Drew Barrymore has said that she loves being a mum - but that parenthood has made her question her own father's absence in her childhood even more.

The actress and husband Will Kopelman, who were already parents to Olive, nearly two, welcomed new baby Frankie Barrymore Kopelman earlier this month.

Speaking before the birth, she told Red magazine she was "loving being a mom" and happy that her two girls will be "close together in age" adding: "It will be awesome!"

She said of family time: "We spend every weekend together. We don't have a babysitter!"

But the actress, the daughter of the late actor John Drew Barrymore, said of becoming a parent: "My parents split up before I was born and my dad was just never capable of being a father. It's something I really accepted and became OK with early on.

"But it's shocking to me that someone can make that choice. As much as I accepted it with him, I could never accept it in a partner...

"For some people showing up is just not possible and that is incredibly frustrating. When you become a parent, and think about what kids need, it is very emotional."

Drew said that her next challenge would be learning to cook.

She recently returned from culinary school in Napa Valley with her celebrity friends Cameron Diaz and Reese Witherspoon.

She told the magazine: "I really love cooking, it makes me so happy. But I'm terrible at it... I'm really working on it.

"I might travel somewhere to do it, and bring the family. I love cooking for Olive now, but I used to be Mrs Takeout... I've just never learned to cook in my life... Cameron's a great cook, and always has been. I'm just trying to catch up to that."

The Blended actress hinted that she's ready for a screen break.

"I'm interested in directing in the future but that is such an all-consuming job.

"When the kids are in school and they don't need me all day long, maybe there's a way to balance it... I wouldn't trade bringing up my kids to do that but in a few years I'd like to think about it again."

The June issue of Red is on sale May 1.