The Bump: Nisha Ayyamani

Beautiful Baby Bumps

This edition of The Bump features the very glamorous Nisha Ayyamani, an amazing freelance makeup artist who can get you ready for a night out, a wedding or any other special occasion – she’s even done the faces of the Sassy Mama team! We caught up with Nisha just a little while before her gorgeous baby boy, Sage, was born just two weeks ago and chatted about everything from her smooth pregnancy to being sent home cooking from overseas by her mama!

What was your reaction when you first found out you were pregnant?
I was in utter disbelief when I found out I was pregnant. I saw that faint blue positive line appear and started running around the house holding it up to the light in different rooms trying to make sure I wasn’t blind! After some encouragement from the nurses at my OBGYN – I was in complete denial – I went in for a blood test and by 3pm that afternoon, they called with the awesome news and confirmed I was 5 weeks pregnant. I called my husband Dinesh immediately to tell him and he was on a motorbike ride with TV Presenter and motorbike enthusiast, Charley Boorman and a bunch of friends that day. He’d screamed so loud inside his helmet on his Bluetooth device and yelled “Can I please tell Charley Boorman?!?!?”

Your funniest memory over the nine months?
I have had loads of funny moments and memories. I’m surrounded by great friends in Dubai who keep me laughing and an extremely supportive husband who’s kept me laughing throughout this pregnancy.

He was in shock the other day at the supermarket when he saw how many diapers could fit into a pack.

“Oh my god! How small are diapers?! How did they get 84 diapers to fit into that pack?” he asked. Only then did I discover he’s never actually held a diaper in his hands. A little “diaper on teddy bear” tutorial was done shortly after!

Another occasion was when I forwarded a picture to my family back home of what a 20 week baby looked like when I was 20 weeks. It was one of those computer-generated images they send you in the weekly pregnancy subscription from Baby Centre. My dad got excited and ran to my mum with the image saying “WOW! Look at the baby; you can see his features so clearly!” My older sister had to break the news to him that that wasn’t the actual picture of his grandson.

Any great books and resources that you turned to for baby preparation?
I only stuck to two websites that sat well with me for advice and tips: www.thebump.com and an email subscription to Baby Centre, which sent me weekly updates on the progression of my pregnancy and what to expect and detailed information and tips. I highly recommend this. I also had my mum, who I could turn to for advice and information.

What was the easiest trimester and which one proved most difficult?
I was very fortunate and had a great pregnancy. I only had two nights of fatigue in my first trimester and lay in bed the whole day. I didn’t have any morning sickness or anything else. I was very lucky and I can’t complain. Towards the end, I started to feel “pregnant”: heavy and uncomfortable. Some nights were difficult as I tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position to sleep.

Did you follow a fitness programme while pregnant?
No real fitness programme was established. I just tried to keep as active as I could. I did prenatal yoga in my second trimester and I was told to take it easy during my first trimester and just take regular walks. I tried to swim as much as I could. Being pregnant throughout summer meant evening swims and this was when my energy was at its lowest. I’m not one to sit still and do nothing so I kept busy, even if it meant going to the malls and just taking a stroll on days I didn’t have clients.

Any fashion tips and tricks for maternity dressing?
As for fashion tips and maternity dressing, I say, wear what you’re comfortable in. I couldn’t fit into any of the maternity clothes my husband bought me from the US on his work trips until I was about 30 weeks plus. So I just wore what worked for me and what I felt comfortable in. I only started wearing some maternity clothes towards the end of my pregnancy and I loved the stuff my husband got from Old Navy in the States.

What did you struggle with most while being pregnant?
I didn’t really struggle too much physically while pregnant. I still did everything I used to do, but just at a slower pace. I’m a little OCD at home, so reminding myself to “slow down” and “leave the laundry basket alone”, as my husband likes to remind me every now and then, was a challenge for me.

What kind of delivery did you hope for?
I hoped for a healthy and safe delivery. Lots of painkillers & epidurals were welcome! I instructed my doctor to do what she felt best at the time of delivery. As long as baby and I are safe and healthy, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter to me. My nerves and anxiety built up every now and then when I thought about it, but I guess that’s all expected?

Name a mama you find inspiring and why?
My mum is one of the most inspiring mothers I can think of. I am a twin and we have an older sister. How she managed the three of us? I will never know.

She was put on this earth to be a mother, to be an amazing mother, I must say. So selfless, patient and caring, even today. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for us or my father and I aspire to be as dedicated and amazing as her! She gave up everything to be a stay at home mum and raise us. I’m so grateful that she’s here to help us now that the baby is here. I was thoroughly spoilt throughout my pregnancy by her, including being sent meals from Malaysia to fix my cravings for her home-cooked meals.

Another inspiring mama is a great friend of ours who’s also our neighbour. Irina kept me sane and kept it real for me throughout this pregnancy. She and her husband Scott have been great pillars of strength and support for my husband and I. We are forever grateful to the both of them. Scott is a fantastic cook and keeps me well-fed when my husband is away on work trips.

What are your thoughts about finding out the sex in advance?
We were very eager to find out the sex of the baby. I wanted to get started on buying clothes and my husband was pretty eager to find out too so we didn’t hesitate to find out. I would not have been able to sit still for nine months not knowing the sex of the baby! Way too much excitement to contain! We knew we were having a boy in early November.

Did it take you some time getting pregnant or were you one of those mamas who got lucky on the first try?
We did face some challenges getting pregnant, it took us a good year and a half. But we had help and guidance from our amazing OBGYN Dr Rosalie Sant from Primavera Medical Centre, who didn’t allow us to give up. I highly recommend her.

Did you or do you have any weird and wonderful cravings?
The only cravings I had were for cold and crunchy things. So this meant lots of fruit and vegetables, fortunately, and cold cereal from the freezer! I also had cravings for mum’s cooking and visits to iHOP for buttermilk pancakes some mornings with my husband!

Where did you have your baby and who is your OBGYN?
I delivered at City Hospital and my OBGYN is Dr Rosalie Sant from Primavera Medical Centre.

Thank you to the lovely Natalie Robinson for taking these beautiful pictures of Nisha!