Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, better known as the brutal Negan on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” recently told People about delivering his own daughter, George Virginia (now nine weeks old). Morgan, who is married to actress Hilarie Burton, explained that the couple had a midwife on hand, but that he was quite literally “hands on” throughout the process.
It started with childbirth classes — a review, since the couple had already been through it once before with their eight-year-old son Gus — but Morgan was quick to admit that no class really prepares you for what could happen in the moment.
“We did a little class with the midwife, right before my daughter was born. Just what to expect, as if we’d forgotten with Gus! She came to the house and we had a little class – and then, of course, nothing that we talk about actually happens and it’s kind of free for all.”
Morgan then described the moment of George’s birth, noting that it came much more naturally after having done it once before.
“The first time I didn’t know, I was shocked that I was part of it. I thought I was going to hold the leg, tell her to hopefully breathe and I wasn’t ready when I took my position. This time I was a little bit more prepared and got in and got her out immediately. As soon as her head breached I reached in there, grabbed her by the cheeks and got her out.”
Burton had posted about George’s birth several weeks earlier, sharing the story of the pain and loss of multiple miscarriages.
“It took a long time for Jeffrey and I to have this baby. The first time I got pregnant, it took a year and a half. I surprised him on Christmas with baby Seahawk booties. We cried. We celebrated. We picked out names. And we lost that baby. More losses followed, and as so many couples know, it was heartbreaking. It still is heartbreaking.”
But in the midst of heartbreak, she shared, there was also joy.
