Maricris Garcia and Luane Dy, along with Chynna Ortaleza and LJ Reyes, recently graced a virtual media conference to share their experiences on motherhood.
Maricris, the singer-actress, and Luane, the TV host-actress, exuded that aura of confidence and calmness perhaps brought about by that life-and-perspective changing rite of passage of pregnancy and childbirth. The Kapuso artists graduated with flying colors from being expectant to first-time moms.
“My baby is just three months old,” said Maricris of daughter Adaiah Denise with husband TJ Cruz. “Everything is first time to me. (My journey as a mom is) very overwhelming. Kami yung mga unang naka-experience nun sa atin (going through pregnancy and childbirth at the time of pandemic). Walang may clue, wala kang mapagtanungan kung ano ang gagawin mo (We had no clue how to go about it and we had no one to ask questions). It was tough.” Maricris recalled that her mindset at that time was just to “go with the flow” as situations unfolded right before her eyes.
Luane couldn’t help but agree with Maricris about the uncertainty of navigating that phase in a woman’s life.
“Giving birth at the height of this pandemic was ibang klase (a different kind of experience),” shared Luane, whose son (with actor husband Carlo Gonzalez) Jose Christiano has just turned one last month.
“It was the start of the pandemic (or the local transmission of COVID-19) in the country and the implementation of lockdowns. We had no idea yet what this (invisible) thing we were fighting against. Wala tayong idea kung paano ito haharapin, anong gagawin natin (At the onset, we had no idea on how to deal with it and what to do).”
Like everybody else, Maricris and Luane have finally made sense of the situation and adapted to it in the course of time.
“I’m still thankful, despite the many things that are going on around us, that we’re doing OK,” said Maricris. “We’re healthy, my baby is fine. Sa ngayon naman, hindi pa ako nahihirapan bukod sa puyat (I haven’t had any difficulty yet in taking care of my baby, except for staying up late). Me and my husband also enjoy having a baby so much. And up to now, I can’t still believe that we have a baby sleeping beside us. (Being a mom elicits) mixed emotions.”
“I’m very happy and I’m trying to enjoy every moment (of motherhood),” added Luane. “If there’s one (good) thing about this pandemic, it’s that we stay at home, nababantayan mo si baby, you get to become a hands-on mom. You get to witness his every milestone. Iba-iba kasi yung nangyayari araw-araw, witness ka dun. Sobrang saya lang.”
Maricris and Luane can attest to the priceless experience of having a bundle of joy under their care. But they know, too, that their lifelong commitment to not just being doting moms but nurturing ones has already commenced. Some young mothers like them would even toy with the idea of planning the future of their children.
“What we’re talking about now is how this pandemic will end,” said Luane, “what kind of future that we can give to the kid given this situation. Sobrang hirap eh ‘di man siya maka-experience nang lumabas… We’re lucky that we live with our in-laws at nandito yung mga pinsan niya, may kalaro siya.”
As for Maricris, looking into her child’s future seems a daunting task now. “We don’t know when this (pandemic) will end. Kung ganito pa rin ba ‘pag laki niya o mababalik pa sa dati ng kagaya ng sa atin (Will the present situation continue until she grows up or are we going back to what we used to)? Kung anong na yung meron ngayon, sige dito tayo (Be content with what we have now). Let’s enjoy the moment. Whatever it is that she wants to do when she grows up, we’re just here to guide and protect her.”
With pandemic or without pandemic, mothers only want the best for their kids.