While we all know and love Jenna Dewan as the dancer and actress who’s captured our hearts with films like Step Up, Tamara, and Take the Lead, she’s also a proud mom of three, and her newest mission is to help new parents along the way.
For those who don’t know, Dewan and her ex-husband, Channing Tatum, welcomed a daughter, Everly, on May 31, 2013. Dewan and her fiancé, Steve Kazee, welcomed their son, Callum, on March 6, 2020. Then, in June 2024, she and Kazee welcomed their daughter, Rhiannon Lee.
Alongside juggling motherhood and a multi-hyphenate career, Dewan has partnered with Happy Baby Foruma to co-author Happy Babies Poop, a book about the importance of a baby’s gut health. (In fact, parents who purchase Happy Baby Formula online receive a limited-edition, signed copy of Jenna’s book while supplies last.)
Now, Dewan is as sweet as you imagine, excitedly discussing the importance of certain aspects of parenthood and gushing about her kids; and she couldn’t wait to dish on everything about gut health.
Below, see what Dewan had to say about her new book, how she handles wellness routines for her kids, and raising a soon-to-be-teen!
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SheKnows: Okay. Now this is such a cool bundle, and I know it was described as an educational bonding moment. Can you tell me a bit more about that?
Jenna Dewan: For me, that “Read-and-See” moment has been special with all of my children. When they were younger, the day was sort of ending, and you have that moment to sit, be cuddly, share with them, show them a book, and talk to them. They are able to look at it and respond back with you, and it was just a really cozy, comforting, bonding moment. I really loved the idea of it having it be cute and also educational, and in a fun, beautiful way. And I thought the bundle in general was just a really, really great idea.
SK: Can you tell me why infant gut health became such an important topic for you?
JD: I have a very personal experience with Happy Baby, because I used it with Rhiannon, and the transition from breastfeeding to formula. I learned that it is the only USDA-approved formula that contains both pre- and probiotics. Personally, I know a lot about my own gut health through my wellness journey, but for some reason, it hadn’t connected fully to me until I learned that the first thousand days of life, a baby’s gut is forming, and 70 percent of their immunity is formed in that moment. It just made a lot of sense to me that this formula, which had prebiotics and probiotics, would be really useful for their overall health as they are growing in such a pivotal moment in time. So I used it with Rhiannon, and I noticed that the easier her digestion seemed, the better her diapers were. It was just a smoother process and experience overall.
SK: Oh, I love that. I know you talked about your own wellness journey, and you have a preteen, a five-year-old, and a toddler. How do you tailor wellness to each one?
JD: Every kid, every human is different. They come out differently; they’re wired differently. You can support and nurture all you want, but they are who they are. That said, all three need different things. They need different types of interactions; they need different types of diets. So I try to tailor it for each of them. My biggest thing is trying to fit a little bit more protein, with all three of them. I think you just set the tailor for each kid. They’re all so different that you really have to watch, listen, and adapt.
SK: I know that as your kids grow, a big part of wellness and just being mindful is just having a good approach to self-trust. How do you approach those conversations with your kids in a healthy way?
JD: Also, a little bit different in age-appropriate conversations. For each of them, I do think it’s important to always have the conversation and the openness of dialogue. They’re very used to me saying, ‘Hey, you can come to me and talk to me about anything. You will never be in trouble. If anything ever feels uncomfortable or if anything ever feels just something you’re not liking, please make sure you come and talk to me. You’ll never be in trouble.’ It’s like getting them to express their own instincts and their own awareness of life, and to have that open dialogue to talk is really, really important to me. I’d rather they roll their eyes than never say it. Mainly, it’s all wrapped up in communicating with me and letting me know what is going on, and always honor your own instinct if something doesn’t feel right.
SK: I really love that you’re teaching them about all kinds of different safety. Kids really need that to feel safe talking to you! Now back to the collab. I really love that this is all about saying the quiet parts out loud. What is something about gut health you wish were more talked about, especially with new parents?
JD: For me, that is the awareness of the first thousand days, and that our gut is being formed, and how much immunity is wrapped up in not being informed if not early, in the early phase. The first time we were venturing into this huge life change, there was so much input and decision-making that it could be really stressful and anxiety-inducing, because there’s just so much, and you wanna make sure you’re doing the right thing. It’s an incredible product. I just wanna share that and help make some parents’ lives a little bit easier.
SK: Do you have any wellness tips for new parents trying to balance all the information being thrown at them?
JD: It’s so different for everyone. [I say] making sure, even if it’s like five minutes, two minutes out of the day, and you’re just taking a minute to check in with yourself and take some breaths. Training yourself to, even if it’s for a small amount of time, check in with yourself is really powerful. ‘How do I feel right now?’ was a really big, helpful tip for me.
SK: I know many parents will love being reminded of that. I know your eldest is gonna be a teenager this year. How are you feeling?
JD: I am really lucky ’cause she’s very sweet, loving, enthusiastic, [and] she’s really into a lot of things and really excited about it. [She’s] really obsessed with her friends, and I’m still cool in her eyes. [But] check back with me when she’s probably officially 13! Right now, she’s growing up so fast that it’s wild, and she still seems to think I’m cool and wants me around with her friends. So I know that’s gonna change. It might not, but I’m enjoying it for what it is.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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