Stacy Keibler felt like ''a warrior'' when she was giving birth.

The 35-year-old star welcomed 10-month-old daughter Ava into the world naturally at her home in Los Angeles last August with support from husband Jared Pobre and a midwife, and thinks the experience helped her form an instant close bond with her child.

Discussing her drug-free delivery, the blonde beauty said: ''I felt like we went to war together. I kept saying, 'Ava's a warrior. I'm a warrior.' It was one of my mantras that I would say. Then when she came out, I feel like we had this bond that we had just fought together.''

Former wrestler Stacy, who previously dated George Clooney for two years until 2013, tried to stay as healthy as possible during her pregnancy and believes it helped her to cope during her 19 hours of labour.

She also told Ricki Lake in a new video for 'The Business of Being Born,': ''I really think it prepared me for motherhood. You're going to go through a lot of things you don't expect. I had my weakest and strongest moments. I'll have those again being a mother.''

Stacy and her husband began dating in 2013, after several years of friendship, and they were married in March 2014 in Mexico.