Malvika Sitlani Shares That Her Pregnancy Journey Is Not As Rosy, Talks About The Flip Side Of It
7 Mar 2023 | 8 min Read
Sudeshna Chakravarti
Author | 799 Articles
Pregnancy is always showcased as a warm journey, where people believe that the expectant mum is always on cloud nine, high on energy, enjoying her pregnancy glow. But the truth is every pregnancy journey is not as smooth as society believes and often the mum-to-be experiences several side effects and uncomfortable symptoms that hinder their daily life activities.
Moreover, due to all the hormonal and bodily changes, pregnancy also takes a toll on the mental health of the expectant mum, changing their mood and behaviour completely.
Influencer, co-founder MASIC beauty, and soon-to-be mum Malvika Sitlani, recently opened up to BabyChakra about her pregnancy journey and shared the not-so-flowery side of it. She also revealed how she wanted to use her platform to create a safe space for mums and help them realise that they are not alone in this journey.
Read on as we bring you more excerpts from her candid conversation with us.
On Navigating Her Pregnancy Journey
Malvika revealed how on one hand she was excited about this new phase in her life, but on the other, she was struggling to maintain her overall health. She stated, “Being pregnant is supposed to be the happiest time of your life, it’s supposed to give you this glow, and you are supposed to feel pampered. This is what is supposed to happen. But for me, finding out that I was pregnant, telling my friends and family, and coping with my mental and physical health, it was all a rollercoaster.”
She further revealed, “At the beginning of this whirlwind journey, I was excited and confused. A large part of me was looking forward to this new aspect of my life, being a mom. But there was a consistent feeling of exhaustion and indifference as well. Despite telling my closest friends and family this big, happy news, the fact that there was another human life I would be responsible for, was not sinking in.”
Malvika also emphasised how pregnancy symptoms affect an expectant mum’s health both physically and mentally. She stated, “My first trimester was particularly tough. All the books say it’s normal to feel fatigued during the first trimester, with all the hormonal changes your body is going through, but the toll it took on my mental health was almost detrimental.
To enhance her mental well-being during pregnancy, Malvika immediately took action and decided to seek help. She revealed, “Seeing how my mood and behavior have completely changed, I decided to go into therapy. It was probably the best decision I have taken so far because I feel the change, I am more aware of my emotions, I am more able to handle the low moods I face and I can see a semblance of the person I used to be coming back.”
On The Flip Side Of Her Pregnancy Journey
As discussed, every pregnancy journey is not as happy and joyous as everyone believes. While Malvika expressed how everyone is always focused on the happy part of being pregnant, and rarely do people look at what the expectant mum is actually going through.
She stated, “By October, I was constantly wondering if other mothers, and expectant mothers, felt this way as well. When we talk about being a mum, being pregnant especially, everyone talks about the pros. The magical feeling, how incredible the journey is, the euphoria of bringing another life into this world. I wonder whether that’s because they haven’t had a journey like mine, or if it’s just something that is too stigmatised to talk about.”
Talking about society’s perspective, Makvika added, “Society believes that expectant mothers are supposed to be on cloud 9, feel joyous just for having been able to conceive, maybe it’s time to acknowledge the other side of it too.”
On How Her Platform Helped Share Her Pregnancy Journey
Having a huge follower base, Malvika decided that it was her duty to share her pregnancy journey and to help other expectant mums realise that they are not alone. This is why she started p[osting relatable pregnancy videos, and also took this opportunity to learn the experiences of fellow mums.
She revealed, “I wanted to let expectant mums know that they aren’t alone if they are, indeed, struggling. At the same time, it also gave me the opportunity to take in what other, more experienced mums had to say about it, their advice, and any tips they could share with me. Part of me does want to create a safe space for the expectant mothers that see my videos, follow me, and have stuck with me through this journey.”
She further added, “In that spirit, my vlogs, YouTube videos, and social media have always been open to comments from them. This is my journey and everyone’s will be different. I acknowledge and respect that, at the same time, I want every woman out there to know that they aren’t alone, we’re all here and in this together, giving each other the support and space we need.”
On Being The Voice Of Other Mums
Malvika wants the larger audience to understand the reality of pregnancy, and how it is not at all as flowery as it is shown. She revealed, “Through my voice, my public platform, and my persona, I want to make sure that I do everything possible to bring out the flip side of motherhood. We are superheroes, but even the best of us have difficult days and the world needs to know it. I’m here, not only to talk about my own journey, but to give a voice to all those mums out there who face a hard time during, and after their pregnancy, and to highlight all we can do to support them and help them through it.”
Your pregnancy journey may look different, but as Malvika rightly puts it: you are not alone. So don’t hesitate to seek help when needed and turn to a supportive community to learn from other mum’s experiences. In addition, you can also follow these tips to make your pregnancy journey smoother.
- Exercise regularly: Staying active during pregnancy helps boost your general health, and also reduces stress, improves blood circulation, and enhances your mood.
- Educate yourself: Attending prenatal classes will help prepare you more for pregnancy as well as for your delivery. It will also prevent unnecessary panic throughout your journey.
- Recharge with nutritious foods: A healthy diet can help tackle concerns like constipation and fatigue and also provide your developing baby with essential nutrients.
- Say yes to cravings, sometimes: It’s absolutely okay to give in to your pregnancy cravings sometimes. As long as you have an overall healthy diet, your pregnancy cravings won’t affect you much.
- Write a journal: Journalling and writing your thoughts down can also help reduce your stress and deal with anxiety. You can use this time to write about your uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms, which you can later discuss with your doctor.
Conclusion
We are glad that Malvika is using her platform aptly to bring forward the downsides of every pregnancy journey and break stereotypes created by society. It’s important that everyone understands that pregnancy is not always a joyous ride and that it brings severe changes in the expectant mum.
In addition to being open about your journey and seeking help, make sure to follow the tips that we have discussed to enable a smooth transition into motherhood.
Pro-Tip:
If you are a soon-to-be mumma, then you should definitely get your hands on these products.
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Also Read:
Masoom Minawala Mehta shares working mum struggles: Tap this post to know what Masoom had to say about being a working mum and the tribulations of it.
Malvika Sitlani on mental well-being during pregnancy: Malvika shows how expectant mums can practice self-care during pregnancy.
Kareena Kapoor Khan shares her parenting concerns: Check out Bebo’s biggest parenting concerns and how she deals with them.
Cover Image Credit: Malvika Sitlani / Instagram
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