Naimal Khawar doesn't sugarcoat postpartum

Artist talks struggling with hobbies after giving birth

More often than not, motherhood is only viewed with tunnel vision. It is seen as an all-encompassing gift, which is a mindset that sidelines the harrowing topic of postpartum struggles. However, with a rising wave of celebrity mothers being candid about their experiences, the heavy subject is steadily being broached.

One of those celebrity mothers is Naimal Khawar, who disclosed her postpartum vulnerabilities in an interview with Zara Noor Abbas on YouTube show What Momsense?! Naimal began by stating that before marriage, she fell prey to the very common baby fever and decided that she wanted one of her own. Little did she know of the struggles that awaited her.

Due to the drastic changes her body was going through, the 31-year-old actor was compelled to take a step back from her career at a time when her performance was all the rage with the small-screen audience.

Moreover, postpartum rendered it difficult for her to paint, causing her to stare aimlessly at the canvas instead, despite the fact that she otherwise loved to create art. "The brush would be in my hand but I would just sit there. I didn't want to paint," she confessed.

"I wasn't aware that such a phase would overcome me at some point," she revealed. "No one told me. My sister was aware. She encouraged me to talk to her, to cry out or scream at night, if I ever needed it. She was like, 'Just call me and talk to me about it.' But even then, I couldn't gauge it."

Naimal described that all of a sudden, she became "very angry". Some nights, she found herself depressed and crying her heart out for no inexplicable reason, despite having her baby right with her. "But I think it was the stress and the baggage that comes with having such a responsibility," she mused.

"During my term, it was the peak of COVID. We were locked in our home. So all the nine months of my pregnancy were just me and Hamza (Ali Abbasi)," she shared. "But actually, the pregnancy itself was very good. My nine months were beautiful. Thankfully, I didn't have nausea. Even though I was ready for it, nothing really happened."

The Anaa actor believes that oftentimes, the pregnancy is a smooth ride due to the mother-to-be being cared for by everyone around her. However, once the baby is born, the focus shifts and the mother is cast aside.

Thankfully for Naimal, her husband offered firm support during her tough years. Aside from him, she was connected to her sisters through digital means and they were keen on extending help in every way possible. She also mentioned a doctor who kept checking up on her and urged her to step out alone for walks.

"I realised then just how important mental health is. You need to focus on yourself. You need to make sure you're in a happy state of mind," she emphasised. "Also, I believe that you need to cut out toxic people before pregnancy and even after."

The couple were blessed with their baby boy, Muhammad Mustafa Abbasi, in 2020. Naimal revealed that her son has begun his early schooling. She stressed that it isn't important for her that her child excels at academics, but rather that he builds a meaningful social circle, especially since he is "a COVID baby" and has had minimal social exposure.

On a light-hearted note, Naimal gushed over Mustafa's budding nature. "He is a very, very good boy. There have been no tantrums," she said softly. "He wouldn't even cry much when he was a baby. He's very innocent."