Yoga mom Gunjan Kochhar talks about having her third baby after 10 years

A lot of people, instead of congratulating, asked me why I was having the child at this age. But why would someone else question my decision? It was a huge decision for me to stop everything I was doing in my work space for the past 10 years, and go ahead with the pregnancy.

Source: Gunjan Amrit Kocharr/Facebook

What was your husband’s reaction to the pregnancy? Did you have any complications, physical or otherwise?

My husband (fashion designer Jattin Kochhar), was extremely supportive. He left it to me to take the decision. That was a huge boost because there are women I know who accidentally conceived in their late 30-40s and were told by their husbands, “No way!”

I was literally in a trance through my pregnancy. With no morning sickness and no issue with food, this was the smoothest of my pregnancies. I had gained only 9.5kg. I was teaching yoga till the last week before delivery.

Did your elder children have an issue with welcoming a sibling?

I had to take their permission, of course. My doctor told me very clearly that I could go ahead with the pregnancy but also discuss it with my children first, as such things can cause distress among them, at a certain age. I told them I would have the baby only if they were okay with it, else we would abort. My son, who is 16 now, told me if the results were positive, we should definitely go ahead. During my first ultrasound, my daughter, 11, went with me. She saw the baby’s heartbeat and was ecstatic. That said, there did come a phase during my pregnancy when my son, for a moment, asked, “Why do we have to?” Children may have insecurities when a new member is added to the family. It’s here that the parent comes in, to really comfort them. To this day, they have the best time with their sibling.

How do your husband and you manage to balance work and family time?

My husband works from home, which is a big support. We need to make sure that when kids are of a certain age, at least one parent should be available at home for them. For both my husband and I, striking a balance between family time and work is crucial. Sometimes, both of us have had to travel overseas. In this case, my in-laws have also been very supportive, without whom I wouldn’t have been able to handle so much. My husband is a huge support when it comes to children. He is a hands-on dad who will do things without being told. It almost comes naturally to him as a father. We make sure we have our meals together at the dinner table; we try to keep our phones away. My husband and I plan our work in a way that allows us to be with our children.

In the age of the internet, how do you think parenting has changed from the time you had your first child?

When I had my first child, one could not rely on the internet. One had to be a resourceful person and do everything first-hand. And when everything is new and raw, you can explore and experiment more. Sometimes, even the little things you browse online will lead you to something chronic. We are following ideas from the West so much that we are forgetting our own ancient wisdom. Every child is unique and their requirements are different.

There has been a lot of debate on breastfeeding vs formula feeding. What is your opinion on the subject?

I am not the one to judge. I understand people have to balance their work and personal life. I just feel, if a mother can, she should breastfeed. It is only a little bit of hard work in the beginning. I still feed my child, who is more than a year old now. Even when he is sick, I know he will recover much faster if I feed him even if that means I have to get up every hour at night to do so.

When you have been constantly working and there are things you suddenly have to take a step back from, it’s a tough decision. There are times I crave sleep through the night and I am exhausted. But then, when I see a happy child, I feel it’s worth it.

How can yoga aid a woman through pregnancy?

The yoga practice should ideally begin before planning a child. Most importantly, women should practice breathwork–long-deep breathing, anulom vilom, and bhramari pranayam–which will smoothen the process. They should avoid any pranayam which works on the abdomen area. They can also practice breathing through the left nostril only for at least three minutes a day. This will help them cope with high blood pressure. And meditation is the key. Yoga can be practiced till the last trimester.