'It has been a lot': Misha Nonoo opens up about giving birth during coronavirus pandemic

The Bahrain-born designer, who is close friends with Meghan Markle, welcomed her first child last week

Misha Nonoo and Mikey Hess welcomed their first child last month. Instagram / Misha Nonoo

Little Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor has a potential new playmate.

The Duchess of Sussex's close friend, designer Misha Nonoo, has welcomed her first child, and took to social media this week to reveal what it was like giving birth amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bahrain-born fashion star, 33, and her husband Mikey Hess welcomed Leo into the world at the end of March.

"Last time you heard from me, I was very pregnant, and I am excited to share that I am now the lucky mother to an adorable, healthy little boy," Nonoo said in a series of stories on her brand's Instagram page on Thursday.

The new mother, who married oil heir Hess in Rome last September, revealed that the realities of parenthood weren't exactly what she had expected.

"I thought that I had read every book and I was fully prepared for what it was going to look like to be a mum and to handle a newborn. It turns out that I don't think you're ever fully prepared for that."

She added: "But handling that on top of the coronavirus has been a lot to say the least."

Nonoo, who is long-rumoured to have been the woman who introduced Meghan Markle to Prince Harry, also opened up about the early lessons she's learnt about raising a child.

"I think it's really important to maintain a routine. We've just got the baby on a schedule, very early, but never too early to be on a schedule I've realised," she said.

"For me, it's been about maintaining my meditation. It's about going for a walk getting some sunshine and, you know, having FaceTime moments with friends. All of those things have been really, really helpful."

Nonoo, who has Iraqi and British heritage, first confirmed she was expecting her first child in January, creating a debut line of maternity wear.

The designer, who now lives in the US, has been friends with the Duchess of Sussex for years, since the former actress was on TV show Suits.

The two even collaborated on a capsule fashion collection for charity Smart Works, of which Meghan is a patron. The line consisted of workwear pieces, with profits going towards supporting the organisation, which helps underprivileged women secure employment.