Bong QiuQiu gets ‘real’ by tackling pregnancy weight gain and postpartum blues in Instagram series
Parenthood brings with it many highs and lows, but Ms Ang Chiew Ting, more popularly known as Bong QiuQiu, wants would-be parents to get more acquainted with its “real” side.
The 36-year-old social media influencer, who boasts over 270,000 followers on Instagram, has been documenting her pregnancy and motherhood journeys in her Nice To Meet Qiu series, now in its sixth instalment since March.
The mother of three kids, Meredith Tan, eight, Amelia Tan, six, and Oliver Tan, four, told TNP: “Nobody tells you about all the unpleasant parts that you will be experiencing.”
The 35kg weight gain for her first pregnancy, for instance, caught her offguard.
“I know not many people are like me, but I put on 35kg. I was like what, I (didn’t know) I could eat so much! I literally put on the weight of one person. I mean, my friend weighs about 40kg.”
Then there was the “weird” hair growth.
“When I was carrying my son, I grew hair on my chest and my belly due to the testosterone. It took me a few months after I gave birth for it to fall off.”
She also recounted having an emotional breakdown once because she was unable to breastfeed her first child.
“I begged my husband to send the baby and me away to a Malaysia confinement centre,” she said.
After welcoming her third bundle of joy, Ms Ang embraced the art of letting go. She also managed to get her family members’ help to babysit her two other children.
She shared how she kicked an unhealthy obsession with quick weight loss and urged new parents not to compare themselves with others on social media.
“Generally on social media, people just want to share their glam side,” she said.
Ms Ang also shared with her viewers how she doesn’t believe in spending too much on babies, which she learnt from her own experience.
@tnpdigital Bong QiuQiu reflects on parenthood and postpartum life in her Instagram series! ? She shares candid insights, from unexpected weight gain to chaotic moments. Mum to three kids, she advises against pricey baby buys just for the 'gram and urges parents to ditch the comparison game. Read more on tnp.sg! #fyp #sgnews #parenting #postpartum #BongQiuQiu ♬ original sound - TNP
She said she bought a cot mobile for Meredith, which cost about $89.90, but it was a “total waste of money”.
“She was a newborn, so she couldn’t see it. And she didn’t even sleep in the cot. She was with us on the bed,” she said.
“It was a total waste of money. It was just there for the ’gram.”
In her signature no-nonsense style, the influencer also stressed the importance of checking in on new parents in case of postpartum depression, which she believes fathers also go through.
“The husband has to communicate with the wife. Friends have to check in on both the husband and wife. You have to spot the (hidden) signs.”
Even with all the low points, Ms Ang still remembers each of her pregnancies as “a beautiful time” and reminded parents to embrace all parts of it.
“Just go with the flow and have a very open, positive mindset.”
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