The Bump: Angela Poon

Gorgeous Singapore Maternity Photos in Sassy Mama’s ‘The Bump’

This month’s ‘The Bump’ is Australian mama Angela Poon, whose Botanic Gardens photo shoot with the team at Bambini Photography basically looks straight out of a magazine! Angela’s much more than a pretty face, though: she shares a fab list of pregnancy and baby books previously not mentioned in this series, and bravely talks about her “miracle pregnancy” (it took her 18 months to conceive naturally, after being given a less than 10% chance for success. Her daughter, Aurelia, was born this January). Read on for more Singapore pregnancy inspiration, mama!

What was your reaction when you first found out you were pregnant?
Surprised and excited on the inside, but I somehow managed to keep it a secret from my husband for a couple of days to surprise him on our 4-year wedding anniversary. I wrapped up a pair of baby booties with a card inside a box announcing “You’re going to be a Daddy!” Best present I’ve ever given him! (And yes, there were tears.)

Any great books and resources that prepared you for when your baby arrived?
Best books were Expecting Better by Emily Oster, Elevating Child Care by Janet Lansbury, and Baby Love by Robin Barker (although I only got through a third of the book before bubs arrived).

Stork’s Nest Singapore is a great Facebook group, and we also attended prenatal classes at Mother and Child.

What do you think every woman should know before getting pregnant?
That having a child will change your lifestyle, and outlook on life, in both positive and disruptive ways, but if you are mentally prepared for it, it’s one of the most rewarding life experiences.

What was the easiest trimester and which one proved most difficult?
First trimester was the most difficult with nausea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. The second trimester was the best as I got my energy back and morning sickness subsided. It was also exciting to finally look pregnant!

Did you follow a fitness programme while you were pregnant?
Prenatal yoga at Pure Yoga starting from the second trimester helped me through my pregnancy, I had a very easy pregnancy with no back pain and I attribute this to strengthening of my support muscles through yoga.

Any fashion tips and tricks for maternity dressing?
Maxi dresses are super comfortable and will last throughout a pregnancy and can still be worn post-pregnancy. If you buy any maternity wear try to get those that are nursing friendly too so they can be worn post-partum.

Did you have any weird and wonderful cravings?
Just once, walking through the streets of Tokyo on our babymoon I craved green tea ice cream and could not think of anything else until I got my hands on some.

What did you struggle with most being pregnant?
At the beginning of the pregnancy I worried about miscarriage and the health of the little one. Reading Expecting Better helped me a lot but it was to a small degree still in the back of my mind until I had her in my arms. Oh, and not being able to indulge in some of my favorites like sashimi, especially during my trip to Japan!

Name a mama you find inspiring and why?
My own mother Lyn, who along with my father raised myself and my sister Natalie with no outside help (no such things as helpers where I grew up!). She stayed with me for the first month after Aurelia was born and was amazing and took care of everyone and everything around the house whilst I focused on taking care of Aurelia. I would not have been able to survive that first month without her. Now she’s gone home my lovely mother-in-law Lucy has taken over and she’s pretty amazing, too!

What are your thoughts about finding out the sex in advance?
Initially we wanted to keep it a surprise, but then when discussions about names came up it was a difficult process and we decided to find out about the sex in order to keep it simple!

Did it take you some time getting pregnant or were you one of those mamas who got lucky on the first try?
It took us about 18 months. Aurelia is our miracle baby as I was given a less than 10% chance of getting pregnant due to diminished ovarian reserves but was able to fall pregnant naturally. I attribute this to acupuncture therapy that I did for 6 months as well as generally looking after myself through exercise and better eating habits (and a whole lot of luck).

What kind of birth did you have? (hospital, home, epidural, c-section, with a doula, etc.).
Vaginal birth with epidural at Raffles Hospital.

Who was your OBGYN, and where did you give birth? How was your birth experience?
Dr Tony Tan at Raffles Hospital. Had a fuss free birth experience (especially when the epidural kicked in). After a 23.5-hour labour I managed to push her out in 3 contractions. The doctors, nurses and lactation consultants at Raffles were wonderful and we felt very well taken care of.

What helped you get your groove back after being pregnant?
Getting out of the house on a regular basis, having family to help out around the house, and a loving husband to look after me and go through this amazing journey with.

What are your hopes and dreams for your baby?
To be healthy, to find love, and to be able to fulfill her own passions whatever they turn out to be (pro golfer if dad had his way!).

Thank you so much, Angela! And thank you to the team at Bambini Photography for sharing these absolutely stunning snaps!