“I was 99% sure we were going to have a boy, she is an incredible surprise!”
This is how Greteli de Swardt, actress and mother, talks about her and her husband, Juan’s, baby, Alé, who was born a week ago.
This couple chose not to find out the gender of their first child before birth, a decision for which Greteli is very grateful today.
“I always spoil surprises for myself,” she admits.
“I even knew when my husband was going to ask me to marry him. It was nice to be properly surprised for once.”
She describes the moment she and Juan found out they had become a little girl richer as the highlight of the entire birth process. After all, the couple hadn’t even decided on a name for a little girl until the day before Alé’s birth.
Greteli admits that she actually wanted to give birth naturally, but that Alé was lying in a position that would make it life-threatening to continue with it. They therefore decided on an emperor instead.
“I was afraid it would be cold and clinical, but it exceeded every expectation.
“My husband was with me the whole time, he held my hand and looked me in the eye.”
Greteli admits that she and her husband can’t get enough of their “dream baby”.
“I know that newborn babies sleep a lot, so I don’t let myself be fooled – I might recite a lesson in three weeks.
“But for now we are enjoying every precious moment.”
She admits that she approaches motherhood in a natural, calm and comfortable manner. She grew up in a house where there were often babies. Not only was she already seven years old when her sister was born, but her parents acted as foster parents for many small children and babies over the years.
So it is not a strange idea for her to now look after a baby of her own. She also doesn’t want to consult Google too much to assist her in this new phase of her life.
“In this week I have learned so much from little Alé.
“Women raised babies a thousand years ago without books and the internet, I should be able to do that too. Unless there is an extreme, I’m going to listen to my body and baby.”
Greteli is grateful for the nice and comfortable pregnancy she had and realizes that this is not the experience of every mother.
“I learned a lot about myself and my body during my pregnancy. It’s amazing what one’s body can do and that you can make a person grow. The Lord is wonderful.”