From Debina Bonnerjee talking about swollen legs to Charu Asopa on not being able to breastfeed Ziana: A look at TV moms who spoke about postpartum pregnancy issues and motherhood

While pregnancy and early motherhood are one of the most beautiful times in a woman's life, they also present some challenges. Kishwer Merchant, a new mom, recently shared her experiences with childbirth on social media. This is not, however, the first time a television celebrity has spoken out about the difficulties of motherhood and post-pregnancy.

Let's have a look at what these TV stars said when they revealed their problems:

Debina Bonnerjee recently gave birth to a second baby, the actress spoke about the post-delivery effects that she faced after the lack of a gap between the two pregnancies. The actress shared pictures on her Instagram as she shared pictures of her body going through post-pregnancy difficulties, she wrote “It’s so true…things that don’t kill you, only make you stronger. The last couple of months and days were so trying. Opinions, physical limitations and procedural difficulties. I have survived them all. My postpartum belly is on the road to recovery. Currently having swollen legs and hands. Recovering, taking each day at a time but positively.”

Further, the actress says all the pain is worth it when the miracle is in front of you, “And all is worth it when your little miracle is in your arms. I am stronger and braver than I have ever been,” she said.

Even though Charu Asopa was the happiest when she gave birth to her baby girl Ziana but the post-pregnancy issues were the ones that gave a lot of stress to Charu as she had told ETimes TV that Ziana was not able to breastfeed for 6 to 7 days. She told ETimes TV “I couldn’t breastfeed her immediately as I was not getting the milk. I started stressing over it because I was not getting breast milk. People around me were telling me it was fine, it will come in three-four days but in my case it took longer. There was no breast milk for 6-7 days. I was very stressed about it and on the other hand doctors would ask me not to stress.”

Charu further said “So during my initial phase after delivery, especially the first month, I was under a lot of anxiety. There are so many hormonal changes in your body, especially during the first few weeks after delivery. Those moments are very isolating, aap ke andar itni saari cheezein Badal rahi hoti hai… it does get difficult to handle things.”

Mandira Bedi was one of the few actresses who spoke openly about post-pregnancy depression. Mandira who had given birth to her son Vir had told BT about postpartum depression, she said “I went through postpartum depression known as the baby blues! One day I just burst into tears and told my husband that I couldn't cope with all this. Oh, that was a tough phase indeed! But then, I had been reading a lot about it, and I knew that it was perfectly normal and a lot of women faced it before me. So, I kept telling myself that it will pass, and now thankfully, it is all behind me."

Deepika Singh was amongst the actresses who shed lots of weight immediately after pregnancy. The actress began her fitness journey post-pregnancy and went back to her slim figure. She told Etimes TV that “As soon as I decided to lose weight, I immediately took to doing Yoga, following a certain diet and also joined the gym. Dance is like spiritualism for me and I started to miss it because I could not dance during pregnancy and had a long gap of not performing. Also, I did not take any supplements, apart from my vitamin capsules, for weight loss. Nowadays, new mothers are impatient and want instant weight loss. It's not like that. You need to have patience and work out in the right way. You need to give yourself time. I too started to get back into shape after my baby was seven months old. If I would have wanted to fit into my regular dresses just three months post-pregnancy, it wouldn't have been possible and that would lead to irritation."

The actress went through postpartum weight gain and has now ended up losing more than 25 kilograms. Shikha recently shared her weight loss journey after embracing motherhood in an interview, revealing that the 'industry works in a specific pattern' and she 'did not want to get slotted in mommy's roles. The Diva revealed her routine, saying, “ I had heard from many people that it is difficult for women to get back to their fitter selves after delivery and that makers don’t cast you in strong or interesting roles. I did not want to get slotted in ‘mommy’ roles. I strongly feel that a woman should be able to get back to her normal self after delivering a baby. The industry works in a set pattern and you can’t help but be under pressure to look good or else you are out of business.”

The actress further shared “I also worked out in the gym and played badminton for one or two hours every day. Sometimes, I used to go for a run, too. It is important to feel good and if you are fit, you tend to be happy and in the process enjoy life much better.”

Chahatt who has a son had spoken about her post-pregnancy issues with her fans on Instagram and revealed how exercising helped her get through it. Chahatt said “After all the body ace, weakness, weak bones, unable to sit, walk or stand, I finally got myself to the gym after 6 months of postpartum, it’s so difficult how your body changes after childbirth and especially in less gap, it’s difficult to come out of physical, mental, and emotional loop, but a small hope of life can help you when everything seems dull. Postpartum depression isn’t easy, but nothing comes easy in life. Stay fit, stay calm and try to smile a lot. Happiness will eventually follow. To all the moms, you are the creators, be one! Get back to life #mom #momlife #postpartum #postpartumdepression.”

Kishwer Merchant, who gave birth to a baby boy on August 27, 2022, revealed the 'issues' she faced during her pregnancy and delivery. Kishwer shared about her post-pregnancy stress and reveals that C-section can also be the reason for stress after pregnancy. She said, “My Bugs Bunny, I know there have been a lot of problems... I haven't been the best, with the C-section, pain killers, tiredness, anxiety and breastfeeding... but like we promised each other today, we both will help each other in this journey and make things better for us, love you my son #sukishkababy.”

Addite Malik became a mom in April this year and launched a series called 'Motherhood Diaries' after giving birth. She discussed her struggles with formula milk feeding, parenthood, weight gain, a plethora of emotions, and much more, in an attempt to share her knowledge to help other mothers. Addite was open about her pregnancy troubles even before she gave birth.

Ekta Kaul, an actress, once stated that she felt guilty about being away from her baby boy while at work. In an Instagram post, the actress expressed her emotional exhaustion as a result of her time away from baby Ved. in a separate note on the subject. Ekta further said, “So I have shot in the worst conditions! Extreme monsoons, extreme cold, 50 degrees heat. In sickness.. With saline, with injections and with a plaster but nothing has affected me ever. I was always a hard nut. But I lost it today. Haven’t felt this guilty and this emotionally drained in years. Ved is back home safe with my mother and well taken care of. He’s on solids, also I am pumping and trying to give him best nourishment but the fact that he’s away from me for a long time is killing me every second. Hats off to all the mothers who manage both work and the child. I hope I fulfil both the responsibilities properly. And none is affected. Not my child and not my work!”

Jankee Parekh, Nakuul Mehta's wife, who enjoys spending quality time with her baby Sufi, has frequently discussed her difficulties as a new mother. Jankee mentioned having difficulty breastfeeding him a few days ago during the Breastfeeding Week. She talked about how difficult it was for her to learn to breastfeed in the early days of motherhood. She also disclosed that she went through a period of self-doubt as a result of the incident.

She further said, “My initial 40 days postpartum were such a challenge. There was a lot of self-doubt. Is my body producing enough milk? Why is he still crying? Is it because he is still hungry? His acid reflux didn’t help either,” she wrote in her post.”

Teejay Sidhu, Karanvir Bohra's wife, has always been open about motherhood, pregnancy, and other topics. She has never been shy about sharing her true emotions as a mother, whether it is her first or second time. She previously expressed concern about whether her twin daughters would accept the baby. Now, in one of her previous posts, she admitted that she wasn't as excited about her second pregnancy as she was about her first. Teejay admitted that she once suspected herself of deceiving her third child. When Gia Venessa was born, however, everything changed for her, and she felt every little thrill and emotion she had previously felt.

Mahhi Vij is a content mother, who adores her daughter Tara. However, the actress had a difficult time coping with everything that happened as a result of Tara's premature birth. Mahhi talked about her baby girl in the NICU in a conversation with ETimes TV. Mahhi further said, “I would request the doctors and everyone if I could stay back. But the doctors and nurses made me strong. They made me understand that a lot of babies go through this and they recover and get discharged. So they would tell me I shouldn’t worry and that my baby is a fighter and she is fighting on her own, why can’t you. During the initial phase I used to cry a lot and they would make me understand that if you cry you will break Tara’s will power. That phase was like learning for me that if that small kid is fighting for her life, then why am I not showing that courage?”