Fiona Erdmann recently became the mother of a son and finds open words on Instagram and Co. about the challenges of her mother's everyday life. A sensitive topic that Fiona talked about in the GALA interview: The pressure of the perfect after-baby body and how she deals with it.
For Fiona Erdmann, 32, a new chapter began with the birth of her first child. As a new mother, the model and his partner Mohammed, called Moe, now face many new challenges, including beautiful and less beautiful. In addition to heartwarming love messages to her little son, it is above all realistic and unadorned experiences of her current motherhood that Fiona Erdmann addresses more honestly than ever on her Instagram account and YouTube channel.
In the GALA interview, the 32-year-old told us that she wanted to encourage women and mothers with these realistic postings, including an honest after-baby body photo. She also talks to us about the current distribution of roles with her partner Moe, plans for children, the multicultural upbringing of her son and the support she receives as a mom in Dubai. In addition, the former "GNTM" candidate told us whether she will publish her child's name anytime soon.
Fiona Erdmann in a GALA interview
GALA: You got a lot of attention with your recent after-baby bodysuit picture. How difficult did you find it to publish the picture?
Fiona Erdmann: At the beginning I really struggled with myself whether I wanted to show the picture on Instagram. And I have to say that the photo I have published of myself looked very good too. There were also some photos that, to be honest, shocked me myself.
What exactly bothered you when you saw your current body?
The fact that this is my new me now shocked me the most.
But you still decided to post it.
Yes. I wanted to show people: Even as a model, who, as I weighed very little, who was very well trained, after the birth you don't look the same as before. Of course, there are also exceptions, which is ultimately due to the fact that we are all genetically different. That also makes me a bit jealous – I can admit that quite openly (laughs). And I also have to admit:
I was hoping that I would belong to this exception, that I would be slim again after giving birth and have a perfect figure – but unfortunately that is not the case and I have accepted that for myself.
A problem with the unrealistic ideals of beauty on Instagram?
Total. In the media and on Instagram, the supposedly perfect woman's body is shown daily and presented as reality. But these body shapes belong to the minority. The intention of this picture was to publish a realistic after-baby body photo and thus encourage other women.
Fiona Erdmann on the after-baby body photo: "The support overwhelmed me"
And how did that go down with your fan base?
I haven't read a single negative comment. On the contrary: I was overwhelmed by the support on Instagram. I was particularly moved by the fact that women support other women.
Even if it is sometimes difficult to believe: there is also a side of the internet that can be beautiful.
For you, however, this is also a double-edged sword: in order to help other women, you also have to open yourself up and reveal private things.
For example, I address much more personal things on YouTube than on Instagram. And there may always be people for whom this is too much intimacy. I myself often quarrel with myself whether I really want to talk about it now. But I've made the experience – and that's ultimately the reason why I keep doing it – that I can help many women with my openness. A few months ago, I posted a YouTube video about bleeding in pregnancy. At that point, I was feeling really bad because I didn't know what that meant and of course I was terrified of losing my child. But: I still get so much support for this video and messages from women who are or have been in similar situations. This is a great confirmation for me to continue talking about such things in the future.
This feeling of "I'm helping other people" is really addicting.
You yourself are very open in dealing with social media. As for your son, keep a low profile for now.
It is very difficult for me not to show my son. Because I share a lot about my life on Instagram and my son is an integral part of it. For example, when we take new family photos, I'm very sad that I'm not allowed to show them – because my partner doesn't want to be shown on Instagram either.
So we won't see the little darling on Instagram for the time being?
I already give a lot of credit for our coexistence as a family.
It doesn't feel right to me right now to hold my son's face up to the camera.
I also don't want anyone to think at some point that I'm taking advantage of having a toddler that I can hold up to the camera and then make a profit.
Do you think that is also bad for other mothers who show their children on Instagram?
No not at all. I have some friends who show their children on Instagram – I like to watch that myself. But somehow that is nothing for me and my child (yet). Maybe I'll be put off by the many negative headlines about children on the Internet.
What does your partner Mohammed say about it?
Moe would actually show our son on Instagram. He would also be fine if he already had his own profile (laughs). He says that if our son wants to go out in public later, that would be an advantage. But I see it a little differently.
You have emigrated to Dubai for some time now, leaving friends and family behind in Germany. Does the emigration situation pose a challenge for you as a mother with a baby?
No, absolutely not. There are many German mothers in Dubai and we even have our own WhatsApp group (laughs).
I even think that it would be more difficult as a mother in Germany and maybe even find fewer connections.
Here in Dubai I experience a strong sense of solidarity from women. We are all in the same boat, we have all immigrated, are far away from family and friends and that welds together.
In one of your other posts you published that you miss your baby ball. So you enjoyed your pregnancy to the fullest?
In any case: I really enjoyed being pregnant. The uncertainty of what the baby would look like and the anticipation of the feeling of being a mom was incredible. Now I look at the little one and still can't believe that he was once in my stomach.
So family planning isn't finished either?
If Mohammed had his way, I would be pregnant again by now (laughs). For me, that is out of the question at first. I would now like to spend time with my little darling. But I could imagine getting pregnant again in a year or two. We would both like our son to have a sibling.
How is the distribution of roles between you two?
Moe works all day and I'm at home, so it sticks to me more. In the evening Moe also helps from time to time and gives the bottle. But he is also an Arab and their nature is also somewhat different from, for example, Europeans. Getting up at night is one of my tasks. Fortunately, that doesn't bother me either, because I prefer to do everything myself that has to do with my child.
Your partner is Arab, you are German. How do you raise your son and celebrate Christmas together?
For me, Christmas is one of the most beautiful days of the year and our son should definitely notice that. I will definitely show him some German traditions and virtues and come to Germany with him in January. I hope Covid won't thwart our plans.
You have not yet announced your son's name. Will that happen anytime soon?
By telling a lot about him, I've come to the point that sometimes I don't even know what to call him anymore (laughs). At some point you run out of synonyms. In addition, "The Baby", "The Little One", "My Son" are so impersonal, so I will probably announce the name soon. But I can tell you that much: you will be amazed at the name.
Source used: Interview with Fiona Erdmann
This article originally appeared on Gala.de.