Twenty-nine year old Shivali Singh gave up her career to have a family. She tells M&B how being a full-time mother has made her a content individual...

Words & shoot coordination
Poornima Nair Iyer

Hair & make-up Recinda Martis
Visuals Akshay Kulkarni

Tall, fit and slender, Shivali Singh has the makings of a model. But the mum reveals, “I was a journalist working with a television channel. It was a short stint as I wanted to start a family of my own.” Hailing from Punjab, Shivali and her husband Gurpreet Singh, a pilot by profession, first met at a swimming pool at the Army Club in Jalandhar.

She was 19 at the time and he was 22 years old. Their romance went on for five years, till they finally decided to tie the knot. Being married to a pilot of an international airline, Shivali thoroughly enjoyed the first years of marriage, travelling alongside her husband. But after three years, they felt it was time to have a baby to complete their family. “It was a planned pregnancy. We wanted Annika, a.k.a. Tia, to be born on our third wedding anniversary. But she arrived early,” says Shivali.

Except for the initial nausea, Shivali says her pregnancy was normal. “I couldn’t eat home-cooked food at all. My diet consisted mainly of Chinese food, pizza and burgers,” she admits. That would account for the 30 kilos this mum put on during pregnancy! Gurpreet’s mum came over to help Shivali. “We went for a regular check up on March 17, 2009. During the check-up, the gynaecologist told me I was ready to give birth. I immediately got admitted. I was having mild contractions during the day so the doctor induced labour. By night, the contractions got worse.  I had told Gurpreet that I didn’t want to take an epidural but my pains were growing worse and I began to yell for one,” says Shivali.

Gurpreet cuts in, “I was hesitant about being in the labour room but Shivali was adamant that I be there. After initially telling me that she didn’t want an epidural, she began insisting for one. I was unsure about what to do. Finally, after listening to her countless abuses, I succumbed to her wishes and asked the doctor to give her the epidural. At two am, they administered it to her.” However, that didn’t do much for Shivali. “I delivered before the epidural took effect. As soon as I gave birth, I became numb. Tia arrived at three am, weighing a healthy 3.14 kilos. Gurpreet held her before I did,” she says.

For Gurpreet, it was an overwhelming moment. “A lot was happening at that time. I was nervous. It was all too quick to register. When I held Tia, she didn’t cry much. I finally gave her to Shivali. I was fumbling with my phone and it was the doctor who reminded me to call my mum and give her the good news.” As for Shivali, she was overjoyed. “When Tia came into my arms, she actually smiled at me. On the third day, I was back home. Gurpreet and my mum-in-law decorated the house with balloons to welcome us. I was mentally prepared so there were no apprehensions in my mind when it came to caring for my baby,” she avers.