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Katherine Heigl was ‘afraid’ daughter Naleigh ‘didn’t love’ her as a working mom

Katherine Heigl had a tough time bonding with her oldest daughter, Naleigh, due to her hectic work schedule for “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The actress recalled on “The View” Monday that just three days after she and her husband, Josh Kelley, adopted the then-9-month-old from South Korea in 2009, she had to get on a plane to film the ABC medical drama in Atlanta.

Katherine Heigl with her daughters, Naleigh and Adalaide.
Katherine Heigl said she thought her daughter, Naleigh, “didn’t love” her as a baby because she was always away working. katherineheigl/Instagram

“I never saw that baby,” she said. “I was at work with three triplets who were playing my goddaughter, and I spent more time with them than I did with my new daughter.”

Katherine Heigl on "The View."
The actress said she “never saw” her oldest daughter as a baby due to work. ABC

Heigl, 44, shared that Naleigh, now 14, “bonded” with Kelley, 42, but did not get as much personal time with her at first.

“I was always afraid that I had missed that opportunity to really bond with her and that she didn’t love me — in that moment,” she admitted.

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Katherine Heigl, Josh Kelley and daughter Naleigh posing for a picture at an event.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and husband Josh Kelley share three kids.FilmMagic
Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley posing with their family.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and husband Josh Kelley share three kids.katherineheigl/Instagram
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Katherine Heigl making a kissy face with her daughters, Naleigh and Adalaide.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and husband Josh Kelley share three kids.katherineheigl/Instagram
Naleigh and Adalaide hugging outside.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and husband Josh Kelley share three kids.katherineheigl/Instagram
Katherine Heigl posing with her son, Joshua, and daughter Adalaide outside.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and husband Josh Kelley share three kids.katherineheigl/Instagram
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The Emmy winner explained that she initially thought she could juggle being a present mom and having a flourishing career.

“At the time, becoming a new mother, I was just like, ‘I got it. I got it. I can handle this,’” she remembered. “You know, they’ve told us we can have it all. We can have careers and have families and it’s all gonna be great. It’s all gonna work out.”

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Katherine Heigl on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."
Heigl said she missed the opportunity to bond with Naleigh while filming “Grey’s.”Disney General Entertainment Con
Katherine Heigl on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."
Heigl said she missed the opportunity to bond with Naleigh while filming “Grey’s.”Disney General Entertainment Con
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Katherine Heigl and her cast mates on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."
Heigl said she missed the opportunity to bond with Naleigh while filming “Grey’s.”Disney General Entertainment Con
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Despite the initial difficulties of being a first-time mother, Heigl wanted to further expand her family, telling Gala magazine in 2010 that she and Kelley “would love to have a second child, adopted or biological.”

“We’re not ruling it out,” she added at the time.

The couple, who married in 2007, went on to adopt another daughter, Adalaide, now 10, in 2012. The “27 Dresses” star then gave birth to a son, Joshua Jr., now 5, in 2017.