Nicole Richie & Family For Harper’s Baazar

Below are parts of the interview with Nicole in the next issue of Harper’s Bazaar.  Included in the article are beautiful pictures of Nicole and her family.

On her post-baby body: Half my wardrobe is already stretched. Not all my clothes fit the same. I don’t even think it’s a weight thing; I think your body just changes after you have a baby. I don’t care either way, but (gestures to newfound chest) I’m not used to having a tank top or bra underneath my clothes. You always hear that people with blond hair or larger breasts get more attention, but I never really thought that was real! I like wearing shirts that are a bit see-through because before it didn’t really matter. But now it’s like, ‘Uh-oh, I could get arrested.’

On Joel as a father: Joel actually changes more diapers than I do! It’s his time with her. He sings to her … he laughs with her, plays with her. It’s amazing.

On changing perspectives and ideals: You know, I went through a stage of thinking that once you had a baby, you moved to Brentwood, had a white picket fence, and it changed your entire life. But I love where I am right now. Every single thing is for Harlow. Joel took me out last week, and he was like, ‘Why don’t we go out and have a shopping day?’ But I ended up only going to kid stores. (laughs) I didn’t get to buy shoes or anything.

On the choice to do a introductory photoshoot with Harlow: The day before it came out, I was nervous, because there was going to be a picture of my daughter everywhere. But if I didn’t put a picture out, it would have been 10 times worse. I wanted to stop people trying to get pictures of her. I was just being a protective mom.

On the decision to start the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation: I got like 10 cribs and 20 strollers. For one little girl! So we wanted to take the gifts we got and give them to the people who actually needed them. [We met with charity advising firm] Inspired Philanthropy, and they really opened our eyes.

On the paparazzi: It is scary. I don’t want that around her, I just don’t … it’s definitely the thing that makes me most nervous. [But] I’m the luckiest girl alive right now. I have nothing to complain about.

On complaints that she attended events at a few weeks postpartum: You know what? (furrows brow) I was gone for maybe three hours. I never go out. I go four or five days without leaving my house. But the press just went wild with it. [We have] a date night once a week. [Sometimes we see] a movie if the running time’s not too long.

On tattoos: To be honest, it would completely break my heart if she got a tattoo!

On her close celebrity friends, such as Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton, and Mary-Kate Olsen: I feel like my group of five to ten friends, they really love [Harlow], like she’s theirs … my friends never go outside for smoke breaks anymore, they don’t curse, they are definitely more demure. It’s actually been really interesting.