Being pregnant has never been more fashionable than now, writes Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma
Thanks to Bollywood Moms, the average woman is now confident about her pregnancy, struts about in branded maternity clothing, and participates in fashion hunts. She may take a break to enjoy her pregancy or she may continue to work. Either way, she wants to prove to herself and others around her that she is "pregnant, confident, and happy. Period."
The Brits are celebrating the royal pregnancy in style with the much hyped Kate Middleton's expected arrival in July 2013. Back home, we might not have a royal baby on the news as the next big arrival, but there are enough women celebrities who are married, and the next big announcement after their wedding seems to be of their pregnancy.
Yes, pregnancy has become a style statement! It has become a reason to be fashionable, to be in the limelight, and get fans to hear about the much-awaited news. Today anchors, models, and actresses take it in their stride to talk about pregnancy, as it adds a new dimension to their personality. Who could forget Bollywood actress Aishwarya's pregnancy announcement with her losing a film project due to pregnancy!Her journey as a mother with baby Aaradhya, and of course, post-pregnancy weight were quite the eye-grabbers in all media. Celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, Mandira Bedi, Lara Dutta, and Celina Jaitley have all been in the limelight for pregnancy-related announcements promoting yoga CDs, baby pictures and more. In what has been seen as a global trend, women are becoming stronger in their decisions and like marriage, pregnancy too has become a natural phase of life that is accepted. It doesn't bother women anymore as they believe with talent, work will come again, even if it is in the show business.
A decade ago, in India, this would seem inappropriate, especially if one were in the glam industry of films, small screen, and entertainment channels. A decade ago, no such hype existed. Women, especially under the arc lights, were reluctant to talk about pregnancy. Moms-to-be wanted to hide the growing bulge, as pregnancy was considered as an announcement that could hamper career prospects.
Today, however, pregnancy fashion has become a huge business opportunity to be cashed. The mom-to-be is bombarded with a host of products like pregnancy clothing, accessories, necessities like pregnancy pillows, stretch mark creams, specified pregnancy slip-on shoes to name a few. In all the gamut of assertion and the need for women to be recognized for their talent, no matter what event occurs in life, the phase has also become the perfect opportunity for marketeers to utilize the given opportunity with products and services to suit the category. This, they say, is all about "living in style" and "convenience". The would-be-mother is made to feel special and privileged. Several events encourage the lady to be in the limelight with fashion shows or pregnancy calendars. Pregnancy photographers are a new breed of camera-persons on the block, who make you believe that pregnancy is a time to be cherished and stored as a wonderful memory.
In the last decade, a drastic change from multi-speciality hospitals to dedicated maternity hospitals has spruced up for the changing consumer. Today, many pregnant women want to go to a single speciality hospital when it comes to maternity care. No wonder these single speciality hospitals of pregnancy and paediatric care have enough activities to make the momma-to-be believe that this is once-in-a-life-time opportunity and that it needs to be special. With just one or two pregnancies being the norm in urban households today, it is not surprising that most moms-to-be are embracing activities from dedicated mother and child stores, hospitals, and websites that talk of pregnancy as a "never-before and never-after (perhaps)" experience. Many women have even become regular bloggers who write articles and stories detailing every month of their pregnancy and post pregnancy experiences!
Since ages, pregnant women have always been advised to exercise for an easy delivery. Now though, there is a fun alternative - dance therapy! Even classical dance forms are being appropriated and choreographed to suit pregnant women. This trend is fast catching up and even has the approval of many gynaecologists. It is probably not long before we see a pregnancy-speciality restaurant or a special pregnancy makeover by a noted salon to make the lady's day.
Here are some of the most trendy ways to enjoy pregnancy:
- Get a makeover done with a noted beauty salon
- Get a specialized photographer to shoot you a pregnancy portfolio
- Get friends to arrange for a pregnancy get-together in someone's home. It would be good to share an afternoon lunch with other pregnant women to talk about your current phase, especially with people who are in the same zone. Try and arrange for a movie screening on DVD with fresh juices and popcorn to munch on.
- Write a few letters to the unborn baby. Actual handwritten letters. Maybe on what you did that day. These can be stored in a well-decorated box and shared with your little one, once she is able to understand and of course, read well.
- Look-up a restaurant that can arrange for a lovely candle-light dinner in a beautiful ambience that will make you feel good.
Basking in motherly glory is certainly an in-thing now, and most pregnant women are lapping it up. And why not? Afterall, pregnancy is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a miracle the woman's body was designed for!
Thanks to Bollywood Moms, the average woman is now confident about her pregnancy, struts about in branded maternity clothing, and participates in fashion hunts. She may take a break to enjoy her pregancy or she may continue to work. Either way, she wants to prove to herself and others around her that she is "pregnant, confident, and happy. Period."
The Brits are celebrating the royal pregnancy in style with the much hyped Kate Middleton's expected arrival in July 2013. Back home, we might not have a royal baby on the news as the next big arrival, but there are enough women celebrities who are married, and the next big announcement after their wedding seems to be of their pregnancy.
Yes, pregnancy has become a style statement! It has become a reason to be fashionable, to be in the limelight, and get fans to hear about the much-awaited news. Today anchors, models, and actresses take it in their stride to talk about pregnancy, as it adds a new dimension to their personality. Who could forget Bollywood actress Aishwarya's pregnancy announcement with her losing a film project due to pregnancy!Her journey as a mother with baby Aaradhya, and of course, post-pregnancy weight were quite the eye-grabbers in all media. Celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, Mandira Bedi, Lara Dutta, and Celina Jaitley have all been in the limelight for pregnancy-related announcements promoting yoga CDs, baby pictures and more. In what has been seen as a global trend, women are becoming stronger in their decisions and like marriage, pregnancy too has become a natural phase of life that is accepted. It doesn't bother women anymore as they believe with talent, work will come again, even if it is in the show business.
A decade ago, in India, this would seem inappropriate, especially if one were in the glam industry of films, small screen, and entertainment channels. A decade ago, no such hype existed. Women, especially under the arc lights, were reluctant to talk about pregnancy. Moms-to-be wanted to hide the growing bulge, as pregnancy was considered as an announcement that could hamper career prospects.
Today, however, pregnancy fashion has become a huge business opportunity to be cashed. The mom-to-be is bombarded with a host of products like pregnancy clothing, accessories, necessities like pregnancy pillows, stretch mark creams, specified pregnancy slip-on shoes to name a few. In all the gamut of assertion and the need for women to be recognized for their talent, no matter what event occurs in life, the phase has also become the perfect opportunity for marketeers to utilize the given opportunity with products and services to suit the category. This, they say, is all about "living in style" and "convenience". The would-be-mother is made to feel special and privileged. Several events encourage the lady to be in the limelight with fashion shows or pregnancy calendars. Pregnancy photographers are a new breed of camera-persons on the block, who make you believe that pregnancy is a time to be cherished and stored as a wonderful memory.
In the last decade, a drastic change from multi-speciality hospitals to dedicated maternity hospitals has spruced up for the changing consumer. Today, many pregnant women want to go to a single speciality hospital when it comes to maternity care. No wonder these single speciality hospitals of pregnancy and paediatric care have enough activities to make the momma-to-be believe that this is once-in-a-life-time opportunity and that it needs to be special. With just one or two pregnancies being the norm in urban households today, it is not surprising that most moms-to-be are embracing activities from dedicated mother and child stores, hospitals, and websites that talk of pregnancy as a "never-before and never-after (perhaps)" experience. Many women have even become regular bloggers who write articles and stories detailing every month of their pregnancy and post pregnancy experiences!
Since ages, pregnant women have always been advised to exercise for an easy delivery. Now though, there is a fun alternative - dance therapy! Even classical dance forms are being appropriated and choreographed to suit pregnant women. This trend is fast catching up and even has the approval of many gynaecologists. It is probably not long before we see a pregnancy-speciality restaurant or a special pregnancy makeover by a noted salon to make the lady's day.
Here are some of the most trendy ways to enjoy pregnancy:
- Get a makeover done with a noted beauty salon
- Get a specialized photographer to shoot you a pregnancy portfolio
- Get friends to arrange for a pregnancy get-together in someone's home. It would be good to share an afternoon lunch with other pregnant women to talk about your current phase, especially with people who are in the same zone. Try and arrange for a movie screening on DVD with fresh juices and popcorn to munch on.
- Write a few letters to the unborn baby. Actual handwritten letters. Maybe on what you did that day. These can be stored in a well-decorated box and shared with your little one, once she is able to understand and of course, read well.
- Look-up a restaurant that can arrange for a lovely candle-light dinner in a beautiful ambience that will make you feel good.
Basking in motherly glory is certainly an in-thing now, and most pregnant women are lapping it up. And why not? Afterall, pregnancy is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a miracle the woman's body was designed for!