Getty Images; Courtesy of Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram
Jenna Bush Hager Reveals 4-Year-Old Son Hal Is No Longer Sleeping in a Crib After Being Mom-Shamed
Jenna Bush Hager revealed that her 4-year-old son, Hal, is now sleeping in a big kid bed. The broadcaster shared details about her youngest child’s transition out of his crib during an episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna on Thursday, January 18.
“Sweet Hal. Hal’s been in a crib since birth until about a week ago,” cohost Hoda Kotb told the audience during the broadcast.
Jenna, 42, replied, “Yes, so, I was still — I was quarantined. I was pushed away because I had COVID,” adding. “I was pushed away into my room watching all that was on television.”
It was her husband, Henry Hager, that had a breakthrough conversation with Hal about moving away from sleeping in his crib.
“So Henry heard him say, ‘Daddy! Daddy! And then he went in and he said, ‘I’m ready.’ And Henry said, ‘You’re ready for what?’ And he said, ‘I need to move into my big boy bed,'” the Sisters First author shared.
Jenna and her hubby already purchased a bed for Hal and were just waiting for the youngster to decide to sleep in it.
“It’s been in the room for about two years. And there he is,” she said about the bed. “But it all happened without his mother’s help. And leaves me to wonder if I’m too overbearing when it comes just to him — the others.”
In addition to Hal, Jenna is also a mom to daughters Mila and Poppy. She previously opened up about her son still sleeping in a crib in an October 2023 episode of Today. When asking the audience if it was “normal,” the crew standing behind the camera shouted, “No!”
Hoda, 59, chimed in to offer up some words of wisdom about being a parent amid Hal’s big milestone.
“It is funny because sometimes when we are out of the picture, we think no changes are going to happen without our urging,” she added.
Jenna admitted that being mom-shamed on television about Hal’s crib a few months ago was a tough pill to swallow.
“Because y’all had shamed me, and really, the whole community had shamed me over the fact that he was in a crib,” she reflected. “You all had shamed me a little. And said, ‘Hal, I think it’s time. Some friends have said it’s time.’ And he was not ready, he was scared.”
