'I was embarrassed to ask for help': Kate Pang recounts struggles from first pregnancy
Visiting a friend in a confinement centre in Taiwan brought back memories for former Mediacorp actress-host Kate Pang
In an Instagram post on Tuesday (Oct 4), Pang shared the financial struggles she faced during her first pregnancy – to her son Aden – and the health problems that followed his birth in 2014.
“Life was really tough,” the 33-year-old wrote. “I lived in a small room that didn't have a kitchen, and every day, I would cook my meals on the balcony with my big baby bump and squat in the toilet to wash my plates.”
Due to her pregnancy, her acting contract was suspended and she had to rely only on her savings.
She said: “Even with the immense pressure, I was embarrassed to ask for help from others. I gritted my teeth and didn't tell anyone.”
Aden’s birth turned out to be a joyous occasion shared with fans, as Pang and her husband, Singaporean actor Andie Chen, posted his birth video online.
But shortly after, things were pretty tough for the first-time mom, who didn’t hire a confinement nanny in order to save costs.
“I had haemorrhoids post-delivery, and my baby didn't seem to be full every day,” she said about her postpartum health complications.
“I gained extra weight, didn't sleep or eat well, and got severely depressed.”
She had previously shared that her postpartum depression had been so severe that she had intrusive thoughts of “throwing Aden against the wall”. She felt miserable as she did not have enough breast milk to provide for her baby, and her cracked nipples made showers a nightmare.
In comparison, Pang had a much less stressful time with the birth of her daughter Avery in 2020.
“She was born in Singapore and our financial situation was better,” she wrote. “I also hired a confinement nurse.”
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