Priyanka Chopra, the 41-year-old global sensation, opened up about her journey as a first-time mom. The actress and her husband, Nick Jonas, welcomed their daughter Malti in January 2022. But their path to parenthood was far from ordinary as Malti was born prematurely, spending her first 100-plus days in the NICU.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Chopra shared her honest and heartwarming thoughts about motherhood. She confessed to the fears that plague her, the constant worry about making mistakes, and how she grapples with the overwhelming nature of being a parent.
“Every single day, you worry about what you can do wrong and what mistake you might make,” Priyanka admitted. The weight of responsibility is something she faces daily, especially when tucking her little one in at night. The former Quantico star candidly described her feelings, saying, “But you have to check yourself, and I check myself with my family.”
While motherhood is filled with tense moments and unpredictability, there are also those magical instances that reassure her. Priyanka finds solace in her daughter’s smile, explaining, “I look at [my daughter’s] smile, and I’m like, ‘Okay, okay. I’m doing good so far.'” Yet, the road of motherhood is not devoid of trepidation, and Priyanka emphasized, “It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s extremely scary.”
After more than a year-and-a-half as a mom, Priyanka discovered unexpected changes in herself. She found that the journey has made her more sensitive and fragile. These feelings took her by surprise, as she confessed, “It makes me nervous a little bit. I didn’t expect that.”
Malti’s arrival on January 15, 2022, marked the beginning of a challenging chapter for Priyanka and Nick, as their precious daughter spent her initial three-and-a half months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
In Priyanka’s eyes, the NICU experience was not just a test for them but also for Malti. It was a trial by fire that reinforced her resolve. “I realized very, very early that I did not have the luxury to be scared or to be weak because she was scared and weak,” Priyanka expressed. Her maternal instincts kicked in, and she knew she had to be her baby’s pillar of strength. “I needed to make her feel at every given moment that she’s not alone, that we’ve got her.”
Malti’s homecoming, just in time for Mother’s Day, was a priceless gift for Priyanka. However, this transition brought its own set of fears, as Priyanka described, “In the NICU, you know your child is alive because you can see their heartbeat [on the monitor]. I couldn’t sleep for days because now suddenly she was home without a monitor.”
The nights were filled with restless moments as she constantly checked on her baby’s well-being. “I used to put my ear on her chest. I would wake up every couple of minutes just to see if she was OK. For weeks, this went on.”
Initially, the couple chose to shield their daughter from the spotlight, allowing her to grow and strengthen away from the public eye. However, as Malti reached her first birthday, they began to share more glimpses of her with the world. Just this past January, Malti made her public debut alongside her parents, attending the ceremony honoring the Jonas Brothers with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
So, Priyanka Chopra’s journey through motherhood is marked by vulnerability, the weight of responsibility, and the profound love she holds for her daughter, Malti.
