KRIS BERNAL EMBRACES PREGNANCY AND CHANGING BODY
IT’S BEEN SAID THAT THE PREGNANCY journey is a deeply personal experience. It could be a joyous period for other women, it could also be a challenging or confusing time for others.
For Kris Bernal, she was shocked when she first found out about her pregnancy because she wasn’t trying to conceive yet with her first child with businessman-husband Perry Choi.
“Nagulat kami because it was just ‘one time, big time’ talaga (laughs). So, wow! That’s why my first reaction — I wasn’t too emotional. Parang mas shocked ako, confused ako na ano ang gagawin ko sunod,” the 33-year-old actress, who’s being managed by ALV Talent Circuit, recently shared in an interview at her Korean-style restaurant House of Gogi in Banawe, Quezon City.
“I’ve embraced (the pregnancy) now but at first hindi. I still wanted to work out, I still wanted to do things that were bawal. But everything changed when I first saw the baby’s ultrasound and when I first heard the heartbeat parang, shucks, ito na talaga yun, this is it. Mommy na talaga ako. And then kung makikita mo siya na katawan na siya, tao na siya, hindi na siya yung maliit na dot, you will realize that, ‘Oh, I’m really in this stage of my life.’”
Kris definitely has that pregnancy glow, but initially she struggled over the drastic physical changes that came with being an expectant mom.
“May masakit sa katawan ko. And I’m used to working, I’m a workaholic, like if I don’t have a teleserye, I’m busy with my businesses.
“I’m not used to just staying at home and in bed, and feeling sleepy all the time, and that doing little movements would already make me tired. And you’d really experience darkened knees and armpits. Totoo pala yun?* “So, my body is really changing.” Kris admitted that these body changes got her conscious at first. “You know how much of a fitness addict I am. I’m so used to having a flat tummy. I’d really make sure to maintain it as flat na flat and balingkinitan ako.
“But once your tummy grows bigger and bigger, minsan ‘di mo alam magdi-diet ba ako or talagang eto na yun?... But I’ve learned to embrace it. I’m after the health of the baby now. I’m more on the baby than myself.”
Less vanity or focus on self is definitely the biggest change Kris has observed in herself.
“Matigas ulo ko eh. I’m hard-headed. I follow the things that I want. Kahit ayaw niyo, susundin ko gusto ko. Alam mo yun? Matigas talaga ulo ko, kung ano gusto, yun ang gagawin ko.
“But it has changed. Kahit ang dami kong gusto ‘di ko masunod kasi mas iniisip ko na yung dun sa baby. Feeling ko yun ang change na nangyari sa akin, naging mas less vain ako sa sarili ko.
“‘Di na ako masyado nagpapaka-vain that I still have to be sexy and slim, and I need to work out to maintain my body.”
In terms of food cravings, she noticed that she developed a liking for food that she wouldn’t eat before and an aversion to stuff that used to be her favorites.
“When I had mommy roles before, I didn’t understand bakit may manggang hilaw. Then when I got pregnant, oh my gosh talagang hahanapin mo yung manggang hilaw kahit hindi ko naman kinakain before,” she said.
Suddenly, Kris is also into basketball. “Naglilihi kasi ako sa basketball, which is so weird. I always watch NBA. I don’t miss a game of my favorite team, Dallas Mavericks. Because player Luka Doncic is my idol, pinaglilihian ko si Luka, I want the name Luka to be my child’s second name if it’s a boy.
“It’s so weird because I never got interested in basketball before. Kahit yung asawa ko, ‘pag nagba-basketball, ayokong manood. Now, I’m even the one who tells him about the time schedules of the games (laughs)!”
What kind of mom will Kris turn out to be? “I can’t tell yet, but I consider my dogs to be my children and they’re spoiled. I’m a perfectionist by nature, too. I can say that I am a spoiler and responsible and reliable in everything I do,” she said.
Kris, who will learn about her baby’s gender at around 22 weeks, wants showbiz friends Eugene Domingo, Carla Abellana, Rita Daniela, Rayver Cruz and Rocco Nacino to become godparents.
Meanwhile, the actress shared the best pregnancy advice she received so far.
“The best advice that I got is to learn how to take it slow. Since I’m a workaholic, there were times na parang I felt guilty when I’m not working. And then there were times I felt helpless because bed rest ako. But then you had to surrender to what your body and baby needed,” she said.
As for some tips to fellow expectant and workaholic moms, “Kalma ka lang. Once in a lifetime lang itong binibigay sayo ni Lord… ‘Di natin alam if mangyayari ulit.”
If Kris wasn’t keen on getting pregnant immediately as she was supposed to star in a soap and hoped to work on other projects on GMA 7, her husband Perry was the one who got emotional when he knew of Kris’ pregnancy.
“Gusto na niya talaga. May binili na siyang mga prenatal vitamins pampa-conceive, but I haven’t tried them. It just happened,” she said.
The couple found out about it last December. “It was Christmastime. It was the best Christmas gift for me,” recalled Kris, adding that she had a smooth first trimester. She believes it’s also because “I’m well-supported by my husband.”
Kris further observed: “Naging mas matipid siya, mas naging masipag siya. Siguro nag-wo-worry na siya sa future. Siguro iniisip niya yung mga pagkain, pamana, pambaon, pang-gatas.
“At saka mas malikot yung isip niya in terms of thinking of a new business. Parang ang dami niyang gusto itayo na businesses. Aside from that, I can see that he will become a really responsible dad because sa akin palang, ang dami na niyang sina-sacrifice.”
Kris and Perry will be two years married in September this year. Asked on how married life has been for her, she shared, “‘Di ko alam if ang dami kong natutunan kasi sa sobrang spoiled ako sa asawa ko, parang wala akong natutunan (laughs).
“I mean, I’m still not a good cook, I’m still not the one who does the grocery-shopping. Siya pa rin lahat (He does everything). Wala talaga akong ginawa sa bahay, nagmamaganda lang talaga ako (laughs). Lahat provided niya talaga and he’s very supportive.”