Fast Confession - Nikol Moravcová: Ultrasounds are depressing

You are to give birth in about a month. How are you feeling?

I’m always hot. (laughs) But otherwise I’m faring quite well. I’ve just been to one of my last vacations outside the Czech Republic, to celebrate Father's Day in the Tatras with my dad, since we haven’t been anywhere together in a long time. We went by train, which is probably the most comfortable way of transport for me at the moment, to a beautiful five-star resort with wellness. I’ve already had to limit a lot of activities, including the bike, which me and my husband love. But I look forward to making up for it once I’ve given birth. When I’m getting rid of the baby weight.

But pregnant women shouldn't be riding a bike, right?

Why not?

Many people say so…

Of course, I don’t bike uphill , I can’t make it anymore, my husband has to push both me and my bike up. But it goes pretty fast downhill and I think it's the only means of transport I can still use for longer distances. Even sitting in a car is no longer comfortable for me, my ribs start to hurt after some time.

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But I must say I’m glad we’re expecting a summer child, although everyone has been trying to discourage us from it. My husband and me are both Cancers and we’re looking forward to having a little Lion. I'm so glad it worked out like this, because at least I don't have to lace up my shoes and wear winter coats with this belly. As it is, I just pull on a dress and flip flops and I’m ready to go.

And how are you getting ready for the baby’s arrival? Do you already have layettes?

Not yet, we’re going to set up the baby room in the next few days. And there are other preparations related to it. I have to admit that I was postponing it mainly because we still have to make room for all this at home.

You don’t have it ready yet?

Honestly, thanks to Instagram, this is a question of a single message for me. I get so many offers for various children's assortment that I’m in constant awe of what a business it is. So far, I'm doing a research to see where I can get what, and I’m ordering things one by one. But we’ve had a stroller for quite some time already, it’s at my parents’ place. They’re already pushing it up and down the street, the baby can’t come fast enough for them. There’s also a child seat there, and that’s enough for now. Within one cooperation, I will choose things for my hospital stay. All that’s left is to paint the baby room and choose a cot. But my husband can do that without my assistance, if need be.

And how about babywear?

Not at all, I just have what I got at the events I was a host of or from acquitances.

How many companies do you cooperate with in the context of pregnancy?

With those that are on the market, such as H&M. Or Lindex, which sells organic cotton clothes. I’ve been working with them for a long time. I’ve also already arranged baby food and, actually, even furniture. We also want a sports stroller, because both my husband and my father are active athletes who enjoy skating, so I’m negotiating a partnership with one of the leading children's e-shops. I also have my own pregnancy collection of Atelier Flannel dresses.

Are you going to stay in your apartment in Letná?

We are. Everyone is asking us this, probably because they would like to live in our apartment. (laughs)

Isn’t it too small?

I don't think it is, not yet. I was born into a studio apartment in Most. And my parents managed it. There's a place for a crib and a changing table. We probably don't need more, because we have a large terrace. The apartment is situated so that you can create a lot of separate corners. We’ll move the piano, for instance, and replace it with a rocking baby carrier. We’ve got it all planned out, now we want to paint.

Are you going to make it in time?

Sure, at the end of the day there's no hurry, we've got a month and a half.

You’re expecting your first child and one could say you’re not so young anymore. Was everything fine during your pregnancy? Did you experience any problems?

I didn’t, and I have to cross my fingers here, because I know it's no joke. There are even genetic tests for mothers over thirty, I didn't know that, I thought everyone had to have them done. Everything is going well, it's sometimes really depressing to go to ultrasound, but that's the same at any age, I guess. When they’re counting those little fingers, if the baby doesn't have any syndromes, that's probably hard for everyone, even more so if you're affected by hormones.

I'm very glad that everything’s been going smootly so far. I was really sick during the first trimester, but now I'm sort of managing it - except for the heat. But that was to be expected, that's normal. I've already learned to practise self-discipline. Eat healthy, because I used to eat an awful lot of junk, get up early in the morning and practice yoga…

What did you actually have to change? You've always liked going to parties ...

I used to be a night owl, I liked parties and all kinds of other events. But I’ve already been there and done that and I won’t miss the festivals anymore. Last year, we went to as many as seven festivals. And I knew that the last one, our honeymoon at Burning Man, was already on the edge.

I think I can survive without it for a few years. Me and my husband have had a lot of fun, me even more so, with all those girl parties. So I'm not going to be missing out on anything in this respect. I'd like to change my lifestyle, I don’t even enjoy going to bars in the evening and suchlike. Sometimes I even catch myself enjoying staying at home alone, I’m starting to feel the nesting urge. Fortunately, my husband is in this with me, we’ve stopped smoking overnight.

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So both of you have stopped smoking? But you used to smoke IQOS, right?

That’s what helped me stop smoking overnight. I’ve only been smoking for three years, IQOS exactly for a year. I don't miss alcohol at all, I think hormones took care of that. Or something similar. It seems a bit suspicious to me, because I do love me a glass of prosecco, and now I never feel like having one. Nor a glass of red wine, even though it’s actually allowed. The lifestyle change came naturally. And, considering my age, I think it was about time for me to have a little detox, and to change my priorities. After all, I'm going to turn 32 this year and I'm going to be a mother. I’m grateful for it and I’m looking forward to the new life chapter.

You're gonna have a baby girl. I remember from when we were doing our last interview, that if you had a girl, you were planning to name her Karol. But then I’ve read somewhere that you’ve changed your mind..

My husband’s name is Karol, so we thought it funny that in the Czech Republic, it was a girl’s name. But our producer is also Karol and the winner of our contest INSTAHERO is Cara, so we had to think of something else because a person’s name is supposed to be their distinguishing feature.

We’ve already pre-selected one, but it's still a secret. We're still testing if it works, trying to shorten it. It's a beautiful international name, which combines a lot of things we like - music, colors, flowers. We've been using it for a month and a half already, and it seems to be working pretty well. And I'm glad it'll be a girl. I'm from a family with two girls, all my friends are older sisters. One day, she may be a big sister too.

How do you like pregnancy fashion? Did your taste change?

I admit that my priorities have changed even when it comes to clothing, if I could, I’d only wear comfortable things, but of course it isn’t always possible due to my job. For example, I really like the dress I’m wearing today, but apparently I’ve already been photographed in it three times, so they sent me a new one in blue from Lindex.

But with a 100/100/100 ration, it’s is not easy to find something that fits. For example, maternity shorts are terrible, with the elastic high waist. Of course, I’m not the only woman dealing with this problem, my peers have nothing to wear in this period either. That’s why I designed a collection of clothes in cooperation with Atelier Flannel. It's a Russian tailor shop, which I have been collaborating with for a long time, they have wonderful fabrics from Siberia. It may not be cheap, but the dresses are unique with their designs and patterns. They are made of quality materials to last for generations.

We were initially criticized for not offering dresses suitable for breastfeeding, because I don't really like deep necklines. But since I can afford them currently, I created a collection that features plenty of deep necklines, so as to make breastfeeding possible. I’ve recently introduced the collection on Instagram, where I received criticism for how vulgar it was. That clearly shows you can never please everyone. I have already accepted that and I’m not going to concern myself with it more than necessary. The dresses are designed to be worn even after delivery.

I’ve created a total of twelve pieces. Among them you can find linen shirts, there are a lot of casual and elegant pieces - something for everyone, really. But I know it's not for everyone. And I probably don't even want it to be. (laughs)

How are you getting ready to give birth? Are you afraid?

I’m actually looking forward to it, because I am very curious to see how the little one will look like, if she’ll take after me or after my husband. I know she’s gonna be just a “wrinkled bundle”, and maybe the name we picked won’t even fit her, but I’m looking forward to it. One can’t really skip this part, it can’t be avoided, and I’m more or less prepared for it. I’m gonna give birth in Podolí, I’m not planning any esoteric procedures or water delivery. When I’m expecting my second child, provided I know what I’ve signed up for, I might try a more alternative delivery, but definitely not now. I have a very sober opinion on this.

Will your husband be there?

He will.

And does he want to?

Of course, and I actually find it kind of nice. It's a very intimate affair and it affects both of us, so I can't imagine that he wouldn't be there. I would miss him terribly, it's the birth of something that came out of our love. I'm glad he'll be there with me and that he’ll support me.

You met your husband on Tinder. Are you still promoting this app?

Someone has recently asked me if we got paid for it, but we didn't even get a T-shirt. (laughs) And now we're expecting a "Tinder Surprise"! It was the only chance for me to get to meet someone, because everyone I know is female or gay. It was hard to find a guy who wouldn't know me from Instagram or someplace else, I wanted to find someone from a completely different world. Unfortunately, guys were writing me there that I’ve stolen Moravcová's photos, that she doesn't need to look for a partner online. That pissed me off, so I started looking specifically for foreigners within five kilometers. And now I have a Slovak guy from Letná.

Do people share their stories with you, since you’ve been promoting the app?

They do, all the time! A small part of them is positive, from people who are also getting married and having children, and they thank me. But otherwise, unfortunately, people - especially those in my immediate surroundings - mainly use the app for sex or as if it were „Dáme jídlo“, where they sometimes order dinner.

But if you count on finding your true love there, you’ll sort of disqualify yourself. You can't expect the application to find you a soulmate, you’re supposed to use it to meet people from your area. You can try it abroad, it works a little differently there. You can get to know locals who will show you interesting places in their neighborhood. And then you get to discover places that only the locals know. That’s what the app was originally meamt for, but in the Czech Republic it is more like a sex application. Which is a pity.

How about your family, are they looking forward to the baby?

I'm really glad that we succeeded so quickly, I hadn’t even expected it to work out. I’ve been hearing that some women have difficulties to get pregnant, I didn't know that before. I am also happy because of my parents, because now that my sister has moved out, they live in their house alone and a granddaughter will be a welcome distraction for them. They’re looking forward to babysitting. Mum also gets involved in shopping for the essentials, we're discussing those mum things together. For every girl it's probably better than reading it somewhere on internet forums. We have a similar approach to this, “don’t get your panties in a twist”, which is why I’m not redesigning yet and I’m not overdoing it with preparations.

So you didn't even take a breathing course or something of that kind?

I guess it’s about time I started, because the little one hasn’t turned yet, so my doctor recommended me to do some sort of head stands. But there are still a few weeks for that to happen. If worse comes to worse, I can have a massage or acupuncture, but they say the baby can turn even a day before delivery, so I’m not panicking.

You like sports. How are you dealing with that in your current situation?

I go to pregnancy yoga and I’m unable to give up my bike, but I really miss skating and jogging. I’ve been on a paddleboard in Berlin recently and everyone on the shore was worried. But I think they were more worried about my husband who was trying to take a photo of me with his cell phone. (laughs)

My balance is a little off, my center of gravity has changed. I also have a worse physical condition, I feel the pressure on my organs, there is less space in my body, it’s harder to breathe, I have trouble catching breath even walking up the hill in Stromovka. Simply put, I can tell that I’m in an “altered condition” in the sense that the little one needs a lot of energy for blood circulation and the like. But I'm taking it easy and I’ve learnt to rest and relax, which I’ve always been underestimating. I was going full throttle all the time.

What are your plans regarding work and losing weight after delivery? Even though you’ve only gained 10 kilos...

That’s what actress Hanka Vágner told me, that I have a huge advantage, because my job is probably the only one in the world where I can earn money on motherhood through Instagram. It may sound harsh, but it can be done. It’s very difficult to choose who to cooperate with though, because I don’t want to share products and commercial communications on my channel anymore. I was already tired of it, I had a burn out for about two years, because it wasn’t fun anymore.

That’s one of the reasons why I’ve created the INSTAHERO SHOW, so that others, who still enjoy it, could be actively pursuing it, and mainly so that they would discover what it’s like to be a full-time influencer. It is important to draw attention to our modern-day problems, to address ethics, responsibility and to learn to be offline sometimes. It also annoys me that most profiles look like teleshopping, it’s turning into an advertising platform without censorship. I’m vouching for tasteful and organic advertising and I don't want my profile to be full of diapers, baby food or other commercial communications. The hundred thousand people are following me for my lifestyle, my opinions, travel or sports tips. And that will always be there, even if I add a new layer.

A lot of people have a child and think their life is over. Are you going to show them it doesn’t have to be true?

I do not want to get ahead of myself, but thanks to my life philosophy and my parents’ upbringing, I think it will be possible. And I'm definitely not going to be that kind of obsessive bio/eco/chia mother who patronizes everyone. I admit that I have never been very interested in children. Since my sister is 11 years younger than me, I sort of had a 3-year-old child at fifteen. But it will still be a new challenge for me.

Ideally, the child should adapt to your lifestyle…

Exactly. It’s about finding some kind of balance between our current life and what's coming. Whatever it may be, it will be great. And I can't wait for the new chapter in life!

Nikol, thank you very much for the interview. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for everything to go well.