The Great Kate Wait may be over, but there’s no less attention turning toward the most famous new mom in the world. The Duchess of Cambridge, or as we commoners like to call her, Kate, delivered the third heir to the English throne in July to global media fascination; but the reality of her postpartum experience has been a quiet one that any new mom would want and, frankly, deserves.
New at Vanity Fair is a four-page, in-depth look at the private life of Kate with Prince William and their new son, His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. The article is an adaptation taken from author Katie Nicholl’s most recent royal biography.
She discloses how Kate has been “cocooned” by her family at their country estate, Bucklebury, outside of London, and that the new mom feels “safer [there] than anywhere else in the world.” Her young family moved in with Kate’s parents just before the baby’s arrival and have stayed there most of the summer, only recently returning to digs of their own.
Most interestingly, the story gives a glimpse at the often coveted information for how Kate cares for herself. While pregnant, she practiced prenatal yoga – benefits of which exist for the mom, baby, and even for postpartum recovery. During one of the hottest summers on record in England, Kate was known to swim in the family’s pool – not only a great low-impact form of exercise to maintain strength during pregnancy, but a fun way to stay cool when hormones meet heat! And on the well-protected grounds, Kate frequently took walks, one of the best ways to ease the nesting jitters and stay active during pregnancy.
Before and after the baby, Kate’s mom made sure she had healthful meals, even whipping up fresh fruit smoothies and keeping plenty of the expecting mom’s favorite muesli snack bars on hand.
But what about life since Baby George’s arrival on July 22 at 4:24pm GMT? It’s as normal as possible. The article suggests that Kate desired a natural birth and was able to do so. She and William passed initially on nannies and nursemaids, enthusiastically taking on the care of their newborn son themselves (although Us Weekly reported this month they’ve since hired William’s childhood nanny as they both return to work). And it’s suggested that the Duchess was quite nervous before facing the media to present her son for the first time.
Any new mom would be proud in that moment, as she and William no doubt were; it’s the aftermath of presenting your post-baby-body that the media loses all dignity with, and Kate, whose weight was often speculated before the royal wedding, was likely not interested in facing that.
“She chose the pale-blue spotted Jenny Packham dress that afternoon because her tummy was still very rounded and she decided there was no point trying to hide her bump, so she went for a flattering dress that showed off her curves,” reported Nicholl in the article. Kate, like every woman who has ever given birth, could still pass for being a few months pregnant the morning after her delivery. There’s not an ounce of shame in that, in fact, we’re celebrating that she wanted to embrace and show off those curves.
We’re also celebrating the high probability that she is a nursing mom. It’s widely speculated that Kate has chosen to breastfeed young George, a choice her mother Carole made for newborn Kate, too. The article said, “the new mother wanted to nurse George for the first months of his life,” and evidence like wearing well-known nursing dresses in public is more or less confirming the reality. For mom and baby both, there are few things that offer as much wellness as this simple, natural act.
Also Read:
Pippa Middleton’s Diet and Fitness Plan
5 Easy Homemade Dinners Even Katie Holmes Can Make
Women Who Breastfeed Stay Thinner Later in Life
image via Us Weekly