Cover Mum

Avantika Khan talks motherhood, love and the importance of appreciating life’s fleeting moments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, tell me, how has So, tell me, how has motherhood changed you? What has your experience been like?
Avantika: The first, and probably the most important way motherhood has changed me, would be by teaching me patience. Ask anyone who’s known me and they will tell you that patience is not one of my virtues. Honestly, I’m one of the most impatient people you’ll ever meet but in the past three and a half years, I’ve truly learned to be patient. Especially now, when kids get to this age, it’s literally a question a minute. I probably hear the word ‘mumma’ an average of 200 times a day. It’s “mumma, mumma, mumma,” at any given moment. But, on a more serious note, motherhood has given me perspective. When you’re younger, you tend to give a lot of importance to unnecessary, trivial things. Once you have a child, you don’t have the bandwidth for that anymore because a child will occupy the most prominent position in your mind. So you tend to stop sweating the little things, you start to let go of petty things and you start to realise what is actually important and of true value in life. Fame, money and celebrity are just there, but truly, it’s family, love and making sure Imara grows up to be a good human being, and experiencing everything that she wants to.

So when you decided to start a family, did you and Imran sit down and talk it out?
Avantika: No, not at all! Imara was an accident! Before we found out, people would always ask us when we were going to have a baby. Invariably, we always told them that we weren’t ready yet or whatever other excuse people tend to use. But after we got pregnant, I realised that you’re never going to be ready. If you sit and think about it, there’s always going to be something else that takes precedence over planning a baby. I think the best way to do it is to be thrown into the deep end like we were. When we eventually took the pregnancy test, we were like, ‘Oh my God, so this is happening, and that was that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did you find out you were pregnant?
Avantika: Actually, I have a very interesting story about how I found out I was pregnant. I was getting severe fever for two or three days before that. I was burning up at night and when I called up my doctor, he asked me if there was a chance that I could be pregnant. He wanted to know because he wanted to put me on a course of medications. Now, I wasn’t sure so just to be certain, I wondered if I should do a pregnancy test, just to eliminate the possibility. So, I did the test and it was positive. Then, I went to my gynaecologist to do the blood test so that we were 100 per cent sure. They drew blood and on the same day they did a pregnancy test and a dengue test. The next day I was called and told that I was pregnant but I also had dengue. So, I found out I was pregnant and had dengue on the same day! Naturally, this meant I couldn’t really take any heavy medications, just paracetemol or crocin to monitor the fever, but nothing stronger.

So what was your first trimester like with the dengue?
Avantika: The first month was really hell for me. I was extremely sick. I was already battling morning sickness but dengue tends to make you really nauseous anyway. So I couldn’t really eat anything, I lost four kilos during my first trimester, so it was tough. The months after that were great. I mean, I have nothing to compare since this was my first pregnancy but I’d say everything was pretty standard, or the way all pregnancies are. I don’t know about me but some women love being pregnant, some glow. I put on  25 kilos; I was not glowing, in my opinion; I had acidity towards the ends and horrible backaches. I mean, it’s a different experience for different people but it wasn’t that much fun for me.

What about any pregnancy classes? Did you read any books?

Avantika: I didn’t go for any classes per se, but I did read a lot of books. I read books to the point that I think it was to me detriment. My advice to most expectant mums would be ‘calm down’. You don’t need to read everything; read a couple of things that you think are of value to you but it doesn’t have to be accepted as the Gospel truth. Motherhood is instinctive and you need to go with the fl ow; whether you’re ready or not, when the baby comes, you’ll just know what to do. It’s a fact that most women, out of nervousness, read everything. In retrospect, I really wish I hadn’t read so much. I read so much that I wanted to put her on a schedule; I was practically obsessed with it till I realised that she’s a baby. She’s going to cry when she’s hungry, dirty, uncomfortable and I can’t really stop that. So that’s when I calmed down. But, some of the books that I read were The New Contented Little Baby, What to Expect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When You’re Expecting and Bringing Up Bébé. Did you have a baby shower?
Avantika: I had a very big baby shower actually. It was in April and it was very hot. That’s my memory of it. We had it here, at home. There were a bunch of games. I don’t particularly remember them because it was a while ago. But, mostly, I just remember the heat.

Did you and Imran go crazy with the baby shopping?
Avantika: Yes, I did. But honestly, we got gifted so many things. Our daughter is really blessed because clearly, I’ve got so many friends who love her dearly. I didn’t go overboard. Besides, Imran is much more meticulous than I am when it comes to all this. Actually, all the researchbased purchases were taken care by him. He went through Lucie’s List and really did his homework.

He’d be like, “Look, I’ve checked out five different brands of strollers; this is the best one so I’ve ordered it. All parents seem to be saying that this Graco Pack n Play is the best, so I’ve ordered it.” Honestly, Imran really took the reins on that one. I was just pregnant, tired and, you know, being pregnant. Honestly, by this point I was so exhausted, I just wanted her to come out already. A month after she was born, I was like, ‘Go back in, go back in!’

How did you feel when you went into labour?
Avantika: I didn’t go through labour. We had a planned C-Section and there’s a medical reason for that. So, I don’t know what labour is like because I never experienced it. My friends who went through labour though… well, let’s just say I’m thankful. Fortunately, my post C-section recovery wasn’t as gruesome either. I was walking the evening after the delivery, maybe my doctor really sorted me out with good pain killers; I don’t really know what it was, but I was fine.

After you gave birth to Imara, what was it like for you in the first few days after bringing her home?
Avantika: I was really nervous after coming home from the hospital. I think I did have a fair amount of the post-partum blues. Again, this is something that’s really common and most mothers don’t talk about it but I really think they should. If you can reach out to another mother and comfort her by assuring her that she’s going to be fine, and that it’s not the end of the world, it would be really helpful. But yes, I did experience some post-partum blues and that was very difficult. But when it came to handling Imara, that wasn’t really a problem. I mean, I could do that. Honestly, the physical part of handling a baby is what you’re very afraid of but once you start doing them, you realise that it’s not as hard as you made it out to be in your head, because it’s instinctive. I also had a lot of help. My mum was around, my motherin- law was a great help too. I had a nanny to help around as well. But mostly, I’m grateful that Imran was a very hands-on father. He’s a phenomenal father. He’s truly a parenting partner and should be an example for other Indian men. Parenting is a joint effort and it needs to be done as a team. From feeding her, to bathing and dressing her and even dropping her to school, he participates in every single thing, equally. He spends every chance he can with her. I always knew he’d make a great dad, because I’ve known him for a long time, but despite that, he’s still managed to surprise me with how good he is. I’m defi nitely blessed.

So tell us about Imara. What is she like?
Avantika: Wow, she’s definitely her own person. Currently, though, she thinks that she’s a true life princess, so I don’t know what to make of that. Princess Marina. Recently, I took her to this play —The Little Mermaid—and in that play, there’s a princess named Marina, who’s a mermaid. And the moment we go home from the play, she gave us all characters. She was like, “I’m a princess, you’re a queen and papa is King Neptune.” She even bows and says ‘your majesty’. I think she’s going through some serious princess phase but other than that, she’s a really polite child. She’s kind, sweet and not at all bothersome. She’s definitely a good girl. I’ve never had any trouble disciplining her. I mean, I’ve taken her to countless restaurants and I’ve travelled all over the world with her. She’s just a very well-mannered child and I’ve never had any issues with her. She’s also very bright, smart, definitely intelligent and curious. She asks a whole lot of questions, so that’s always fun.

A baby always responds first to a mother. What was your  experience like?
Avantika: After getting home from the hospital, I had my post-partum blues for the first month so I don’t think that I could engage with her in the way I would have liked to. Once I started feeling better, about a month and a half in, that’s when I really started bonding with her. By the time we reached four months, I was completely smitten, completely in and hopelessly in love—in a way that I’ve never been before. Honestly, people talk about motherhood in very romantic terms. I won’t deny that it does have a side which is very beautiful but at the same time, it’s also a lot of hard work and absolutely exhausting. So it’s definitely all consuming.

What future plans do you and Imran have for Imara?
Avantika: Most parents tend to have big dreams for their children but honestly, Imran and I don’t really have any big plans for her. We’re just going to let her take the lead on what she’d like. For us, it’s important that we bring her up right, instil the right values in her, make her a good and responsible citizen of the world and be a bit careful in the schooling that we choose. But other than that, we’re very laid back parents and we’re okay with letting her choose her own path. We know she’ll figure it out. |MB

My advice to most expectant mums would be ‘calm down’. You don’t need to read everything; read a couple of things that you think are of value to you but it doesn’t have to be accepted as the Gospel truth.

For Namrata Aswani-Setty, life at 30 looks exciting, especially when it comes to balancing her role as a mother to her 21-month-old boy, Pavit, and being head of the Public Relations division at her firm

BY CHARLENE FLANAGAN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY AKSHAY KULKARNI
HAIR & MAKEUP BY SACHIN GATHE

It’s true what they say: the only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability. For Namrata, life was nothing but an unpredictable chain of events, each with a wonderful surprise in store. Having grown up in Mumbai, and being the only child to her Sindhi parents, Namrata enjoyed a life filled with abundant joys and laughter. “I am the only daughter, and understandably, have been totally pampered. My parents and close family members have always stood by me to ensure all my wishes are fulfi lled,” she says.

Tying the knot
Their support certainly didn’t waver when it came to Namrata choosing the man she wanted to marry, despite their initial reluctance. Namrata met her now husband, Santosh, back in 2009 when he joined the organisation she worked at  “Me being me, a fun-loving and notorious girl, I was eager to speak to the ‘new boy’, but more with an intent to tease him a little, make friends and, off course, make him feel comfortable. But somehow, we just clicked and we haven’t looked back ever since. Looking back now, I truly realise the meaning of ‘love at fi rst sight’,” she says.

In 2010, Santosh left for New Zealand to pursue a higher education, but the couple stayed together and worked on their relationship. After his return in 2011, it was as if nothing had changed. In fact, the distance only served as a way to cement their bond. A year after his return, Namrata’s mother and maasi paid a visit to Santosh’s parents, and before they knew it, the couple were engaged in a small ceremony amidst close family and friends. “Valentine’s Day 2013, Santosh and I were married in a typical Sindhi way because my in-laws had been to and been a part of many South Indian weddings, and were really excited at the prospect of a Sindhi wedding in the family,” says an excited Namrata. “Our wedding was a four-day grand affair with DJ cum sangeet ceremony on the 11th of Feb, Mehendi party, haldi and oil ceremony and, finally, the pheras in the morning and reception in the evening,” she recalls.

Bun in the oven
The couple enjoyed two wonderful years of marriage before deciding that it was time to add a new member to their family. “While neither of us were really under any pressure from our parents to have a child, we just felt we were ready—emotionally and fi nancially—to start a family,” says Namrata. After returning from their trip to Hong Kong in May 2015, the couple decided to start trying and were successful almost immediately. “I was super happy to see my home pregnancy test turn positive and immediately called Santosh to the washroom to tell him the news. However, before we made any pregnancy announcement to our parents and family, we visited the clinic to confirm the pregnancy. After we were sure it was positive, we broke the news to all at home. My in-laws and parents were on top of the world!” says Namrata, excitedly.

There after, everything was smooth sailing for the happy couple, especially when it came to her pregnancy. Namrata is thankful that she didn’t experience any morning sickness, nor pregnancy  cravings. She was even glad that she didn’t experience any swelling in her feet or any of tha pregnancy stress she’d heard about. “I am a big foodie and I’m someone who’d crave junk food any time. My pregnancy was no different. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted. I never really had a hankering for anything in particular. During my pregnancy, I continued to eat all my favourite foods. My family always tried to give me more healthy food and did reprimand me for eating my fair share of junk. But, coconut water was one routine which I would never break. My mom-inlaw would say, ‘The baby will have good hair’. She was right!” The fact that the couple had an absolutely easy pregnancy also allowed them to make a few trip to enjoy some time alone before the baby came. “We did few local trips to Lavassa,

Karjat, Lonavala, Shridi,” she says. However, while Namrata did not really stress about her pregnancy and took each day as it came, her parents and her in-laws ensured she ate a well-balanced diet, drank plenty of fluids, and made sure she was well-taken care of for those none months. After all, she was living for two. The couple had a wonderful time bonding with their unborn baby. “I listened to some soothing music, read a book which gave me week by week pregnancy update of the growth of the child. My checkups and sonography sessions were always exciting. I got to see my baby’s developing body parts. During my pregnancy, I even attended a workshop on how to deal with pregnancy, the various preventions and preautions I needed to take, how to effectively manage my labour pains, etc. It really helped me a lot. Santosh would always tell me to talk to the baby. He would join in when we were in our room at night, and it was always exciting to feeling his kicks in response to our voices,” she says. The couple were excited to welcome a baby and didn’t really mind if it was a boy or girl. They just prayed for a healthy baby to be born. Their baby shower, a traditional godh bharai with a twist of the modern, was even centered around that belief. It was ‘Pink or Blue —Wear what you will’. The guests were treated to a western affair, complete with a cute invite, a photo cake, super fun props, dance, games, but a a traditional ceremony to bestow their wishes on the couple and their baby. The evening also included a fantastic photo shoot.

Welcome to the world
Namrata was told that she would be full term by the last week of January, 2016. “The doctor told me that my due date was January 30, 2016. But it could also be any time before that. So after consulting my gynaecologist, Santosh and I decided to have the baby on due date itself. Since ours was a scheduled delivery, Santosh and I enjoyed a scrumptious meal at our favourite restaurant the night before. On the morning of January 30th, we got ourselves admitted into Bombay Hospital, Marine Lines, after which, they induced labour. I didn’t feel any contractions even after fi ve hours post inducing, and that’s even the doctor further induced labour. That defi nitely took effect almost immediately, and I was in pain for four hours. There came a point when I just couldn’t take it anymore. And since I was nowhere near dilated enough, I begged for them to do a C-section. It took my doctor some bit of convincing but fi nally, my C-section was scheduled by 7.30 that evening. At 8.01 p.m, our little boy was born, and our wait was finally over!” says Namrata.

“Celebrations began outside in the waiting room, while I was still in the OT. For my parents, their joy was endless as a boy was born after 60 long years!” The next few days were a blur as her C-section didn’t quite allow her the freedom to move about. It was Santosh who stepped up and wore his ‘Daddy’ hat with pride. “He had sleepless nights more than me. Each time baby woke up, he woke up even before me,” she recalls.

My baby and me
Namrata owes a lot to her mum-in-law and mother, particularly during the initial months after delivery. “In the initial days, it was still unbelievable, with numerous sleepless nights. My mom-in-law was a nurse and my mom had worked with a hospital all her life. These two women played such an important role when we  brought our little angel home from the hospital. Fortunately for me, Santosh always loved kids. Growing up, he always had all his cousins visit him when they were born so taking care of a baby came naturally to him. He even took a three-week long paternity leave and was with me all the time. He took care of the baby more than I did, and I still maintain that he played the role of a mother for initial months. He knew what to do when and kept telling me the right way of doing things.  Santosh is a real blessing,” she says.

On the sixth day after his birth, the couple held a small puja where in the maharaj gave them the letter ‘P’ for his name. Obviously, when it comes to naming a baby, a great deal of discussion goes into the matter and the couple wanted a unique name, and even took four long months to choose the perfect one for him. “My sister-in-law told me that since we were taking a while to settle on a name, he needed a pet name. That’s when she picked Richie. We loved it and started calling him that, Honestly, the name stuck and we still do. We had an offi cial naming ceremony on 28th May, 2016 with a rather grand function, complete with a small dance performed by my parents, in-laws, Santosh and myself. The dance was what we used to reveal his name as Pavit Santosh Setty. Pavit means love, pure and pious,” she says. Once Namrata settled into her role as a newbie mother, she soon started gaining a bit of confidence and before long, she was managing splendidly all on her own. “After the sleepless nights, things finally started to settle into a routine, sort-of easing things out a bit,” she says. “After Pavit completed three months, things only kept getting better. When he began responding and recognising us, that’s when the fun really began. As parents, we made it a point to always  talk to him. He’d listen intently, and even coo back in response. The experience was magical,” says Namrata, excitedly. “As parents, we decided to put our phones completely on silent for three months. I started to put a curfew in place at home whenever he would sleep, but over time I realised that kids could sleep in the noisiest of places,” she recalls.

Papa’s Pet
“In the fi rst week after delivery, I noticed that Pavit was a carbon copy of his father,” says Namrata. “But that’s not where the resemblance ends. He loves copying everything his dad does —whether it’s driving around in his toy care, walking around and talking on the phone, or even dressing like him! His first word, even, was ‘Pa’. I’m really not surprised because santosh and Pavit shar an indescribable bond, and it warms my heart completely. Naturally, since he’s the only child, we do tend to go overboard with the pampering, but Santosh ensures that Pavit knows when it’s too much, and Pavit accepts our final say without any tantrums.”

Namrata is perhaps a little sad that her little angel is growing up too fast. “I remember when he was this tiny little thing in my arms. Now, it’s getting diffi cult just trying to keep up with how much and how fast he’s learning and growing,” she says. As a toddler, Namrata believes that Pavit can speak a great deal of words. “He’s recently started attending PlayGroup, and just listening to him talk about his school, friends or what he’s learnt is an absolute joy. I love it when he tries singing songs. ‘Love you Zindagi’ is his favourite. But more than anything, what I absolutely love is the fact that he waits to greet us with open arms, every evening. After a long day at work, getting a tight hug from tiny arms is a feeling that just cannot be compared to anything else in the world. Puvit is just an absolute joy, and sometimes, I can’t believe I gave birth to such an angel,” she says.

Life after Puvit
The couple has definitely had to make a few sacrifices when it came to their social life, but when compared to spending quality time with their son, they wouldn’t have it any other way. “Santosh and I loved to party and go out on the weekends. That cut down after Puvit was born. Now, if we do have to party, we put him to bed under the watchful eyes of our parents, and then enjoy some quality bonding, just us two. But, our parties are few and far between. After all,  Puvit is our priority. That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy family outings to our favourite restaurants. Watching him  discover new foods and cuisines is always entertaining. We love going on short trips and watch him discover something new each time! He’s definitely the light of our lives.” As for what the furture brings, Namrata says, “As parents, we can only hope and pray that we meet all his needs, give him a quality education, teach him what’s right and wrong, and hope that he grows up to be an upstanding global citizen. We just want to ensure that all his dreams are fulfi lled and he becomes a respectful and loving human being.” |MB

The fact that the couple had an absolutely easy pregnancy also allowed them to make a few trip to enjoy some time alone before the baby came

When it comes to naming a baby, a great deal of discussion goes into the matter and the couple wanted a unique name, and even took four long months to choose the perfect one for him

For 32-year-old commercial artist, Nikita Chopra, her unplanned pregnancy gave her a whole new perspective on just how unpredictably wonderful life can truly be

PHOTOGRAPHS BY AKSHAY KULKARNI
HAIR & MAKE-UP BY SACHIN GATHE

The story of Nikita and her husband, Aakesh, begins with a simple meeting, arranged by their families. For the couple, an arranged marriage set-up was not exactly what they were hoping for, but have come to value, now more than ever. “My parents always believed in raising independent children. They encouraged my career as a commercial artist, and never stopped me from pursuing my dreams. The only stipulation they ever laid down was that I needed to marry within our community,” says Nikita.

Since Nikita focused on her work, she never really found the time to meet someone and fall in love. Since she belonged to a Marwari- Jain community, she let her parents find her a partner. “My parents introduced me to Aakesh, and I can’t explain it, but I just knew that he’d make an amazing husband. We were engaged when I was 24, and married the next year in December 2009. I was 25 then.”

Marital bliss
After a lavish Marwari wedding, Nikita moved into her husband’s home, and realised just how different things were from her own pre-wedded life. “I live with my husband, his parents and grandmother in his family home. And while my in-laws are understanding and supportive, there are a few differences in their outlook. Fortunately, Aakesh and I weren’t forced to start a family immediately after marriage. After all, we were young. But, I wasn’t allowed to work full-time post my marriage so I had to take up part-time employment close to home. The truth, however, is I really didn’t need to work. My husband is doing well for himself. He’s one of the directors for a real estate development company called Cosmos Group and has recently launched his own nutritional and healthcare brand called FIC Lyf. I really don’t want for anything,” admits Nikita. The couple wanted to take their time, get to know each other better and enjoy themselves before taking on the responsibility of bringing a child into this world. And that’s exactly the couple did for five years. After Nikita turned 30, she began contemplating starting a family, but then decided to hold off till after Nikita’s youngest brother got married and settled down. “I didn’t want to have to deal with pregnancy symptoms while I was running around with wedding preps. But, life has a funny way of surprising you. I had missed my period and I just brushed that off to stress or PCOS. But when my period hadn’t come for a while, I figured that it was time I go get a routine checkup with a  gynaecologist, just to rule out anything serious. I was convinced it was nothing more than that; I was confident that I wasn’t pregnant and I even did a pregnancy test at the doctor’s office. The results came out positive. I was in shock,” she admits.

Her husband, however, took the news well, and was very excited that he would soon be a father. “He even comforted me by telling me that things happened for a reason, and that God had some great in store for us. I was just worried about what would happen. My brother was to be married in November and that was the month we would become parents. I was an emotional wreck, and just unsure about what to expect next. For now, we only broke the news to family and decided to take things one day at a time,” she says. Nikita is grateful for the love and support she received from Aakesh during this time. “After our sonography, we learnt that I had gestation hypothyroid. This made me more nervous about this pregnancy. There’s no doubt that Aakesh proved himself, and gave me his unrelenting support during this emotionally-challenging phase. We spent a great deal of time, as husband and wife, talking about our unborn baby. He helped me stay positive and convinced me that we’d make great parents. We even spent the next 10 days in prayer. Before our next sonography, I was nervous. But  hen the doctor told me that everything was progressing normally, I was relieved. That’s when I realised just how happy I truly was. I couldn’t wait for our baby to be born!” says an ecstatic Nikita.

My growing bump
Once the realisation set in, Nikita and Aakesh began their journey by preparing to welcome their baby home. Of course, for Nikita, that meant looking after her health. “After learning that our baby was healthy and growing at a normal rate, I went back to work and went about my daily routine as I always had. There was just one conscious change I made to my lifestyle. Since my sister is a nutritionist, under her constant care and guidance, I adopted a healthy diet of wholesome, home-cooked meals. I also made it a point to stay hydrated,” she says. She further adds, “I was mentally preparing myself for the on-set of morning sickness and that laziness that sets in during the first trimester, but to my surprise, I didn’t experience any of that. Everyday felt like a normal day to me.”

When the news of their newest family member broke, after the typical three-months wait, there was an added excitement to the wedding  preparations. All was as it was meant to be. Nikita went about her days, eating healthy and working part-time. The other times, she was on her feet, keeping active with all the wedding preps. But, as it’s known, it’s always better to be extra prepared. And that’s something Nikita took seriously. “I had read as much as I could on pregnancy care, and I knew that I needed to keep active during these months. That’s when I decided to join prenatal yoga classes with Dr Isha Jain, and antenatal specialist and yoga instructor. In my opinion, that’s the best thing I did to ensure I had a healthy pregnancy. I even enrolled myself in Lamaze classes to help me prepare for labour. I had a pretty set routine. I’d go to work, then get home and have a healthy lunch. Post that, I’d head to my yoga class and my evenings were spent walking, or helping with wedding preps. I made it a point to keep myself as active as I could during my pregnancy. In fact, I was the most active during my pregnancy than before,” admits Nikita. She credits the fact that she didn’t look pregnant till her seventh month, to her active routine. “People just thought I had put on a little weight. They had no idea I was expecting,”
she laughs.

Dolly Bhatter, 31, Founder, Brand N Buzz, a PR firm in Mumbai, talks about the importance of having a supporting family when it comes to being an entrepreneur, and finding  quality time to spend with her son, Amay

PHOTOGRAPHS BY: SHIVANGI KULKARNI
HAIR&MAKE-UP: SANGEETA RAWAL
BY: SANIA DHIRWANI

Dolly Tilani Bhatter’s tale of love, is one that has people crossing oceans to be with their one true love. For Dolly, it wasn’t only about crossing oceans, but about entering a whole new world when she and her husband decided to marry, not just across continents, but across communities, as well. Dolly grew up in New York and spent 15 years of her life there before moving to India at the age of 24, when she married Vijay, the love of her life. Vijay is the owner of India-Forums.com, one of the most popular Indian television portals and Dolly ventured into Public Relations when she opened her own agency.

Pregnancy Woes & Wows
Both Dolly and Vijay wanted to spend quality time with each other, travel the world and build their respective careers before they started planning for a baby. Dolly says, “Five years into the marriage, we felt we were now ready to take on the responsibility of another life, and decided to start a family.” But not everything is how you expect it to be. Dolly’s first pregnancy was terminated as the baby was diagnosed with CDH (Chronic Diaphramatic Hernia). Dolly says, “We were advised that it was best to not bring a life into this world, which would suffer and possibly pass away minutes after birth.” Post that, the couple were advised not to plan right away so they waited for some time.

Second time around, it was an unexpected pregnancy for the couple. “We found out on November 16, 2015 that I was pregnant. As I was spotting, none of us actually realised that I was pregnant. Joy knew no bounds after the doctor announced that I was expecting,” Dolly says, excitedly.

Like with most expecting women, the first trimester is tricky. Dolly was advised to be on complete bed rest. She says, “A workaholic by nature, it was demanding for me to stay in bed all day and just sleep. I was on progesterone medication and injections that made me nauseous and dizzy the entire day, as I could hardly eat.”

Unforgettable Baby Shower
Post the first trimester, the rest of the months went along without a hiccup. Dolly and Vijay decided that their baby would be born in New Jersey at her parents’ house. They flew to the USA in the sixth month of her pregnancy. They flew in advance so as to incur no risks at all. Dolly says, “I had started prenatal yoga in my 22nd week and continued it through videos till the day I delivered. While I was in the US, my doctor had conducted a class for all expecting mothers which was taught by a certified nurse, explaining the entire delivery and labour process.” Although Dolly did not read any pregnancy books, she kept herself informed by reading about it online. Her curiosity kept her engaged and she kept researching and absorbing whatever was necessary.

Dolly’s baby shower arrangements were on in full swing before she left for the USA. Reminiscing, Dolly says, “I had one of the most memorable baby showers which I will cherish for a lifetime. My best friend and my sister-in-law planned the most perfect baby shower that included my close family and friends. All the decorations were hand made and everything was done with so much love.” Dolly was fortunate enough to not have one but two baby showers. She says, “My office team also threw me a surprise baby shower, which incorporated a dance to welcome the baby, along with some delicious food and games. I was overwhelmed as I hadn’t expected a celebration at work.”

D-Day
Dolly went into labour five days before her due date. Although she did have a rough couple of days in the end. She came down with rashes and was in the emergency room the day before her delivery. Dolly says, “I was expecting that I would have to get labour induced as the baby wasn’t ready to come out. But then on the morning of July 11, 2016, I experienced slight pain. Before I knew it, we headed to the hospital and were informed that I was five centimeters dilated.” Dolly was given an epidural which elongated the delivery process but also provided some relief. She says, “Vijay and my mother were by my side during my labour. While my in laws and my best friend were waiting excitedly in the family area in the hospital.”

For Marathi film, television and theatre personality, Aditi Sarangdhar, life in the limelight got a lot more exciting after the birth of her baby boy, Arin

BY CHARLENE FLANAGAN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY AKSHAY KULKARNI
HAIR & MAKEUP BY SACHIN GATHE

Hollywood superstar, Kate Winslet, once famously said, “Having children just puts the whole world into perspective. Everything else just disappears.” Closer home, our very own green-eyed goddess, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is noted to have said, “I don’t know about changing my perspective because motherhood is such a glorious blessing and I am very thankful for that. It’s such a beautiful experience. I so strongly recommend it. It’s bliss, love, and fulfi llment of another level.” There’s no doubt that the life you’ve come to know drastically changes when you bring a child into the equation, and for Aditi Sarangdhar, it was no different. “I have been part of the Marathi film industry, television and theatre scene for the past thirteen years. As an actress, it has been a great journey. But, nothing compares to the adventure life has been after Arin came into this world,” she says.

The baby way
“My husband Suhas Revandekar and I fell in love and later married. We’ve been married for almost five years now. Ever since we thought of tying the knot, Suhas was keen on starting a family. But, we did want to spend some time together before we decided to make a baby. It was after four years of marriage that we both felt it was time, and the planning soon began,” says Aditi. The couple were a little sceptical about their chances of conceiving since Aditi was now 35, and Suhas was 43, and were repeatedly told that they would encounter some difficulties while trying to get pregnant. Fortunately, life had a wonderful surprise and the couple were
successful almost immediately.

“We were lucky that we didn’t need to consult any fertlilty experts, and we conceived naturally. Before I realised that I might be pregnant, Suhas and I were vacationing in Australia. We’re bit of adventure junkies so I was scuba diving, skydiving, bunjee jumping, the works!” she recalls, excitedly. The couple always wanted to start a family, and their trip to Australia was indeed fruitful. Once back, though, the couple were back to the grind and went about their days as normal. “After we returned home, we got back to our routine— I started my shows, shooting, meetings, events, getting up early in the morning, hitting the gym—it was work work, work as usual,” she says. Then one day, it all changed. “I suddenly began feeling an intense wave of nausea and was throwing up continually. That’s when I realised I had missed my period, and took a home pregnancy test to confi rm my suspicions. When the test showed positive, I shared the news with Suhas and we were over the moon! This was perhaps one of the few times I’ve seen him this elated,” she says, with a big smile on her face.

Pregnancy symptoms
While the couple couldn’t be happier to share the news with their family and friends, as well as be pregnancy buddies with her younger sister, who was also expecting her first baby, Aditi did have a rough fi rst trimester when it came to the symptoms. “Despite being a reatively smooth pregnancy, I experienced a surge in pregnancy hormones that manifested in nausea, irritation, mood swings and a whole lot of drama,” she says. Quite befitting for an actress, we think! Unfortunately, this meant that Aditi frequently threw up, experienced a lot of food aversions and couldn’t really eat what she wanted to. “I couldn’t eat anything except for salads and fruits for days at a stretch,” she says. This also meant that she couldn’t really brush her teeth properly as the very action caused her to throw up, resulting in tooth decay. “But apart from the nausea and morning sickness, pregnancy was quite a joyful experience for me,” says Aditi.

Artist, social entrepreneur, and co-founder of SWOT Consultancy, Preeti Thaker Arora, talks work, love and how her daughter, Arianna, put the I-L-Y in family

BY CHARLENE FLANAGAN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY AKSHAY KULKARNI
HAIR & MAKEUP BY SACHIN GHATE

You may have heard of this rather popular Bible verse “Our family is one of God’s masterpieces”, that’s now been converted into wall art, decals, and a whole lot more. There is most certainly some truth behind those words, particularly in the case of artist Preeti Thaker Arora. Known for her stunning cosmic and subliminal paintings that are said to have a calming and meditative impact on people, little did she know that it would be the angelic face of her baby girl that soothed her worries. She learned a whole new meaning for the word ‘inspiration’ after the birth of her daughter, Arianna.

 Happily ever after
“I grew up with parents who always encouraged me to be the best possible version of myself. My parents supported me and wanted me to make a name for myself, have a career and explore the world. In fact, it was my mother who pushed me to try new things, and I owe my ability to juggle a career and manage a home, all because of her,” says Preeti. It was after the tremendous support of her family that Preeti’s education led to an opportunity to move to Mumbai, where she met her husband, Sandeep.

“Of course, before I got married, my career did take me places. I was fortunate to succeed and rise quickly. At a very young age, I got the opportunity to be director of operations in an organisation in India and Malaysia. It was a huge responsibility to head two countries. But I quit my job after I got married, and Sandeep and I started our own company,” she says.

The couple enjoyed a blissful married life with just the two of them for four wonderful years till they both realised that they were ready to add another member to their duo. “Sandeep was really keen on starting a family, and after sitting down together, discussing and planning, we realised that the timing was perfect. So we began trying for a baby,” says Preeti.

After trying for a while, Preeti was going about her day as she did on a regular basis when she didn’t feel quite right. “A typical day for me goes something like this: I wake up early and begin my day with a glass of warm water and that much-needed chai. But that morning, I was feeling uncharastically uneasy and even that perfect cup of tea gave me a nausea. Instead of keeping it down, I threw everything up. That was when I suspected I might be pregnant so I immediately did a home pregnancy, and my doubts were confi rmed!” says Preeti. “Of course, I was thrilled when the tests were positive, and I shared the news with Sandeep. All the excitement, happiness and emotions knew no bounds and we immediately made an appointment with my gynecologist, just so that we could confirm the test,” Preeti relates, excitedly.