Model-turned-entrepreneur Rissa Mananquil-Trillo could only smile when asked how high her heels were.

 

Trillo still managed to wear a pair of towering beige platforms weeks ago when she and business partner Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez shared with journalists new developments about Happy Skin.

 

“Oh, others might follow my example,” she said in mock horror.

 

(She gave birth April 25.)

 

Trillo, wearing a sleeveless teal dress made of stretch crepe by Pablo Cabahug, had a valid reason for sticking to high heels. And it isn’t all about vanity.

 

“I’m so used to wearing high heels because of modeling,” she said. “When I switched to flats when I got pregnant, I soon experienced back pains. For the first time in my life, I had to see a chiropractor, who told me that my spine has become so used to high heels.”

 

If ever she gets pregnant again, Trillo now knows what to do. Rather than drastically ditch her killer stilettos in favor of ballet flats, she would do it gradually by wearing something in between.

 

“And since my last two pregnancies are not that far apart, my core and back muscles haven’t strengthened enough yet,” she said.

 

Apart from Enzo Samson, Trillo’s 16-year-old son from a previous marriage, she and husband Paolo Trillo are also the proud parents of two-year-old Celestia.

 

“I’m now on my 33rd week of pregnancy,” she said, referring to Baby No. 3.

 

All these months, Trillo has been frequenting Cabahug for her maternity dresses.

 

“I’m so comfortable with Pablo,” she said. “His clothes still manage to make me feel sexy. And if you think I look great, it’s not just because of Happy Skin. It’s also due to plenty of TLC from my husband.”

 

Despite being blessed with good skin, Trillo isn’t immune to occasional skin breakouts while pregnant. Given this telltale sign, her husband found out early on that she was again on the family way.

 

“He asked me one morning, ‘why do you have more than one pimple,’” Trillo shared. “It was enough for him to conclude that I’m pregnant again.”

 

But unlike most expectant moms, Trillo isn’t prone to bloating. She attributes this to her practice of eating smaller meals throughout the day.

 

“I eat almost anything,” she said. “I eat chocolate. I eat meat—sometimes even the fatty part. But I eat in small portions to keep my metabolism up throughout the day. I don’t deny myself the good stuff.” Alex Y. Vergara