Soha Ali Khan says breastfeeding and ‘bouncing back’ after pregnancy should not be romanticised: ‘We always put ourselves last’

Soha Ali Khan recently opened up about the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers, saying that certain aspects of motherhood — especially breastfeeding and postpartum recovery — should stop being romanticised. The actress, who is married to Kunal Kemmu and shares daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu with him, spoke about the emotional and physical challenges women go through after childbirth.Speaking about breastfeeding, Soha admitted that while it can be a beautiful experience, it is also extremely difficult for many women.“Breastfeeding. It’s beautiful and it creates a wonderful bond, but it can also be difficult,” she told Yuvaa.The actress explained that women often put immense pressure on themselves to exclusively breastfeed for six months before introducing solid food to their babies.“It can feel isolating too because breastfeeding takes a long time. Sometimes you’re sitting alone in a room with the baby while the rest of the house is celebrating and having fun, and you feel kind of alone,” she shared.Soha Ali Khan further stressed the need for more honest conversations around the struggles associated with breastfeeding.“Difficulty latching, not getting enough milk, feeling inadequate — all of those things should be talked about more,” she added.The actress also reflected on how sacrifice linked to motherhood and womanhood is often glorified unnecessarily.“We always put ourselves last. We take care of everyone else first and then come to ourselves,” she said.Giving an example from her own life, Soha shared how she consciously makes time for herself despite her responsibilities as a mother.“If I need one hour to go to the gym, I need to make time for it because it’s an investment in my wellbeing. It’s not something that should happen only ‘when there’s time’,” she explained.When asked about the pressure on women to quickly “bounce back” after pregnancy, the actress did not mince words.“It’s insane,” she said.Soha revealed that although she lost weight quickly after giving birth, people constantly commented on her appearance, something she found deeply problematic.“There were comments about how quickly I lost weight and how important losing weight became. Commenting on appearances after delivery is unforgivable,” she said.Calling postpartum a highly vulnerable phase for women, she added, “It’s already such a vulnerable time mentally and physically. You’re already being so hard on yourself and going through so much.”The actress also referred to Patralekhaa while discussing the body-shaming women often face after pregnancy.“Nobody knows what you’re going through,” she said.Concluding her thoughts on postpartum recovery and motherhood, Soha Ali Khan said becoming a parent changes a person forever.“You become a different person after having a child. You change forever — mentally and physically,” she said.