After three years of marriage, the 2010 Miss Vietnam, Ngoc Han, is pregnant with her first child at 36. She recently discussed her life and health as she prepares for motherhood.
She shared details of her difficult pregnancy journey, which she's documenting in a journal for her child. Almost two years ago, she tried IUI (intrauterine insemination) and IVF (in vitro fertilization). After a year with no success, she discovered a breast lump. Doctors initially suspected it was 70% malignant due to its unusual nature. Her family anxiously awaited the biopsy results for a week.
When the results finally revealed a benign tumor, everyone was relieved. This experience highlighted the importance of regular checkups, something she had neglected. She encourages all women to have annual comprehensive health exams for early detection and treatment of any abnormalities. She is currently living with the lump and plans to address it after giving birth.
Through exploring Eastern medicine, she learned she had a "cold uterus", contributing to difficulties conceiving. Doctors recommended dietary adjustments and methods to warm her body. In addition to professional medical advice, she incorporated readily available kitchen ingredients into her daily routine. She drank jujube, goji berry, and longan tea with ginger daily, and soaked her feet in ginger and salt or applied dried mugwort to her abdomen every night. These practices helped her overcome frequent nighttime urination within 10 days, and a month later, she discovered she was pregnant.
 |
Miss Ngoc Han prioritizes connecting with nature and meditation to support her physical and mental health during pregnancy. Photo: Provided by the subject |
Miss Ngoc Han prioritizes connecting with nature and meditation to support her physical and mental health during pregnancy. Photo: Provided by the subject
During her health scare, she turned to meditation for strength. Practicing for 15-20 minutes each night before bed helped her realize the importance of focusing inward rather than outward. She emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body, which she had previously overlooked. This newfound awareness has fostered gratitude for everything in her life.
Fortunately, she hasn't experienced morning sickness and remains healthy in her seventh month, gaining only 7 kg to reach 67 kg. Her skin has even improved since becoming pregnant. Her naturally active lifestyle, diverse interests, and optimistic outlook, combined with meditation, contribute to her positive well-being.
Ngoc Han exercises, focuses on her diet, and attends regular prenatal checkups. Video: Provided by the subject
Despite her pregnancy, Ngoc Han maintains a busy schedule designing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress), managing her real estate business, consulting for the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, and attending events. She believes staying active benefits both her and her baby.
She is also pursuing a master's degree in History Theory at the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts. Her thesis focuses on incorporating patterns from doctoral stelae at the Temple of Literature into ao dai designs, a project she finds deeply rewarding. She envisions this collection making a significant impact both domestically and internationally and is preparing a miniature ao dai for her and her baby to wear at graduation.
Conscious of her weight, she checks it up to 10 times a day to maintain a balanced diet and exercise regimen, especially during pregnancy. Following her nutritionist's advice, she prioritizes fruits, vegetables, then protein and carbohydrates in her meals. She cooks brown rice with various grains and drinks warm water daily. This routine has kept her healthy, preventing edema, acne, stretch marks, and melasma.
Resourceful and environmentally conscious, she utilizes leftover fruit for beauty treatments. Orange peels are added to her hair rinse, while leftover avocado or banana is mixed with eggs for a hair mask.
She maintained her regular exercise routine throughout her pregnancy, playing golf until back pain in her sixth month led her to switch to gentler activities like yoga. She practices yoga daily, using a ball for back pain relief, along with 15 minutes of morning sun exposure, 30 minutes of afternoon yoga, and 15-20 minutes of evening barefoot walking followed by foot soaking.
 |
Ngoc Han continues to actively participate in social activities as her pregnancy progresses. Photo: Provided by the subject |
Ngoc Han continues to actively participate in social activities as her pregnancy progresses. Photo: Provided by the subject
Ngoc Han practices prenatal bonding by constantly talking to her baby throughout the day, sharing her activities and even her feelings. They listen to the Earth Store Sutra together in the evenings. Before ultrasounds, she encourages her baby to face outwards.
Her attentive and meticulous husband provides constant care and support, researching parenting methods and prenatal education. Her parents are also actively involved, accompanying her to doctor's appointments. Her in-laws are equally caring, supplying fresh produce from their garden in Thai Binh.
Y Ly
