Gisele Bündchen is offering an unusually candid look at her private world, opening up in a new interview about the experience of welcoming a child in her forties.
The 46-year-old Victoria’s Secret icon became a mother for the third time when she was 44, welcoming a baby boy with her husband, Joaquim Valente, 38.
“Having a baby at this moment of my life is such a gift, because I’m in a different place,” Bündchen told iD magazine in its Mother Issue, released Thursday.
The Brazilian supermodel said this chapter of motherhood feels markedly different because she is no longer driven by outside expectations. “I don’t have anything to prove. I don’t feel like I really, quite frankly, care,” she said.
Bündchen added that she no longer allows public opinion to shape her sense of self, explaining that she is “not defined by other people’s opinions” and feels empowered to decide “how I want to live my life.”
The fashion star, who also shares son Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13, with ex-husband Tom Brady, 49, said family remains her top priority. To protect that balance, she revealed she turns down “99 percent” of the work opportunities that come her way.
Gisele Bündchen, 46, shared rare personal reflections on becoming a mother again in her forties during a new interview; pictured in 2018
The former Victoria’s Secret angel welcomed her third child, a baby boy, with husband Joaquim Valente, 38, when she was 44
‘When I put it on the scale, I’m like, “Am I going to miss my daughter’s volleyball game? Am I going to miss going to the park with my son? Am I going to miss my son DJing?”‘
Our News Outlet has reached out to Bundchen’s representatives for comment.
The runway sensation also admitted that her perception of the definition of success has changed since her twenties.
‘This is your temple, this is your life, this is your journey. How do you want it to look? What do you want it to be? Who defines success? What is success?’
‘Some people say success is power, money, fame, more. Some people say success is being able to spend time with your kids, to have food on your table, to have a home to live in, to have great relationships and actually enjoy every day. I find that, quite frankly, much more successful than… It’s up to each person to define, because when I was in my 20s, success was different than what I feel today.’
She also gushed about her ‘funny’ son, whose name is yet to be revealed, and recalled a sweet moment from their park outing.
‘I mean, he’s 16 months and he saw that I was cleaning the park — because Miami, it’s so damp all the time! — and he wanted to participate and he felt really good about it,’ she said.
Last month Bundchen shared a rare photo of her husband and their baby boy in matching jiu-jitsu uniforms.
‘Having a baby at this moment of my life is such a gift, because I’m in a different place,’ she told iD magazine for their Mother Issue, published on Thursday; Seen in 2024
‘I don’t have anything to prove. I don’t feel like I really, quite frankly, care,’ the Brazilian beauty added; Seen with her son and husband in an Instagram snap
Bundchen and Valente first crossed paths in December 2021 when both she and her children started training at Valente’s jiu-jitsu academy
Bundchen is also mother to son Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13, from her past marriage to former quarterback Tom Brady, 49
She took to Instagram to celebrate Brazil’s Father’s Day by posting an adorable snapshot of her husband and their son in matching attire.
She shared the photo with holiday greetings in Portuguese, writing: ‘Feliz dia dos pais! Te amamos!’
Valente and his son were lying down on mats for a jiu-jitsu lesson and the toddler was atop his father’s chest in the candid snapshot.
Just a couple of days earlier, she shared a look into family life with Valente and posted a photo of her baby joining her for a workout on a yacht.
Bundchen welcomed her third child, her first with Valente, in early 2025.
In December 2025, Bundchen and Valente privately tied the knot after nearly two years of dating.
Bundchen and Valente’s wedding ceremony came three years after her publicized split from Brady.
In most of her recent social media posts, the catwalk legend has been sharing a look into raising a young child for the third time.
Bundchen and Valente’s wedding ceremony came three years after her publicized split from Brady; The two seen in 2019
In the caption of her Instagram post last month, she reflected on the ‘responsibility’ of motherhood.
‘It’s so sweet to see how little they are when they start watching and emulating what we do. They’re learning from us even when we don’t realize it,’ she began.
‘Moments like this remind me that my actions matter more than what I say, because so much of who they’re becoming is shaped by the example they see every day.’
‘What a gift and a beautiful responsibility it is to be a mom,’ Bundchen concluded.
Bundchen and Valente first crossed paths in December 2021 when both she and her children started training at Valente’s jiu-jitsu academy.
Their romance was later confirmed in 2024, and Bundchen briefly touched on the topic during an interview with The New York Times.
‘This is the first time I am seeing someone that was a friend of mine first. It’s very different. It is very honest, and it’s very transparent.’
Bundchen has also flashed her gold wedding band on public outings, including when she attended a Garnier event in Miami in March.
The former couple were married from 2009 until 2022, and during that time, she was also stepmother to Brady’s 19-year-old son Jack, whom he shares with his ex Bridget Moynahan
In June, the star also took to Instagram to share a Father’s Day tribute to Valente, but notably left Brady out of the social media shout-out.
‘Happy Father’s day @joaquimvalente. Thank you for leading by example, and for the values you embody, love, humility, integrity, discipline, kindness and consistency,’ she wrote.
‘You are an incredible role model. We are all so grateful for you, and we love you so much.’
And dad, thank you for your unconditional love, wisdom, and support through every stage of my life. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there,’ she concluded.
