Eva Mendes has a new appreciation for motherhood.

The 'Hitch' actress - who has six-month-old Esmeralda with long-term partner Ryan Gosling - has confessed she feels more grateful for all the things her mother did for her now she is a parent herself.

She said: ''You never know, right, something random can happen and she's just suddenly not sleeping through the night and you're like, wait, I thought we were sleeping through the night, what's up? Why does it always happen at three or four in the morning?

''Now I understand so much, my mother's never gotten more, 'I love you so much mommy' texts, I mean, randomly... I get it now.''

The 41-year-old star - who met Ryan, 34, while the pair filmed 'The Place Beyond The Pines' in 2011 - also shared her top tip for keeping the hunky actor happy and insists making an effort with her appearance is the key to their long-lasting relationship.

She told 'Extra': ''You can't do sweatpants... ladies, number one cause of divorce in America, sweatpants, no!''

The brunette beauty also credits her vegetarian diet and regular exercise sessions for helping her to regain her pre-pregnancy figure.

She explained to Women's Health magazine: ''I realised a long time ago that I needed to have some kind of routine. I don't love it, but I've made peace with that.

''I haven't eaten meat in about six years, because I don't agree with factory farming here. This is just what worked for me, it's important to say, but when I cut that out I immediately felt better. And also, after a year of eliminating it, my skin looked brighter and healthier overall.''