#MUMOFTHEWEEK

Karina Askerova, advertising director for the Russian version of Andy Warhol's Interview magazine, admitted that she did not immediately feel herself to be a mother. But now he is not in a hurry to return to work and devotes all his time to his almost two-year-old daughter Agatha. What did you feel when you found out that you would become a mother? In the very first second - the fear of the unknown, after - delight and joy. Then a little more panic and, in the end, all this set of emotions changed the feeling of anticipation. It's as if you start reading a book or watching a film that was seen by the elect, about whom you heard many different reviews and wanted to see it for a long time, but there was not time, but here it came this moment. First titles! Have driven! How did you start preparing for motherhood? Not that I was preparing actively. I do not like to read the forums. There are too many opinions, different information from unverified sources. I was lucky: my elder sister has three children. I know her children, and the result is on the face, as they say. Therefore, for most of the questions, I turned to her. If you were preparing to have a baby now, knowing everything that you now know, what would change? I would learn more about breastfeeding. This is a separate topic for the whole interview. Do you have "your own" games and rituals? Not that I'm a big fan of playing. In this part we have a dad who can play with Agatha as a fool. One of my favorite rituals is to put her to sleep. We have it very easy. We bathe, hug and with a bottle of baby milk go to the crib. A special love for this ritual is also because immediately after that comes silence and time for yourself, your husband and a glass of wine. What did your child teach you? The child taught me to go for a walk or visit and forget nothing! In the first months, I always forgot something: then diapers, then I go to the baby, then the milk bottles. Now I am an expert in this matter. Months of training were not in vain. What makes you the greatest pleasure in parenting? The greatest pleasure in parenting - to see how your child develops, every day he has new skills and skills, and all this is not without your direct involvement. What was the most unexpected discovery in parenting for you? Many, already held, parents said that with the advent of the child you cease to belong to yourself. Until I became a mother, I did not really believe it. Yes, of course, one should not live "for", but "with" the child, do as you please, or whatever else they write in the fashion books on raising children. But, when you deprive the child of a day's sleep to go to a party for dinner, being sure that he will certainly sleep on the road, and eventually have a lack of sleep and at the same time rest for you and the guests, because the sleepy child is endless hysteria and whims. Then you immediately understand who is ordering the music. Is the husband actively involved in upbringing? The husband participates as much as time allows him (Carina's husband - Denis Grebenyuk, TV presenter and producer - prim.red). He works a lot. His daughter adores, because when he is with her, he completely gives himself to this process 100%. He is not distracted either by football, or by phone, or by his personal affairs. The child feels this absolute involvement, so in our case, when there is a father, my mother does not really need it. The first month was a nightmare or were you ready for difficulties? It seemed to me that I was ready for everything, but no - the first month was a nightmare! How do you buy clothes for your daughter? In general, dressing a daughter is one of my favorite pastimes in motherhood. I love fashion myself, but the world of children's clothes is an endless pleasure. There are, of course, and difficulties: for example, with children's shoes in Russia, big problems! In general, I'm a fan of finding cool things at a good price. I do not like to buy trite brands for a lot of money. I buy both in standard children's clothing stores, and I like to find pretty things in Instagram or abroad. Shoes for every day I buy in Moscow, and something beautiful - I ask my French friend to buy in Paris. We have a wardrobe divided into things for the children's playground, I think my moms will understand me ... And to the "beautiful-ceremonial". Do you have any of your "lifhakas" that you are willing to share with other parents? I'm generally ready to share any information. But only when I am really asked about it. In general, giving advice is a silly undertaking. People (especially young mothers), in fact, still do as they see fit. What is the main advice you would give to "beginners"? None. Only your own experience and intuition. Is it more difficult or easier to be a parent every year? We are not so long ago parents .. Almost 2 years. The path was not simple, but interesting. I'm sure there are still many winding roads ahead, sharp turns, ups and downs. In parenting, you can not be ready for anything. My motto is to relax and enjoy this day. Are you engaged with a child? And what do you think about early development, so popular now? I generally prefer to intuitively approach the issue of education or training. Of course, I'm reading something, listening. But in general I do as comfortable as it is for me and my daughter. I do not compete with anyone in matters that quickly sat down on the pot, started talking or began to tell Pushkin's poems. I try to listen to the child, watch him. All these early development systems will never replace a child with mom and dad, the healthy situation in the family is very important. Love and only your own example. But I'm not the enemy, everything is individual, if the mother thinks that her child needs it - yes, please. Did you have situations when you felt that you could not cope and felt impotent? Oh yeah. It was the first month after the birth. When everything was given to me very hard, especially breastfeeding. I literally ached whole body. Since I am the lucky woman who had terrible headaches after epidural anesthesia, the breasts cracked at the seams, and from endless feeding and tension my neck jammed. I remember, I sat down and started to cry, I felt so sorry for myself! In my work, I always coped with difficult tasks, it seemed to me that I was super-strong and I can do everything. And then, with 2800 kg on my hands, I felt that everything - I can not cope with the situation. My sister, who went through all this three times, helped me a lot. Now I remember with a smile, I think it was just "playing the hormone". But in general, I belong to those women who did not immediately feel like a mother: it took me a while to enter this difficult but very interesting role.

Other publications

  CARREMENT BEAU SS'19   Les Coyotes se Paris SS'19 "A FRENCH HOLIDAY"   Basta daughters Masha and Vasilisa in MUMofSIX for HELLO!   Caution! Kids zone! MUMofSIX AW'18/19