Emily Brown
Priyanka Chopra has revealed what her husband Nick Jonas said to her on the day they welcomed their first child into the world.
After tying the knot in 2018, Jonas and Chopra celebrated the arrival of their daughter, Malti, via surrogate in January 2022.
The news came as a surprise to fans as the parents dropped the exciting news out of nowhere with a post on Instagram, writing: "We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via surrogate. We respectfully ask for your privacy during this special time as we focus on our family. Thank you so much."
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The baby girl was born prematurely, and ended up staying in the NICU for more than 100 days to receive care.
While celebrating her first Mother's Day in May 2022, Chopra admitted that the first few months of Malti's life were a 'rollercoaster', but she assured their daughter was 'finally home' and that every moment was 'precious and perfect'.
Chopra has now reflected back on that time in an interview with Today's Hoda Kotb for a Spring 2023 cover issue, remembering specifically the moment they learned Malti was arriving earlier than expected.
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The new mum turned to her husband for support in that moment, recalling: "I remember he just held me by my shoulders, and I said, ‘Just tell me what to do, because I don't know what to do'.
"And he's like, ‘Just get into the car with me.'"
Chopra and Jonas drove to the hospital where Malti was born, and the mum explained that 'from the moment she took her first breath to now, she's never been without' one of her parents.
Jonas and Chopra divided their days so that someone was always with the newborn when she was in the NICU; a time Chopra recalled as their daughter's 'test'.
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“I don’t think it was our test. I think it was her test,” she said.
“I realised very, very early that I did not have the luxury to be scared or to be weak, because she was scared and weak. And I had to be her strength as her mom. I needed to make her feel at every given moment that she’s not alone…that we’ve got her.”
The concerned mum continued to constantly check her daughter was okay after she went home from the NICU, but one year on the youngster has started travelling the world with her mum and experiencing new sensations in India, where her mum learned she's a big fan of spicy foods.
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"She’s like, eating it with both her hands,” the mum laughed, “as if she’s eating ice cream!”