The offspring of Angelina Jolie, Katie Holmes, Rachel Weisz and Gwen Stefani each arrived with more media hype than most struggling actors could hope for in a lifetime. We find out how these famous mums and babes are getting along

Angelina Jolie

Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt was born on 27 May, the first biological child for 31-year-old Angelina, who only months before her pregnancy swore she would never have children naturally because it would mean one less orphan could find a home. But Shiloh's arrival, by emergency caesarean at the Cottage Hospital in Swakopmund, Namibia, increased Angelina's brood with Brad Pitt, 42, to three. Shiloh joins adopted tots, five-year-old Maddox, and Zahara, aged one, with a fourth possibly on the way if rumours of another adoption - this time of an Indian child - are to be believed.

Getting back into shape

As well as yoga and breastfeeding, Angie has been drinking African ginger root and garlic tea after being introduced to it in Namibia, and recent photos show she has lost most of the 25lbs she put on while pregnant.

At home

Life with Brad seems to be peachy for Ange - the pair have moved away from Malibu (and Jennifer Aniston) into Los Feliz, a fashionable suburb of Los Angeles, with their family, and have been spotted heading out regularly to parties and photography exhibitions. Angelina admitted her other daughter had been a little envious of her new sibling. 'For Mad, it's like having this tiny little pet that he can just hold and look at. He's great. Z's a little jealous - she's still a little girl,' explains Angelina.

At work

She is doing two voiceovers, in Kung Fu Panda and Beowulf, and is currently working on A Mighty Heart, filmed in Pakistan and India and produced by Brad's production company Plan B. She will play Mariane Pearl, the wife of missing journalist Daniel Pearl - a role that was originally earmarked for Brad's ex-wife and Plan B partner, Jennifer Aniston. Ouch!

Top marks for

Giving a press conference just days after her caesarean, and before the stitches had healed. At a time when most women would prefer to be lying on the sofa, she was telling the world why she and Brad had no plans to marry. 'There is nothing in the air,' she said. 'The focus is the kids, and we are obviously extremely committed to the children and as parents together.'

Katie Holmes

Suri Cruise, which means 'princess' in Hebrew and 'red rose' in Persian (and 'pickpocket' in Japanese!), was born on 18 April to proud parents, 27-year-old Katie Holmes, and Tom Cruise, 43. Her 'joyous arrival' took place naturally at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. where Suri weighed in at 7lbs, 7oz.

Getting back into shape

Katie went to work on a bridal boot camp in order to get in shape for her recent nuptials. Two weeks after giving birth to daughter Suri, she enlisted the help of a fitness company to tone up for her big day. 'I'll forever wage the battle of the thighs,' 5'9' Katie has said in the past. 'But I try to eat healthily.'

At home

Tom denied saying while Katie was pregnant that he had her 'tucked away so no one will get to us until my child is born.' But, apart from a few shopping trips in New York and Colorado (wearing skinny jeans!), Ms Holmes avoided much of the limelight after the birth to spend time with her daughter at Tom's compounds in L.A. and Telluride. She is also close with to Tom's home-schooled adopted kids from his marriage to Nicole Kidman, Isabella, 13, and 11-year-old Conor, and has been seen at their soccer and baseball games, as well as hanging out with her new best pal, Victoria Beckham, at Paris fashion week showing off her newly-toned bod.

At work

Since Batman Begins and Thank You For Smoking, Katie has been keeping a low profile, preferring to be a stay-at-home mum for her baby. She did appear at Tom's US premiere for Mission Impossible III, just two weeks after Suri was born, but doesn't have any roles of her own in the pipeline, having not yet confirmed if she will star opposite Christian Bale in The Dark Knight.

Top marks for

Not succumbing to media pressure and only releasing pictures of baby Suri when the time felt right. It has since been claimed Tom was reluctant to show off Suri because Scientology doctrine teaches followers to avoid taking newborn babies out unless absolutely necessary. Regardless of such guidelines, when Vanity Fair finally published pictures of the new baby, they took no payment for the feature.