Recently I had the chance to interview Kamana Gautam. She is a frequent & a bold speaker and a popular Instagram Mom. She impresses me by her daring post.

In a society that finds self-governing, headstrong women too tough to digest, Kamana tore boundaries and decided to speak on some bold topics.

Here’s what she had to say :

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your family?

Hi, my name is Kamana Gautam. I am a certified nutritionist and a lactation counsellor. My father is from Haryana and my mother is from Punjab. Born in Delhi, raised in Chandigarh and now settled in Hyderabad. I have a sibling who is married and settled in Canada. And am married into a Tamil Iyer family and blessed with a girl and a boy.

What does being ‘BOLD’ mean to you?

 Accepting yourself, the way you are. And going on to present that side to the world.

 What made you plunge into natural birth?

Well, frankly said – Natural birthing is the best way. Our bodies have been designed to give birth naturally. So, why go against it. With the advent of science and technology, yes – we do need medical intervention to arrest the Mother and Baby mortality rate. But it is not happening in our country now, where C-Section rates are highest around 60% while WHO benchmarks the ideal rate to be around 15%. I would say that it was a natural way I took, rather than using the term ‘plunge’

  Can you talk a little about what brought about your interest in babywearing?

 Babywearing is an option that empowers a parent/primary caregiver. I do not have the luxury of a support system via my in-laws or my parents – as both sets of grandparents live in different cities. Babywearing makes me feel myself as an independent and confident mother, who can take care of the kids herself and does not need support.

 What emotions were you facing when you were diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy?

Rather than emotions, I felt distraught thinking I will be unable to take care of my kids. Frankly, I do not think I had time for emotions, as the need of the hour was to think and plan for the next 30 days. Basic work like cooking, reading books to the kids, taking them to park – all of them got a major hit.

 What kept you motivated when you were down? 

Well, Bells palsy temporarily paralyses one side of the face. Truth is that you can recover 98% but you can see the 2% of non-recovery plastered on your face forever. What motivated me was the thought of acid attack victims across our country – their faces are permanently distorted, the thought of them motivating themselves to live their lives helped me motivate myself to bear my pain and move on.     

 You have a reputation for being this tough woman on Social Media. Could you talk a little about this?

 Some call me tough, some call me thought provoker, while some others call me an attention seeker. I have been labelled different names since my advent of the Instagram journey. Frankly, I do not care about what people think of me. What I do comes from my heart, and that is what gets portrayed in my feed as well. Can I be wrong in my thoughts and opinions? Of course, I can be – and that is why I am here to learn from each and every one and gain knowledge.

You’ve been bold and have inspired a number of women and people (I am one of them). Who is the person inspiring you?

I do not have role models. I keep learning from each and every one who I meet in the virtual world or the real world. For me, according to a situation that arises – anyone can become my role model for that specific time period.

  As a woman, what is the best and the worst decision you have ever made?

      Best decision: When I stopped caring about the society’s perspective to my feed. It made my life easy and simple. Worst decisions – tons of them. I might pen them down in my memoirs one day 😉

 What do you think is the most significant barrier to an Indian woman today?

The regressive thinking of a woman’s job that is still prevalent in different sections of society. It is not just men who have these thoughts, women also.

How would you explain the power of womanhood to your daughter & to your son?

 It is a process that cannot be explained in one day. I keep talking on different facets of a woman and a man to my children on a daily basis. Also, I do not like celebrating days ( like Woman’s day, Father’s day etc.) – For me and my family – every day and anyway is a special day to learn and to impart learnings.

On a personal level, why does women’s empowerment matter to you? 

 It does not. Why, because what matters to me is the empowerment of all genders – be it woman, man or transgender. While my feed may focus on woman’s issues now – I intend to widen it to the other dimensions soon

Is there anything you’d like to add that I haven’t asked?

Thank you for the opportunity. I hope I have been able to add some value to the society, through which I have learnt a lot. To conclude – I would ask everyone to “Please pass the spirit to someone you know of and in need of it”

·       Relationship – Attachment

·       Parenting – Open minded

·       Motherhood – Selflessness

·       Indian Society – Regressive

·       Social Media – Self-validation

·       Happiness – Contended

·       Impossible – Nothing

·       Inspiration – Anyone and Everyone

Follow Kamana’s Cocktail Life on Instagram for Inspiration and more.

Thanks for reading!

 

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