Gorgeous maternity photography in Sassy Mama’s ‘The Bump’!
This month’s ‘The Bump’ features stunning maternity photography of mama Tiffany Christian by Gunilla Lindgren of Sugarlight Photography. Tiffany works for cosmetics company Sisley Paris as a Regional Training Manager for Asia Pacific. Her daughter Elyse Christian was born on 8 October 2019 so it’s early days for this new mama! Read on for this fashionable mama’s style tips, plus an interesting book recommendation we’ve never heard before!
What was your reaction when you first found out you were pregnant?
Feeling extremely blessed and a little worried because we had just returned from Sapporo and had indulged in so much raw seafood, drank alcohol and participated in winter sports.
Your funniest memory over the 9 months?
The day I found out that the little one was very connected to her daddy! Whenever my partner was feeling excited, the baby would kick me in my womb! This happened so many times that it could no longer be a coincidence! We were really tickled by this throughout the pregnancy.
Any great books and resources that prepared you for when your baby arrived?
My mother-in-law gifted me a book titled Beyond the Bump by Sally Shepherd. It addresses the emotional and physical struggles that hit home hard post child-birth. It gave me more confidence being a new mum. After giving birth, the “wonder weeks” really set me up for this journey ahead.
What do you think every woman should know before getting pregnant?
Your pregnancy journey is unique to you. Everyone is going to give you advice on what to do; just do your due diligence in research and trust your own instinct on what to do or follow. In short, you do you!
What was the easiest trimester and which one proved most difficult?
The 2nd trimester was the easiest, the most difficult trimester was the 3rd one for me.
Did you follow a fitness programme while you were pregnant?
Yes! I attended prenatal yoga religiously and I attribute my smooth delivery to it.
https://www.sassymamasg.com/pregnancy/practice-prenatal-yoga-singapore/
Any fashion tips and tricks for maternity dressing?
Venture beyond baby doll dresses. Go for dresses with buttons so you can continue to wear them when nursing. A little bit of height in your shoes is actually better than wearing flats, I discovered. Going big on accessories will make you feel well put together and help keep any blues at bay.
Did you have any weird and wonderful cravings?
I never had a sweet tooth in my life but throughout the pregnancy, I craved all things sweet! My husband, on the other hand, can never say no to a dessert so I guess the little one is similar to her daddy in that respect.
What did you struggle with most being pregnant?
I constantly wondered if I should eat this or avoid that, and to limit the amount of caffeine intake. I love tea and can easily drink a few cups a day. This was very difficult for me.
Name a mama you find inspiring and why?
My mother, who was a stay-at-home mom, raised 3 kids with no helper, no mobile devices to keep the children busy, and cooked healthy and nutritional meals every day. She still cooks the same meals for us now!
What are your thoughts about finding out the sex in advance?
It did not affect us as we knew we would be delighted to have either a little boy or girl. It does makes it easier to plan for the nursery knowing ahead the gender of the kid, though.
Did it take you some time getting pregnant or were you one of those mamas who got lucky on the first try?
I was on medication for a long time so it was an excruciating wait before my health improved and the doctor gave the go-ahead to try for a kid. We got pregnant within the next 2 months but not being able to do family planning for the last few years was not easy.
What kind of birth did you have?
Hospital natural birth without epidural.
Who was your OBGYN, and where did you give birth? How was your birth experience?
I gave birth at Parkway East Hospital and Dr Heng Tung Lan was my gynaecologist. Even though it was extremely scary to give birth fully conscious without any drugs, my doctor and the nurses were very encouraging and were a source of comfort during the whole birth process.
https://www.sassymamasg.com/pregnancy/where-to-give-birth-in-singapore-public-vs-private-maternity-hospitals/
What helped you get your groove back after being pregnant?
I ate a well balanced diet post-partum and wrote a journal to record down my feelings. My husband was a great support to take care of the baby while I enjoyed some much-needed downtime.
Do you have any mama-friendly favourite places to hang out with your baby?
I always welcome early morning or sunset walks with the little one at East Coast Park.
What are your hopes and dreams for your baby?
Grow up to become someone with integrity and to be loving, kind, faithful and generous. We hope she is able to realise her potential while deriving joy from whatever she does.
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Tiffany and big thanks to Gunilla Lindgren of Sugarlight Photography for the beautiful maternity photos!