The Bump: Celeste Viviers

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

This month’s ‘The Bump’ is South African mama Celeste Viviers, a registered dietician who gave birth to her first child, son Heath, last August. We love Celeste’s gorgeous beachfront photos with her husband, along with her down to earth thoughts on balancing motherhood and career, the value of raising children in ultra-safe Singapore, and the best places to escape the haze when you’ve got a newborn in tow. And you’ll definitely want to know what her main pregnancy craving was in the first and second trimester!

What was your reaction when you first found out you were pregnant?
I took a home pregnancy test first thing in the morning. I couldn’t sleep the night before as I was waiting with excitement to take the test. When I saw that it was positive, I climbed back into bed next to my sleeping husband, cuddled up and whispered, “We’re pregnant!”  into his ear. He woke up quickly that morning!

Your funniest memory over the 9 months?
It wasn’t funny at the time, but I can look back and laugh now. I had to see a patient one very early morning, and I couldn’t take taxis during early pregnancy because, you know, car sickness. So I took the MRT and ended up being sick on the train which was mortifying! I think I was pretty discreet, but it was really embarrassing.

Any great books and resources that prepared you for when your baby arrived?
I read What to Expect When You’re Expecting, which I thought was great for giving a nice overview of pregnancy. My sister had just had her baby, so we were constantly texting, skyping and mailing each other. I also used a pregnancy app on my phone called Nurture, which was full of useful day-by-day tips.

What do you think every woman should know before getting pregnant?
Get your body ready! Lose that weight, get fit, get yourself in peak condition before you fall pregnant. It really helps with pregnancy symptoms, labour and especially helps with postnatal recovery!

What was the easiest trimester and which one proved most difficult?
Surprisingly the easiest trimester was the third for me. I suffered from terrible fatigue in the first and second trimesters but by the third trimester, I finally got my groove back. The most difficult trimester was definitely the first and into the second trimester as I had terrible morning (aka all day) sickness.

Did you follow a fitness programme while you were pregnant?
I had terrible fatigue whilst I was pregnant. It really knocked me and took me by complete surprise. I am normally extremely active and do a lot of sport. I always expected to be an active pregnant woman, but I really struggled. I did manage plenty of walking and tried to swim most days, but really didn’t do as much as I expected!

Any fashion tips and tricks for maternity dressing?
I found the range of maternity wear in Singapore very limited and quite pricey.  I just bought a few items from my regular stores in bigger sizes and looser fits. Fortunately, that worked for me right up until delivery.

Did you have any weird and wonderful cravings?
Not really, but during the peak of my morning sickness all I could eat were salt and vinegar crisps (to my horror!).

What did you struggle with most being pregnant?
Definitely the morning sickness and fatigue. I was really shocked at how tired I was. Before falling pregnant, I thought that pregnancy symptoms were exaggerated…boy was I wrong!

Name a mama you find inspiring and why?
Every single working mama; juggling my time between baby, work, home, husband, friends and working out is proving very challenging!  I am in awe of the ladies that make it look so easy!

What are your thoughts about finding out the sex in advance?
We did. I wanted the sex to be a surprise, but my hubby wanted to know. In the end, he convinced me to find out. I’m glad we did. I had always just assumed that I would have a baby girl. When we found out we were having a boy, I needed some time to adjust my expectations!

Did it take you some time getting pregnant or were you one of those mamas who got lucky on the first try? (optional)
We were lucky enough to fall pregnant very easily. Heath arrived about 6 months earlier than we had planned!

What kind of birth did you have? (hospital, home, epidural, c-section, with a doula, etc.).
Heath was born at Mount Elizabeth Orchard.  It was a natural birth with epidural.

Who was your OBGYN, and where did you give birth? How was your birth experience? (optional)

Dr Chee Jing Jye from The Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre (TOGC) at Paragon Medical Centre.  We had a wonderful pregnancy and birth experience. Dr Chee was amazing! So enthusiastic and positive. Between Dr Chee and the staff at Mt Elizabeth, we knew we were in competent, experienced hands. So important when giving birth for the first time far from home!

What helped you get your groove back after being pregnant?
My mom came over for a month, which really helped with adjusting to having a baby and breastfeeding!

Do you have any mama-friendly favourite places (restaurants, parks, etc.) to hang out with your baby? Why?
VivoCity was a lifesaver during the haze. Heath was just 1 month when the haze settled in. I would have gone completely crazy staying in the apartment, but I took him mall strolling in Vivo every day. They have great children facilities (e.g. nursing rooms, toilets etc.) and of course have just about every store you need!

Any local businesses (or websites) that made your pregnancy journey easier?
Sugarlight Photography: For beautiful photographs that truly captured that special time in our lives.

Babies Bellies for safe and affordable prenatal massage. I’m not sure if it was coincidence, but after their massage at 38 weeks, I went into labour naturally.

What are your hopes and dreams for your baby? Health, wealth and happiness!
The same as any mama, I guess. However, coming from South Africa I guess we are very safety and security conscious, so it is very important for us to give Heath the opportunity to grow up in a safe, harmonious environment.

Thank you so much, Celeste! And thank you to the wonderful Gunilla of Sugarlight Photography for these gorgeous snaps.