Lodovica Comello: “Shhh, now I’ll dry!”

This article is published in issue 38 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until 21 September 2021

Between the so-called “little mothers-bellies”, all enthusiasm and desire for self-denial towards children, and the “navigated mothers” for whom nothing is a problem because they have already been there, there is another way to raise a child. And to tell it. It is the one chosen by Lodovica Comello, 31, actress, presenter, influencer with over two million followers and mother of Teo, 18 months, who from 15 September by popular demand returns with L’Astilona, ​​the hilarious podcast of records that, the last edition, totaled 5 million views and gave life to the book of the same name, The Dryona. Chronicles of pregnancy and emotional swings (Sperling & Kupfer). Ten new episodes, lasting a few minutes each, to let off steam on the little-big problems of parenthood and dispel the most common clichés about motherhood.

That irony is her key to recounting the life of a mother can be understood from the title of the series: in Milanese a ‘dryer’ is a talkative person.
“In fact, in the podcast I speak, speak, speak.”
Even in life?
“Only if I am confident enough with whoever listens to me.”
So I imagine that her husband, Tomas Goldschmidt, is the victim of frequent “wipes”.
“Tommy and I dry each other off. Work problems, family problems, tiredness: there is always a good reason to dry ».
In this new series, what will he “dry out” on?
«About everything that happens in the life of a child aged 6 to 18 months. So, weaning, nesting, nocturnal awakenings… The arguments are many, I also expect some criticism ».
Regard?
“For example, about food and sleep. In the episode dedicated to sleep I speak of a controversial figure: the sleep consultant, today demonized by many as a harpy who requires the child to cry to exhaustion. In reality, no one points a gun to your head: the sleep coach gives advice, it’s up to you whether to follow them or not. In the episode dedicated to weaning, however, I tell that, despite having tried, the very modern self-weaning – that is, the method by which the child is allowed to taste everything that the parents eat cut into small pieces – was not for me. At the first attempt, Teo just missed choking on a banana strip. I took a hit and switched to traditional baby food ».
And why should it be criticized?
“Because there are mothers with strong opinions on how a baby should feed and sleep. They will tell me that I put my well-being before that of Teo. Maybe, but everyone has their own emotional past to deal with ».
Moral, it is forbidden to judge.
«Especially when it comes to motherhood, the experience that, more than any other, has taught me that there are infinite nuances, infinite possibilities. We mothers are all different. And we’re all doing well ».
But there will be a type of mother that is less sympathetic to her.
«Well yes, the one who, when you confide a malaise, instead of sympathizing, does everything to show herself happier and in better shape than ever. What then, if she is really so happy and fit, I’m happy for her. But it’s a bit indelicate to flaunt it while I’m about to burst into tears. In those moments I just want someone to dry well ».

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The (mis) adventures of Lodovica Comello in Teo’s mother version (pictured above) return from September 15th on a weekly basis. The Astilona 3, produced by Dopcast, will be available every Wednesday on the main digital podcast distribution channels (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts etc.). While the video version will be broadcast every Friday through Lodovica’s Instagram profile.

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