Posted by Some of you may know that I gave birth to my daughter three months ago. She has arrived after a gap of 8.5 years as my son was born in early 2016. Both my pregnancies took place in very different periods of my life and taught me very different lessons. Hence, when Ayurvedic baby brand Baby Forest, reached out to me to be a guest on their Palan Poshan podcast, I happily accepted so I could share my personal journey. Here is the entire interview uploaded on YouTube:
I was seven months pregnant when this interview was conducted and was therefore in a unique position to compare my first pregnancy with my second one. My biggest learning was that with age, I had calmed down and wasn’t stressing about every little thing. And this has been mostly true even with respect to my post-partum baby care journey. The team at Baby Forest questioned me in-depth on a number of subjects, to which I offered very candid insight.
Some of the things we spoke about included:
The emotions accompanying pregnancy. With hormones all over the place, so are our emotions!
Why I had such a long gap between pregnancies, and what I did to finally conceive after many years of trying.
The societal pressure on mothers, which sometimes makes the journey of pregnancy particularly difficult to endure.
Physical symptoms of this pregnancy and how they differed from my first one.
The importance of paying attention to one’s mental health. Those same hormones also wreak havoc on your emotions and reactions during pregnancy, so speaking to a mental health professional really helps!
Old wives’ tales and pregnancy myths, and whom to trust for accurate information.
My birth experience of prolonged labour and an emergency c-section, and what I planned to do this time around.
Post-partum depression and family members can help to alleviate the symptoms of this all-too-common problem with new mothers.
Pregnancy skincare routine – what to use and what to avoid.
The importance of self-care during pregnancy.
The essentials to pack in your hospital bag.
The pros and cons of having a planned c-section and whether natural deliveries are better or not.
Some advice for dealing with insomnia, if pregnant women are suffering from it.
Tips for breastfeeding (stay tuned for this – I’ll be doing a more in-depth post on this soon).
If you are an expecting mother, or know someone who is, this video will hopefully answer a lot of your questions. The chapters have been conveniently marked, so you can watch the portions that appeal to you or turn back to them if you need advice on something in particular in the future.
Thank you so much for watching and I do hope you will share the video ahead so it can help others. Let me know your thoughts on my interview in the comments section below!
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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
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Such an exhaustive range of pregnancy topics! Loved, loved this interview. and this is despite me being way past pregnancy age. It was fascinating to see how many factors impact pregnant women, and even more mindboggling that women in the past survived horrors. Thank God for women emancipation! The most important part of this interview for me was the openness you used to speak of breastfeeding. How in the name of heaven was this subject considering taboo!
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Being a mom is one of the hardest (and yet the most beautiful) things in the human world. That you embraced the challenges and the beauty of this wonderful process so sensitively fills my heart with joy. I loved all the aspects of this interview but the breastfeeding tips (imagine that is taboo – Uggh) came on top.
Thank you
That’s a long, deep interview. I liked the way you have touched upon mental health, spouse support and self care with good products and exercise. I am sure New Age moms will benefit a lot from this. You also busted some old timer hacks.
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Lovwd this to the core…
Thanks.
his post is about a podcast of a mother, in this case the author of the post, who was expecting her second child. The podcast deals with issues related to pregnancy. It would be good for reader’s to know if the podcast had any beneficial effect on the outcome of pregnancy, any beneficial advice she got and any other point.
Actually I was being interviewed about my experience of pregnancy – not as a means to learn anything. I was the one imparting the knowledge. Hope that clarifies – thanks.
Simply enjoyed the range of topics you covered. I am way way past my baby producing stage but I wish such ease of speaking existed then. I remember the breast feeding nightmare, particularly in trains, covering both my breast and the baby with something lest someone view my breast !
Yes we’ve all been through that!
What a great interview for moms to be. I could only imagine how different it was to have a baby again after such a long time. Experience really has helped pave this time around so you somehow know what to expect and what to do.
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Even before reading this post, I had heard the podcast (in parts) through your insta handle. I wish I had someone helping me with some of the questions you answered, particularly about the hormones playing havoc. Of course, I never opted for a second pregnancy, thanks to my circumstances, but today I repent my decision. A very useful podcast, covering all the imp questions that pregnant women can possibly have.
Thank you – yes I’m glad I took the plunge for baby no. 2 even though it wasn’t an easy decision after such a long gap!
That’s just an in-depth interview indeed. Definitely passing it on the new and expectant moms in my circle. Congratulations once again on baby number two and thank you for sharing your journey with us which I’m sure will be relatable and helpful for many mothers
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Pregnancy is a beautiful journey for a women. But as you said societal pressure and unwanted advices make it so frustrating and scary. I am a new mom and. Can relate to every word you said
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Most difficult journey in a woman’s life. Societal pressure about every phase of life only destroys peace and mental health. Family support and self-care are ways to heal. Bookmarking this one.
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Loved watching your interview, Noor, and this post makes it even more special. Sharing your pregnancy and postpartum journey must have been emotional but so meaningful. I love how you’ve talked about the lessons from both your pregnancies. It’s such an important topic, and I’m sure so many moms will connect with your story.
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I had heard bits and pieces of your podcast through your Instagram shares and was nodding throughout. New mom here and I truly understand everything that you mentioned. Yes, to spouse support, yes to the importance of mental health and yes to selfcare too! I have absolutely no idea how I would’ve survived my pregnancy and post pregnancy if not for the love and support of my loved ones. Congratulations again, Noor 🙂
Thanks Shalini! And congrats to you too!
Any interview turns interesting when you get something valuable to learn from it and here ur interview offers exactly what i want from an interview. It added value in my knowledge base . I m a mom too and you enlighten me to look mommy journey in a different way. A Worthy interview o got to learn after a long time ⌛ loved 😍 ❤ it
Thanks!
That’s a diverse range of topics you discussed about but much needed to hear and get an understanding by those who aare and planning to get pregnant
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A very interesting article, and I love your energy 🙂 The interviewer was smart to have covered so many topics and got you to share good insights.
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There are so many questions one can have around pregnancy. Your recent experience will surely be a big help to new mothers about better understanding of their physical and mental health as well.
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Listening to your pregnancy journey on the podcast must have been such a heartfelt experience for many. I’ve watched a few teaser videos you’ve shared on Instagram, and they always feel so relatable and honest. I’m sure this conversation will resonate deeply with many women and moms who are currently going through pregnancy and seeking advice. Your insights are truly valuable, and I’m sure they’ll help many feel more supported and understood during such an important phase of their lives.
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“Loved reading about your pregnancy journey! It’s amazing how each experience teaches us something new. I’ve also started sharing my own pregnancy journey and insights. Would love for you to check it out! 💛 https://leomommyjourney.wordpress.com/“
Sure thanks