Business woman and TV presenter Saira Khan held her baby shower at Hanbury Manor recently and Hello! Magazine was there to capture the event.
"Today is one of the happiest days of my life. I don't really know what to say! This is a moment I will never forget"
For Saira this was a day she thought she'd never see. She had been trying for a baby with her husband of 4 years, Steve Hyde for a while but Saira discovered she suffered from endomertriosis - a condition that cuts a woman's chances of concieving by half. A situatuon which, by Saira's own admission made her withdraw in to herself and have issues with being in the same room as babies.
"I withdrew from friends and family. I didn't want to be around babies."
Being a Muslim, a culture where a baby shower is unheard of, Saira decided to throw away with tradition.
"Far from celebrating and showing your bump, you're supposed to be low key and keep it covered."
Her mother, Hanifa, found it particularly hard with all the focus being on Saira's bump. Even being offered the chance to feel her unborn grandchild move was a huge step for her.
" I had to force her hand. She really didn't enjoy it at all."
The night before the baby shower, Saira and her sister, Sadjah, made a plaster cast of her bump for all to sign during the shower itself.
Sadjah reveals:
We bought a kit the day before and spent the evening dunking the bandages in the bath, greasing up her tummy and wrapping the bandages around her."
Also in Saira's tradition it is customary to have an arranged marriage, another traditon Saira chose to ignore, causing her to be disowned by her family. But, thankfully, now all is forgiven and Steve is a welcomed member of the family.
"I always knew I would never marry a Pakistani man from back home. I wanted my husband to look after me and be my equal. I just had more in common with English men."
Hanifa is also coming to stay with Saira and Steve for a couple of months when the baby is born, to help out.
"It's customary in our cultrue for a new mum to stay in bed for 40 days- can you imagine me doing that? Being a working mum means I'll soon be up and about."
Despite their differences with their culture, Saira has taken on board her mum's advice on diet during pregnancy.
"Mum says to drink fennel water, as it is good for the digestion and detoxing. She will also make me some special spice balls with nuts and ground spices to give the body extra nutrients. I am not to exercise for six weeks, but I have a personal trainer lined up after that, as I'll be filming the fourth series of Beat The Boss and will need to be back in shape!"
And even though Saira's known as a no nonsense business woman, those who know her have every bit of faith that she will make a fantastic mum. Her mother-in-law Margaret insists that she is very welcomed addition to the family.
"Saira's been an amazing addition to our family. She's very personable, very kind and loves children. We all love and admire her."
Saira is planning to have a water birth at Queen Charlotte's hospital in London with no pain relief, and that she is ticking off the days until she can meet her much-wanted baby.
"I'm getting bigger by the minute now and so looking forward to being a mum. I can't wait. Steve can't believe it either, but he's very calm and laid back. He's going to make a brilliant, loving and caring dad."
Source: Hello Magazine
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