The calm in the middle of chaos

Fashion designer, coffee planter and entrepreneur Shika Prasad, 27, gave birth six months ago, when the world was plunged in the midst of a pandemic. While the uncertainties and insecurities of a global crisis loomed large on her choices as a to-be and new mum, the experience taught her take each day as it came...

- KRISELLE FONSECA

Shika Prasad does not hold back when telling us about the emotional struggle during the later half of her pregnancy, which continued till the first 100 days after giving birth. “I didn’t know what was happening. My life like took a 360 degree turn!” she recalls. The wife of film actor Skanda Ashok was just about celebrating her own impending new role when, just like the rest of us, COVID-19 put a dampner on her plans. However, she learnt to find her way through the uncertainty with a little bit of gratitude, a whole lot of anxiousness, and learning the ropes of being a hands on mum, too! Here’s her story in her own words..

THIS IS US

Ours was the classic ‘girl meets boy and falls in love’ kinda story. Like me, my husband, Skanda, is a passionate coffee planter, and enjoys travelling—we travelled to about 20 countries in a matter of two years, post marriage! When we were jetting across Russia, I had a hunch that the stork paid us a visit, so I did a test, and much to our surprise, we were pregnant! Although it wasn’t planned, we were on cloud nine. Our family and friends too, couldn’t contain their excitement. I am the only child to my parents, so they were now going to welcome another baby in their lives after 27 years. We have inside family joke: that our baby is ‘made in Russia’!

‘BUMP’Y RIDE!