"So much NEWness… ❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻," she captioned the reveal.

Son Winter arrived that August.

06 of 21

Brigitte Nielsen

The 54-year-old actress announced her fifth pregnancy on Instagram and Twitter in May 2018, showing off her baby bump in a curve-hugging gray dress. "Family getting larger #me #family #brigittenielsen #babybump," Nielsen, who wed 39-year-old husband Mattia Dessi in 2006, captioned her photo.

The actress welcomed her fifth child — a daughter she named Frida — in June 2018.

07 of 21

Donatella Arpaia

32631673_2223806087637033_4344525201346658304_n — Donatella Arpaia/Instagram

The celebrity chef announced during a segment on the Today show that she and her husband were expecting twins.

According to the mom-to-be, the couple struggled to conceive another baby and were inspired by new mom Hoda Kotb — who welcomed her daughter Haley Joy through adoption in February 2017 — to begin considering other options to expand their family. After one final round of IVF, however, the 46-year-old chef became pregnant, and welcomed boy-girl twins in October 2018.

08 of 21

Kristin Davis

At 53, the Sex and the City star welcomed her second child by adoption, a baby boy, journalist Marc Malkin exclusively announced on Facebook in May 2018. (A rep for Davis did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.)

"Now she's blessed times two!" he wrote. "Congrats!"

Davis became a mother through domestic adoption in 2011 when she welcomed daughter Gemma Rose.

09 of 21

Rachel Weisz

'The Mercy' World Premiere - Red Carpet Arrivals — Samir Hussein/WireImage

Weisz, at 48, announced that she and husband Daniel Craig were expecting their first child together in an interview with The New York Times. "We're going to have a little human," she said. "We can't wait to meet him or her. It's all such a mystery." In September 2018, they reportedly welcomed their baby girl, who joined Weisz's teen son Henry and Craig's adult daughter Ella from prior relationships.

10 of 21

Kenya Moore

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star revealed on the season 10 reunion part 1 that she was pregnant with her first child — a surprise revelation that happened at the top of the show when host Andy Cohen inquired if a baby was on the way.

"We will definitely be welcoming a boy or girl in late this year," Moore, who conceived through in vitro fertilization at age 47, said, shocking herself. "Oh my God, I said that! I don't want to talk about the details because I'm still very nervous about everything so I want to get past a safe place."

"We have been really upfront about wanting to expand our family, and we have definitely been taking the proper steps to try to make that happen," she added on the RHOA After Show in early 2018.

Following some complications, she welcomed daughter Brooklyn in November of that year.

11 of 21

Janet Jackson

The then-50-year-old singer welcomed son Eissa in January 2017 with her now-estranged husband Wissam Al Mana. Jackson first sparked baby rumors in April 2016 when she canceled her Unbroken tour to focus on her family. "My husband and I are planning our family. So I'm going to have to delay the tour," she told fans in a video message. The mom-to-be's brother Jermaine Jackson confirmed the news when he opened up about the pregnancy that May.

12 of 21

Laura Linney

The actress quietly welcomed son Bennet back in January 2014 — at the age of 49. Two years later, she shared the reason for keeping her pregnancy under wraps. "Well, I was an older mother-to-be, and it had taken me a very long time to have a child," she told Kelly Ripa. "I wanted to make sure that my child actually arrived, and was safe and healthy." However, she says that keeping the secret wasn't necessarily intentional: "I just didn't have a sign that said, 'Hi, I'm pregnant now.'" Her son Bennett, she says, is "adorable" and even "takes your breath away."

13 of 21

Audra McDonald

McDonald and her husband, Will Swenson, were thrilled when they discovered that they were expecting a baby together when the Broadway star was 46. "Who knew that tap dancing during perimenopause could lead 2 pregnancy?" she tweeted. "@thewillswenson & I are completely surprised but elated 2 b expecting."

They welcomed daughter Sally in 2016; she joined the couple's three teenage children from previous relationships.

14 of 21

Sheryl Crow

Though Crow, 45, welcomed son Wyatt by adoption when he was just 2 weeks old, it took him a while to get used to Mom's famous tunes. "I want to sing to him, but right now he's like, 'Mommy, no! All done! All done!'" she told PEOPLE. In 2010, she added son Levi to the family by adoption.

15 of 21

Geri Halliwell

Attitude Magazine Awards, London, UK - 10 Oct 2016 — Nils Jorgensen/REX/Shutterstock

The former Spice Girls singer gave birth to her second child, son George, (and first with husband Christian Horner) at 44 in January 2017. The singer teased her pregnancy news on Instagram, posting a sketch of a pregnant woman with the caption "God bless Mother Nature #mamaspice." The baby-to-be joined big sister Bluebell Madonna.

16 of 21

Angela Bassett

After years of fertility struggles, Bassett turned to a surrogate to carry twins Bronwyn and Slater. And following their 2006 arrival, the then-47-year-old wasn't about to leave their sides. "There were so many offers to go to this party and that party," the actress told PEOPLE. "It was a lot more fun to sit and gaze at my two little stars."

17 of 21

Nancy Grace

Though she had difficulty conceiving, Grace welcomed healthy twins John and Lucy in 2007 at 48. "I can't believe they're mine and that this is my life," the CNN anchor told Good Housekeeping. "I just never believed this could happen to me."

18 of 21

Diane Keaton

In 1996 at age 50, the actress welcomed daughter Dexter by adoption, followed by son Duke in 2001. "Before kids, if I worried, it was only about myself," Keaton told More. "But that's all you do is worry as a parent."

19 of 21

Gwen Stefani

In 2014 at age 44, Stefani welcomed her third son, Apollo, joining boys Kingston and Zuma (with ex Gavin Rossdale). "I feel really blessed to have all three of them," Stefani told PEOPLE. "They're just incredible."

20 of 21

Marcia Cross

Twins Eden and Savannah brought the star twice the joy when she birthed them in 2007 at age 44. "I was more scared to have girls — probably from having been one," she told PEOPLE. "Now I'm just delighted. There's nothing closer than the female bond."

21 of 21

Sandra Bullock

Bullock welcomed Louis by adoption in 2010 at age 45. In 2015, the pair welcomed daughter Laila to the family. "When I look at Laila, there's no doubt in my mind that she was supposed to be here," Bullock told PEOPLE in her Dec. 14 cover story in 2015, which introduced the world to her new addition. "I can tell you absolutely, the exact right children came to me at the exact right time."