Author: Geeta Basra, Actress
After welcoming her second child with husband, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Geeta Basra is no stranger to the demands of pregnancies and motherhood. The actress opens up to iDiva in an exclusive interview about her incredible journey with her two kids—Hinaya Heer and Jovan Veer Singh Plaha.
iDiva: This was your second pregnancy. How was it different from your first one?
Geeta Basra (GB): “It was different in every aspect. Hinaya’s birth was pre-pandemic, so for the first four months, I was travelling a lot. I was exercising—walks, yoga classes, you name it! But with Jovan, it was restrictive because it was peak COVID and I had to be at home.
Additionally, during the first pregnancy, I was focused on myself but during the second one, I was focused on my first born. To nurture a child while also being pregnant is a bit of an out-of-body experience. My eating habits also changed. During the first time, I had a number of cravings. With Jovan, I was eating only the necessary amounts!”
Credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra
iDiva: How has your relationship with your own body changed? Have there been times when you’ve not felt confident in your body?
GB: “Of course, your body changes completely—you are never going to feel the same about it. Since I had pre-empted the transition, I was very relaxed for both of my pregnancies. The experience of being pregnant is beautiful and enriching as a person.
In terms of feeling underconfident, I think I have always been very positive. After Hinaya, I remember that I took much more time to get back into the routine of working out but I never stressed myself over it. With Jovan, the situation was slightly different as I was already running behind Hinaya and keeping myself active postpartum.”
Credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra
iDiva: How has breastfeeding impacted you as a new mom?
GB: “The experience has been surreal, to be honest. I must admit, it isn’t the easiest process. You see all of these women for whom it happens instantaneously but that’s not always the case. At the end of the day, it is an excellent bonding experience and you really understand your child. It was magical for me on both occasions.”
iDiva: What is the one thing that really surprised you about the pregnancy and motherhood journey?
GB: “Everything has a novelty to it. From seeing the scan of your child to actually giving birth, one thing that stays with you is how strong we women really are. We peg ourselves to be weaker but childbirth changes that perception and how! Even learning from your kids is a new experience because they have so much to offer, despite you being the parent.”
Credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra
iDiva: How did you prep in advance for both your pregnancies and motherhood?
GB: “Let me put it this way—during your first pregnancy, you are going to end up reading and watching anything on the topic. There’s no dearth of content around new mothers and first-time pregnancies. For Jovan, however, the only thing I ended up searching for was baby food recipes! It’s more of a ‘been there, done that!’”
iDiva: What are the challenges you’ve faced while travelling with children?
GB: “Packing! When you’re travelling with two young kids, you have to account for the fact that they’re growing out of their clothes faster than you imagine. When I was travelling with Jovan recently, I had to pack almost his entire wardrobe because I didn’t know the exact date of return.
Even the food part of it can be stressful. Since Hinaya is now older, she is able to eat a variety of things but with my younger one, there is packing his milk, his eatables etc. It’s a few suitcases dedicated only to them!”
iDiva: Who is part of your new mom support group?
GB: “All of my best friends became mothers at the same time so they’ve transformed into my support group. We discuss our journeys if needed and seek each other’s guidance on dealing with kids.”
Credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra
iDiva: What advice would you give new moms who are struggling with their postpartum bodies?
GB: “I feel that not much awareness has been created around post-pregnancy bodies as well as postpartum depression. When we look at smaller Indian cities and towns, the mentality is to dismiss it as ‘drama’, ‘attention-seeking’ or ‘crazy’. It’s difficult for others to understand the magnitude of change that new mothers are experiencing. Oftentimes, you find yourself not knowing how to solve the situation and that can be a helpless feeling to deal with.
A lot of it will change, provided such topics are addressed more openly—through education and other social tools. In more empowered nations, there are mandated doctor visits for women dealing with such difficulties. In India, it is not a part of public debate and conversation. The onus is also on women—we need to speak up and seek professional help, if and when needed, to highlight postpartum depression.
Credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra
iDiva: How much do you feel society is to blame for women not being able to accept their imperfections?
GB: “I think a lot of it has to do with social media and not society at large today. In a world of doctored images and airbrushed locations, it is very easy to get swayed into this world of illusion. But that’s not real. We are constantly critiqued for not having a flat stomach, flawless skin, the best hair—it’s challenging because you are constantly surrounded by this manufactured definition of ‘perfection’.
Social media has also given rise to excessive trolling. Be it a new mother or a working woman, there is no end to it. It’s so disheartening to see because women are, quite literally, changing the world. When I had posted a photo right after giving birth, a few of the comments were about how ‘moti’ I was. Like give me a break!”
Lead image credit: Instagram/GeetaBasra + Shutterstock
