Pregnancy and Motherhood Tales
Eudaimom in talk with Dr. Nupur Parik-Pandey
I didn’t think motherhood would be so consuming and that it would become the biggest role I would identify myself with for the rest of my life. Everything and everyone else is secondary now!
What is your approach to parenting?
I have one child and don’t really have a parenting technique apart from just treating him with respect and warmth, and being a little old school/traditional in the way we lead each day. I’m not really a woke mom who does everything by the latest parenting guidelines that seem to be trending. I go with my gut and I listen to my son. More often than not, we just figure out what works best for us as there’s really no one-size-fits-all when it comes to parenting. We try to figure out what suits us best. Sometimes it’s trial and error, but that’s how we learn.
Tell us about your pregnancy journey.?
My pregnancy was fairly smooth, except that I had a uterine fibroid which caused some discomfort around my second trimester. But other than that, it was alright. I tried to be very careful of everything I consumed or used- food, drink, skincare and medicines. Every choice you make can affect the baby, either positively or negatively, so it is extremely important to keep these in mind.
What were the 3 most difficult challenges as a mom?
1) Being the bad cop and having to say no when it needs to be said.
2) Not looking worried or scared and trying to stay calm through the times my son has injuries or illnesses.
3) Getting him to develop his own conscience and doing my best to hope that his morals and ethics align with mine, as that’s something quite important to me.
What’s a crazy story that you lived through after having your son?
This one time my son (then, a toddler) decided to eat a fistful of mud to imitate our doggo! I had to shove my hand into his mouth and clean it up as best as I could. Although this didn’t stop him from getting a nasty worm infection within a few days which has hopefully ensured that he won’t be repeating this misadventure anytime soon. So, a lesson, you have to basically watch their every move!
Did you have any health challenges during and after pregnancy?
I had a fairly large uterine fibroid which got detected during my pregnancy and grew along the 8 months that I was pregnant, which was largely the reason behind me having to undergo a C-section instead of a natural delivery. My mental health postpartum suffered quite a bit but I didn’t really know what was going on and neither did I get help for it so I don’t know if it would be sensible on my end to really talk about it.
What is the best thing about being a mom?
That I now have a friend for life in my son.
What are your grounding secrets that make you a Eudaimom( a mom deeply connected to her best self)
Thank you for saying that! I feel that to be a normally functioning mother (and human) I depend deeply on some quiet alone time every morning which is why I like waking up really early before everyone else, having my coffee in peace, doing a round of surya namaskar as I watch the morning sun followed by a healthy bit of meditation. It has changed a lot about how I am throughout my day for the better.
A tip for moms who are struggling?
To trust your instincts and not let people tell you what’s good or bad for your baby. Nobody else knows your child the way you do, so really, just hype yourself up in your head as loudly as you can. And also- breast milk and formula milk are both absolutely fine, and the only thing that matters is that your baby is well fed and healthy. Let’s not shame or judge any new mothers because they have enough going on without the added burden of an unwanted opinion.
Please share your message for the Eudaimom Community
Just that I absolutely love this community and what it aims to do for mothers! Shine on!
