Photography: Sacha Kahaki.
It could have been an awkward conversation on what was only their second date. When a mutual friend set Kiwi journalist Isobel Ewing up with Canadian environmental engineer Cael Geier in 2023, his father had already given him one piece of advice: talk about having children sooner rather than later.
“Isobel was nearing her mid-thirties and when I told my dad Rob, he said, ‘You should be courteous and have that conversation about children early, so you don’t waste her time or fertility.’”
“Oh, cheers Rob!” laughs Isobel.
“That’s very thoughtful of him! And look where we are now,” she says, rubbing her 35-week baby bump.
After 18 months in Istanbul, where Isobel anchors for English-language broadcaster TRT World, the couple has returned to her parents’ Hamilton home for maternity leave.
Due in late October, the former Newshub presenter is positively glowing and finally has her energy back after dealing with “brutal” morning sickness.
“My first trimester coincided with the start of the Iran war,” recalls the 36-year-old.
“On February 28, when the missiles started flying, I started puking. “My shifts started at 5am and I had to be on-screen for extended hours because we were doing extended coverage, which went on for weeks and weeks. “I was thinking, ‘This is killing me.’ I was so nauseous but amazingly, I managed not to vomit while on air. It was on my mind all the time – I think the adrenaline of being in the studio carried me through.”
Getting ready for parenthood
As regional conflicts continued, the pair feared they might not be able to leave and discussed having their baby, whose gender they are keeping a surprise, in Istanbul.
“With headlines of a decreasing jet fuel supply and how expensive flights were because of what was happening with the Strait of Hormuz, we were concerned,” says Cael, 30.
“It was mayhem packing up to leave Türkiye, drop our two cats in Canada, then finally arrive in New Zealand. But we’re so relieved we’re here!”
“And it’s so nice to have my parents’ support over this time,” adds Isobel, munching on an Anzac biscuit from a batch her mum Alison’s whipped up. “It’s their first grandchild and so exciting for them.”
Isobel plans to give birth at a Waikato birthing unit, and when she chats with Woman’s Weekly, she and Cael have just attended their first antenatal class.
“The men and women were separated, and each given the silhouette of a pregnant woman and a list of anatomical names to label. Things were not in the right spot!” Cael grins.
“All the guys were scratching their head and asking, ‘What’s a perineum?’ The fathers also had to write down a list of their responsibilities during birth. We learned we have to tie hair back, get water and ‘just take the anger!’”
A wedding made for family
A year ago, the couple decided to elope in Tbilisi in Georgia and will follow it with another picturesque wedding in St Arnaud, near Nelson Lakes National Park, in February.
“We thought it’d be cool to bring Cael’s Canadian family and our Kiwi friends down there to celebrate and meet our baby, who will be around three months old,” says Isobel, who didn’t want the stress of a big wedding.
“As much as it’s going to be a handful with a little one, I’m looking forward to it. “We’ve booked out a lodge which has a rustic, school camp-kind of vibe. It has a huge deck overlooking native bush and a beautiful view of the lake. And we’re having the ceremony in the little wooden chapel in the village that looks out across the mountains.”
Isobel’s thankful both of her grandmothers, Mema, 91, and Jean, 95, will be in attendance too.
A new adventure awaits
Her only challenge now is finding a wedding dress that will accommodate breastfeeding and an ever-changing postpartum body. One day, the parents-to-be hope to settle in Canada, where they both agree they want to raise their child in the same way they grew up – to love the outdoors, love animals and go on family tramping adventures.
“Career has been my focus for so long,” muses Isobel.
“But I feel really ready for motherhood. I am at a point in life where I’m more confident in myself and I have so much more experience to impart. “Plus I’ve been given a bunch of lovely second-hand baby things from friends, who had their kids much younger. It’s quite convenient doing this at the ripe old age of 36!”
Quick fire
Is there anything culturally different about being pregnant in Türkiye?
People there started touching my bump before 20 weeks, when I thought I was barely showing. The supermarket checkout lady was saying “baby baby” and a security guard also commented. Turks really love babies.
Have you got your wedding dress yet?
I’m heading to a speciality vintage bridal store called Love James on Auckland’s Karangahape Road. I’m taking some friends to try things on for me.
