Dubai mums
Yasmeen Seif : life with twins
10:31Yasmeen Seif : PR & Marketing Manager for a luxury shoe brand
Origin
:
Egyptian
Children
: Twins, Lara & Talya 2 & ½ years
old
Living
in Dubai : 9
years
Location
of shoot : A local play park on The Palm
Can
you tell us a bit about your life prior to having Talya &
Lara?
Well
I really feel I’ve gotten to do most of what the city has to offer. I moved to
Dubai prior to getting married and having the girls so I got to experience it
all – the parties, the beaches, the restaurants, all of it! It was (and still
is) a really amazing life to live in Dubai.
How did you feel when
you first found out that you were expecting
twins?
I was so completely shocked - I
thought the doctor was an alien at that point. Twins do not run in either of our
families, so to find out I was pregnant and that it was twins at the same time
was very overwhelming. Once the shock settled in, my husband and I burst out
laughing and couldn’t stop.
When
did you stop working to go on maternity leave?
I
had been working normally throughout most of my pregnancy until I was
almost 28
weeks. I went for a visit to the doctor who immediately put me on emergency bed
rest; I was feeling fine, but the weight of the girls was a lot of pressure and
so I was told I had to be off my feet and take it slow for the rest of the
pregnancy so I stopped working around that time.
How
was your experience giving birth to your girls?
I
had a planned c section at 37 weeks. My father in law was actually the one who
delivered the girls, so it was a very smooth and comfortable process. I gave
birth in Jordan as that is where my husband is from. I had so many people in the
room with me though – my husband, my parents, my inlaws, uncles and more. I just
tuned everyone out though and just kept to myself. At that moment I wasn’t
scared of the delivery – I was just scared of becoming a mum!
Who was your support
network in the first few months after Lara & Talya were
born?
Thank God I had such a strong
network. I had a lot of helping hands; from my own family, my husband’s family
and my friends. I don't think I would have made it without them! It’s a very
exhausting phase and I really wasn’t sure what to do. I may not have been vocal
to say thank you to everyone, but I was very
grateful.
When did you return
to work after giving birth?
I returned back when the girls were
2 months old. I needed to go back to work for my own sanity. I say it all the
time – stay at home mums have it much harder than working mums! I needed to
escape and feel like myself again, work definitely gives me that time to be
me.
And how did you feel
adjusting back into working life?
Of course there is guilt that goes
hand in hand with it: I always feel like I don't spend enough time with my
girls, but I knew it was important for me as I’ve always been someone who works.
In my own selfish way, I didn’t feel ready to give that up. I also grew up in a
household where my own parents both worked so this is the norm for me. I
adjusted as well as I could have for the situation and now that the girls just
started nursery, it has really helped with the guilt factor: I feel like they
are in an engaging environment and having fun while away from
me.
What’s life like now that Lara
& Talya are 2 & ½ years old?
They make me laugh on a daily
basis. They are hilarious and it’s also really amazing to watch the interaction
between them as twins and as sisters. I didn’t have a sister growing up so it’s
pretty cool to see that relationship grow in front of me. Their personalities
are nothing like us; they are very strong willed. I do have some days where I
just melt down; it can be overwhelming and I have found out some things about me
that I don't like – the yelling, the frustration from my side etc, but I guess
that is normal as a mum. I do always watch them with the biggest smile on my
face though; I (usually!) think they’re so cute and
funny!
What sort of things
do you enjoy doing together as a family?
They are happiest when they are
outside of the house: at the pool, the beach etc. So we try and spend as much
time engaging them in outdoor activities; they aren’t very picky about what the
activity is, as long as its outdoors!
Is
being a mother of twins anything like you thought it would
be?
Ha! Who would have a description of
what being a mother of twins is like?! I had no clue what to expect, and I still
have no idea what’s going to happen each day. It’s my only experience though, so
I take it with immense gratitude. It’s a bit crazy in my life these days, but I
wouldn’t have it any other way J
0 nhận xét