The Bump: Anne-Sophie Williams

Gorgeous Singapore maternity photos in Sassy Mama’s ‘The Bump’!

Ooh-la-la! Featured in this month’s ‘The Bump‘ is French mama Anne-Sophie Williams, who has shared some of the most stylish maternity photos we’ve ever seen! Anne-Sophie moved to Singapore just six weeks before giving birth to her daughter Lottie in April 2016, and as a relative newcomer is still discovering her favourite mama haunts on our fair island. She’s got plenty of great tips about maternity fashion and pregnancy books, though, and one of the funniest pregnancy stories we’ve ever heard! 

What was your reaction when you first found out you were pregnant?
Excited, then scared and then super excited!

Your funniest memory over the 9 months?
Celebrating/commiserating a negative pregnancy test result with lots of bubbles and oysters before discovering I had misread the result (tip: a line is a line regardless of how faint!).

Any great books and resources that prepared you for when your baby arrived?
I did not have much time to read during pregnancy so focused on the essentials. I really enjoyed Up the Duff by Kaz Cooke. It is light and funny but great when you don’t know anything about babies or pregnancy. Some might find it too light but I really enjoyed reading what to expect week by week. It was pretty accurate, too!

Being French, I also wanted some French reads given the approach to pregnancy and parenting is so different from the “Anglo world”. I liked Mon Bebe et Moi, which again is very short but focuses on baby AND mummy, unlike most other books.

What do you think every woman should know before getting pregnant?
You don’t need to plan too much and read about everything, go with the flow and most importantly follow your instincts.

What was the easiest trimester and which one proved most difficult?
I was lucky to have an easy pregnancy. The last couple of weeks were a bit tough because you are torn between excitement and stress…and that belly is really getting big!

Did you follow a fitness programme while you were pregnant?
I did not follow a specific pregnancy programme but tried to stay active as much as possible. I carried on with my usual yoga and Pilates classes, which I adapted when my belly was getting in the way. In the last month, I tried to swim and walk every day.

Any fashion tips and tricks for maternity dressing?
I found maternity clothes generally awful so I bought normal clothes in stretchy fabrics or with elastic waistlines. I kept wearing most of my clothes with a button undone. I also bought cheap basics from H&M, which I could mix with other pieces, and I can still wear them now for breastfeeding. And remember that you can always look more stylish by adding accessories.

Did you have any weird and wonderful cravings?
My usual diet consists mostly of food that’s banned during pregnancy so I had to stop eating all my favourites, and was therefore totally craving raw fish, cold cuts, rare steak and cheeses. My consumption of Nutella (and anything chocolate) also increased quite a lot in the last month of pregnancy.

What did you struggle with most being pregnant?
Seeing my body change was hard at times and I am still worried about getting back to my pre-pregnancy figure.

Name a mama you find inspiring and why?
I admire all the mamas who don’t forget that they are also women and wives.

What are your thoughts about finding out the sex in advance?
There was no chance I could wait! I had to convince my husband that we NEEDED to know…and we made the letter-opening a special occasion.

Did it take you some time getting pregnant or were you one of those mamas who got lucky on the first try?
We got lucky (or unlucky if you ask my husband) on the first try!

What kind of birth did you have? (hospital, home, epidural, c-section, with a doula, etc.).
I was induced a week after my due date and was hoping for a natural birth but I ended up having an emergency c-section. It was an 18 hour labor but the epidural made it seem much shorter (how anyone copes without an epidural I will die wondering)!

Who was your OBGYN, and where did you give birth? How was your birth experience?
Dr Chee Jing Jye from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Centre at Paragon Medical Centre was my doctor and I gave birth at Mount Elizabeth Orchard. I had a wonderful experience, the staff were fabulous at the clinic and at the hospital. Dr Chee was excellent. She is very professional and I felt very confident having her as my doctor in case something were to go wrong.

What helped you get your groove back after being pregnant?
My husband! And looking at Lottie always puts a smile on my face. It is also important to be in touch or see friends regularly.

Do you have any mama-friendly favourite places (restaurants, parks, etc.) to hang out with your baby?
Walking along the river at Roberston Quay is great with a pram. We don’t really consider how mama-friendly places are though, we just do what we would normally do and Lottie comes along. If it’s not pram-friendly, a baby carrier will usually do the trick.

Any local businesses (or websites) that made your pregnancy journey easier?
I moved to Singapore only 6 weeks before my due date so had to have everything ready before arriving. For anything baby and organic, I love hellocharlie.com.au; their cheat sheets are super helpful.

For mama-to-be pampering, Sean at Trimmings – Robertson Quay did the best hair colour I have ever had. And the pregnancy massages at the Sofitel in Sentosa were soooo relaxing.

What are your hopes and dreams for your baby?
Like any mama, I wish Lottie to be happy, healthy, loved and successful in anything that matters to her.

Merci beaucoup, Anne-Sophie! And thanks so much to the fab team at Bambini Photography for sharing these absolutely stunning photos!