The nursery of Kim Feenstra

If there were a prize for the most beautiful pregnant woman, Kim Feenstra would win it. Apart from her beauty, happiness radiates from her belly and cheeks. The baby is on the way and the anticipation has begun. Kim has decorated the nursery with Westwing and we were allowed to ask her anything about her pregnancy.

Why did you choose to keep the gender a surprise?
‘Firstly, because our pregnancy is truly a gift from heaven, and secondly, because we want to do everything our own way. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen naturally for us, but through an IVF process, so we are very happy that it worked out. We are pregnant, we are having a child together, and whether it’s a boy or a girl: we are having a child. How beautiful and special is that? Therefore, it doesn’t matter to us what we get. The process was also very exciting.’

You already mentioned: it was tough to get pregnant. How did it feel when you found out you were pregnant?
‘When we just took the test and it showed positive, we both couldn’t believe it. I drove to a nearby drugstore early in the morning to get three more tests. And they all said the same thing. It had to sink in for us. It’s a very surreal journey. Even now, as I’m busy with the nursery, decorating and washing all the clothes and items, I think: wow, soon I’ll be here with our baby in my arms, and that is our child and also the most important thing in our lives. We are taking on so much responsibility, and it’s no longer just about us.’.

That’s quite strange. I walk in and out of the nursery at least ten times every evening before I go to sleep: then I’ll move something around or I’ll sit in the rocking chair, and then I realize that it’s really happening, especially when I feel the baby move. It’s a very active child, which I find quite special.‘

An active child… Do you think that comes from you or from Stanley?
‘I think it really comes from both of us. I’m someone who is active and can never sit still but knows when to take a break. Stanley has that too. In that regard, we really complement each other well. Stanley is naturally an athlete, and I’ve spent half my life doing modeling work. That’s also top sport, or at least a job where staying in shape is very important. So I think our child will come out like some kind of top athlete, ready to start! Haha.’

What do you do during your pregnancy to stay fit?
‘I still exercise three times a week, and that goes pretty well, but there are certain exercises I just can’t do anymore. I was always very focused on my belly and my core, but those are now exercises I leave as they are. I still train my legs and my back to get stronger. I’ve also recently started doing pelvic stability exercises. You have to sit on a ball and train your pelvic floor muscles. For the rest, I walk a lot with Micki, our husky. I’m always active, but I do get out of breath more quickly now. As long as I can still do a bit of everything, I will definitely keep doing it.’

What will you do first when the little one arrives?
‘Be very happy and enjoy.’

How do you experience the pregnancy so far?
‘Well, reasonably. I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’ve had a super relaxed pregnancy, with the renovation, the corona period, and the move. Additionally, I’ve really fluctuated with my hormones, especially in the first twenty weeks. I sometimes woke up at night to throw up, so that wasn’t pleasant, and I was losing weight instead of gaining it. So I can’t say it’s been completely relaxed. But now, since the house is finished, the nursery is set up, and I can enjoy that, I do experience it as very relaxing. So it’s kind of 50/50.’

What do you find the most exciting about the future right now?
‘I’m really looking forward to what’s going to come, what he or she will look like… I’m just so curious. Surinamese, Moluccan, Dutch – what kind of mix will the baby be? What kind of skin color? What color eyes? What kind of hair? What kind of baby will it be? Will it be a sweet baby? Will it sleep a lot? Will I be able to breastfeed? Because I would really like to, that’s what I want the most. Can I do that? I’m really looking forward to being together with my baby.’

You are a mix of Moluccan and Surinamese roots. Does that mean it will just be pureed meals instead of snacks from jars?
‘Absolutely! I also make everything fresh myself. I eat well, so my child will eat well too. I don’t eat meat, and we are considering raising our child as vegetarian or vegan as much as possible. Vegan doesn’t have to be completely from me, but vegetarian definitely, I’m really an advocate for that. That doesn’t quite fit with the Moluccan and Surinamese culture.’

Who has to get out of bed when the baby cries at night?
‘I do, because I want to breastfeed. So I’m the one who is always there. And has to be. But with all my love.’

You are also busy moving to your dream palace, how is that during the pregnancy?
‘It’s not ideal timing, but it had to happen anyway, and I prefer to do everything at once. It all turned out fine in the end. I actually think the pregnancy has had a positive influence on the entire renovation and move because I’ve been particularly on top of it. If I hadn’t been pregnant, I think the house might not have been completely ready yet. There are still some things to do, but it’s definitely livable, and everything is fresh and new. I’m living here wonderfully.’

About the styling of the nursery: it’s completely gender-neutral, right?
‘We tried to make it as gender-neutral as possible. I was quickly convinced of the idea that I wanted something with clouds, so I asked the fantastic Dutch painter John Breed to paint clouds (custom) on the ceiling. And I’m really super proud of that. Based on that, we adjusted the colors. You mainly see a lot of blue and white in the nursery. Most people will link that to a boy, but we really don’t know. And we’re all looking at the clouds, right?’

Why clouds?
‘Yes, why clouds? I just find clouds very beautiful. Whenever you lie in the grass, you look at the clouds. Clouds are infinite and always in motion. And besides: they, together with the sun, create a rainbow. Teamwork makes the dream work!’

Is the name also gender-neutral?
‘The name we have, we’ve had for a long time, actually since we just started dating (four years ago). It’s a name for a boy and a girl.’

How do you make all the choices for the nursery?
‘The items we chose for our nursery were based on the idea of ‘the cloud room’. That was the foundation, and then we went further. So mainly a lot of blue and white, nice and fresh. I also wanted to incorporate animals because I really love animals. For example, I have a very nice giraffe lamp. Two, actually. One with a chandelier in its mouth and one with a lampshade around its neck.’

If you had to choose a favorite item, which one is it and why?
‘That would be the Westwing Teddy, the rocking chair. I think I’m going to use that a lot, rocking with the little one and soothing him or her to sleep. Besides, I just think it’s really beautiful. People who know me know that I’m a bit of a magpie and love gold. And voilà, the legs are also in gold, and the fur is beautifully white: I love it.’

What is an absolute must for the nursery?
‘What I find an absolute must for the nursery is a good bed. A good bed with a good mattress, and I found that at Westwing. I’ve really been looking for that because online you get overwhelmed with all the well-meaning advice and tips and who knows what else. But I followed my own heart and found a grow-along bed at Westwing. So I’ll be busy with that for the coming years. The little one can grow comfortably. It has a special mattress that is breathable, stays cool when it needs to be cool, and warm when it needs to be warm.’

What is really Kim about the nursery?
‘I think it’s the creativity with the clouds on the ceiling and the animal elements: the giraffe, the bears, and the sheepskin. And also that there’s some gold incorporated somewhere.’

Do you have a tip regarding pregnancy? What was the best advice from your surroundings?
‘I’ve received a lot of tips, but my tip is: don’t listen to other tips, because then you think you can never do it your way. If you have a tip: I have a piggy bank for the baby, you can throw your tip in there. I also want to give everyone expecting a child, especially a first child, the advice to not listen to the well-meaning advice or opinions of others because at some point, you just go completely crazy from it. Just do what feels good for you and your partner and what you think is best and most fun. Everyone always has an opinion about something, so just stay close to yourself and decorate the nursery as you would have done it yourself. That makes it more personal.’

Do you already have an idea about the delivery?
‘I would like to give birth in the hospital because it’s our first child, and I want medical help to be available as soon as possible when needed. That gives me the safest feeling. Giving birth at home seems very relaxed and special, but in the hospital, I’m just at the right place immediately.’

Don’t you find giving birth in the hospital during corona times exciting?
‘I find this a very difficult discussion… I have a very clear opinion about this, if you follow me on social media, you know how I feel about it. No, I’m just going to give birth in the hospital, and it’s going to be just fine.’