Recently, I had the opportunity to chat one-on-one with actress and mama-to-be, Eva Amurri, at A Pea in the Pod/Rachel Pally fashion event. We talked about all facets of pregnancy, from styling the bump to how she is feeling right now. And she even revealed to me what advice her mother, Susan Sarandon, has been giving her about motherhood and what kind of grandmother Eva thinks she will be!
RCR: So tell me how you’re feeling right now.
EA: Now I’m feeling great. I had a kind of rough first trimester. I was not that into it and then my second trimester came. I felt good. I got my energy back and then the most amazing milestone was when she started kicking and moving and it’s just so fun now. It’s like I just feel like I have my buddy with me all day and she’s really an active baby so she just is like freaking out all day long, kicking, punching, doing karate inside me. So it’s cool because it alleviates any of my concerns like I know that she’s doing fine.
RCR: That’s great!
EA: And it’s just cute. I like that my husband can communicate with her more and touch her and feel her because for so long it was just me experiencing all of it, so it’s nice that he can participate now.
RCR: Right, it makes it more real.
EA: Yes, definitely.
RCR: So, what have you learned along the way? Are there certain tips that you would share with other moms-to-be?
EA: It’s so funny. I wrote my first installment of a pregnancy blog that I’m writing for people.com.
RCR: Okay, tell me more.
EA: That comes out on Friday and literally my first posting, over 1,700 words about my first trimester and what I learned, but it’s basically about you just really needing to cut yourself some slack. It is a really hard time. There is no way that you are supposed to feel. Feeling anything at that time is totally normal. There is just a range of emotions and feelings. And just because you’re not feeling what you feel like other people have felt during their first trimester, doesn’t mean that you’re bad or a bad parent or a bad mother or that you’re not grateful for your pregnancy. You know? It’s really important to remember that because it’s a really hard time.
RCR: It is.
EA: And It’s important to just be gentle with yourself during that time.
RCR: Yes. Well I think a lot of women too, we feel guilty if we’re not spending all of our time studying up on pregnancy, planning the nursery, etc. But it is hard when you are also balancing a career, a family and other responsibilities.
EA: Yes.
RCR: And how have you come to deal with that whole notion?
EA: I’m learning. My husband really has been good about asking me to delegate errands and things to him. I’m definitely also the person at home. I organize everything. I cook, I clean. I do it all in my house and work. And that’s been something that I’ve been able to maintain because I’m kind of a multi-tasker by nature. Well you can’t do that anymore when you’re pregnant. You just can’t. So it’s been just about letting go. Trusting him to do things that he can totally do. He’s a totally intelligent, amazing, grown man, and he can do these things that I need him to do. Pregnancy I’ve found, in a nutshell, is a meditation and preparation for parenthood.
RCR: That’s a good way to look at it.
EA: Preparing you. And a lot of your struggles during pregnancy I’ve found are totally going to be the same things you’re dealing with as a parent. For me, it’s been about letting go, relinquishing control, understanding that this is a new experience and being open to that, knowing that I can’t be the exact same person as I was before I was pregnant. I can be a different, more gentle version.
RCR: Right. It’s like an exercise in letting go. You know?
EA: Yes, definitely.
RCR: And has your mom, Susan Sarandon, given you any advice?
EA: She hasn’t really. I mean all she keeps on saying is, “You can’t even know what it’s going to be like before it happens, before the baby is here.” I like to do research and she’s like, “That’s bullshit!” But she’s smart enough not to be giving advice, you know? I think that’s so annoying when you’re expecting a baby and everybody has advice for you.
RCR: Yes, if it isn’t requested, it definitely can be.
EA: And you’re like back off. So she’s smart, she hasn’t been doing that. But yeah she’s really excited.
RCR: She’s really excited?
EA: Yeah.
RCR: What kind of a grandmother do you think she’ll be?
EA: Well, she says she’s going to be the kind of grandmother that just spoils the baby.
RCR: Nice!
EA: And does everything for the baby that I say that they’re not allowed to do, which sounds really annoying to me as the parent but we’ll see how she feels when the baby is here! For example, she says, “I can just throw it right back at her, you never know until the baby’s here how you’re going to feel or what it’s going be like,” so I don’t know. All I know is she’s so excited and she’s so excited she’s a girl. We all are.
RCR: And what was that like when you all found out?
EA: We’re just like, “Oh my God. It’s the best.” It’s just like winning the lottery. My husband really wanted a girl, really wanted a girl.
RCR: So cute.
EA: I was so excited and also even more thrilled for him that he was getting his wish. But it’s been really fun. Do you know what you are having?
RCR: A girl as well. I love that.
EA: It’s like we won the lottery!
RCR: Yes we won the lottery. And get to have mother/daughter time. What are you looking forward to doing with her?
EA: I’m looking forward to just seeing what she’s like. I think little kids are just so hilarious and I just can’t wait to see what a little freak she probably is and like hear all of the funny things that she’s going to say. And I’m just really excited to get to know her, you know?
RCR: Yeah, I do. Just really having her personality come out and everything.
EA: Yeah
RCR: Any styling tips for dressing the bump?
EA: I’ve found that things that are tighter or clingier. Those work better for me. Just I like showing off my shape. I think that it’s more flattering for my body type. My boobs are like three times the size that they normally are! Being that this is a time where you really need to think about how you’re feeling, make sure you’re comfortable, make sure you’re feeling good in what you’re wearing, so I’ve been dressing up more, instead of just throwing on a t-shirt and jeans. I find myself putting outfits together because for me, feeling pulled together makes me feel good, so I will put in extra time to do my hair, do my makeup, whereas before I would just throw my hair in a bun. I just feel better about myself and about my life and my pregnancy if I just look more pulled together.
RCR: Yeah
EA: So I’ve been doing that more.
RCR: That’s good. Heels or flats? Has it come to that yet?
EA: I’m wearing heels right now. But I tool around in flats. Or what I’m obsessed with is the Nike wedge sneakers. I have them in 20 different styles. They are so comfortable. They are the only wedge sneakers in my opinion, because I’ve tried them all, that are actually really comfortable.
RCR: So that’s your fashion obsession right now?
EA: And I love A Pea in the Pod!
RCR: Oh these tanks and everything? Amazing right? And they’re so cute.
EA: Amazing. Yeah so I have those in almost every color and I wear those all the time.
RCR: Thanks for chatting with me. Best of luck with everything.
EA: Thank you. Same to you.
R: Thank you!
