Mumbai: An unplanned pregnancy at 40 became an emotional turning point for a Mumbai-based Instagram mom influencer after she learned that her due date carried a deeply personal meaning. Fashion designer-turned-influencer Simone Khambatta, who was pregnant for the third time, recently shared that discovering her due date coincided with her late brother’s birthday, made her reconsider terminating the pregnancy, calling it a sign from the universe.
In a feature on Humans of Bombay, Simone opened up about the moment she found out she was pregnant for the third time. “I had just turned 40 when I saw two lines on the pregnancy test. I froze,” she recalled. With an eight-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter, Simone felt her family was already complete.
Speaking about her initial reaction, she admitted that abortion was their first thought. “When I told my husband, we both realised that raising three children today isn’t easy or inexpensive. We genuinely felt there was no way we could manage it,” she said.
However, everything changed during her visit to the doctor. Simone said she visited the doctor to terminate the pregnancy and randomly asked about her due date. On which, the doctor replied, “January 16.” The date instantly shook her, January 16 was her brother’s birthday.
Simone lost her brother in a tragic accident in Brazil when she was just 25. Describing him as her best friend and soulmate, she said the date felt like more than a coincidence. “It felt like the universe was trying to tell me something,” she said.
Despite the physical exhaustion that came with pregnancy at 40 and the challenge of balancing a career with two energetic children, she decided to continue with the pregnancy.
January 9, which has always been a painful day for her, was the day when her brother died. However, when doctors decided to induce her labour on that date, she felt anxious about welcoming a new life on a day tied to loss. On January 10, Simone gave birth to a baby girl. Simone concluded that her daughter’s birth felt like a gift from her brother. “Moving from the grief of the 9th to the joy of the 10th felt like the circle finally closing” “It reminded me that souls never really leave you,” she said.
Social media reactions
Simone’s emotional story struck a chord with several social media users, who flooded the comments section with love and admiration.
One user wrote, “Got goosebumps reading your story! Lots of love to you and the little one.” Another commented, “Such a beautiful post,” while a third added, “Utterly beautiful… the universe (and your brother) definitely played their part. God bless.” “Miracles happen, and few things are beyond explanation,” a user added.
