Tag: motherhood

  • Iqra Aziz wants new moms to remember it’s okay to prioritise themselves

    Iqra Aziz wants new moms to remember it’s okay to prioritise themselves

    Actress Iqra Aziz is back on our screens, starring as the main lead in the rom-com ‘Mannat Murad’, ending the break she took from work after the birth of her and Yasir Hussain’s son, Kabir. During an interview with BBC Urdu, Iqra shared an important message about the pressure new moms face in balancing their home life and their careers.

    The actress recalled the time when an actor visited her house, and was aghast with how she was sitting at home while her husband was the one who was working and finding new projects. Reflecting on this encounter, Iqra said she was working on social media, if not on the field as an actress, and was enjoying her time home while taking care of her son.

    “I can’t pressurise myself to break out of a relaxing phase because of ambition. It was my personal choice to sit back and take some time to reflect on myself. I began working from a really young age, and I have been working every day. Before meeting Yasir, I was even working on Sundays. It’s my choice that after working so much, I have reached a phase where I would like to relax and enjoy my life. This was my first son and I wanted to make every moment memorable.”

    We will completely endorse this message and applaud the actress for stressing on this incredibly important factor because so many new moms suffer from mental health problems because of the pressure to juggle their social commitments, while also learning to be there for their newborns. We’re so happy Iqra isn’t letting others dictate her choices. Giving birth isn’t easy and every mom should do what suits her mental health.

  • In groundbreaking move, National Assembly passes bill granting paid maternity leave

    In a historical move, yesterday the National Assembly passed the ‘Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill’ 2020, which has granted mothers the right to take up to six months paid maternity leave from their workplaces at their first birth, as well as leaves for three to four months during the birth of their second and third child as the bill states:

    “Maternity leave shall in the prescribed manner be granted on full pay outside the leave account to a female employee on her option to the extent of one hundred and eighty days on first birth, one hundred and twenty days on second birth, ninety days on third birth.”

    The bill also granted paternity leave for fathers, allowing men to take one month paid leaves from their work places on the birth of their child:

    “A male employee expecting his wife to give birth to a child shall , at his option, be granted paternity leave on full pay not exceeding thirty days.”

    The bill has been passed in federal territory, which means it will be made a legal priority for Islamabad workplaces to include paid paternity and maternity leave in their policies. But hopefully, this progressive step will soon encourage other cities to take note and follow to make inclusive policies that do not push women out of the workplace after their marriage.

    The bill was presented at the National Assembly by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Quratulain Marri, who praised her colleagues support to prioritise social issues, which helped in making this landmark legislation possible.

    Social media users have celebrated the legislation as a progressive step that will stop women from being forced to chose between motherhood and their jobs, and applauded Senator Marri for helping ensure this will happen.

  • ‘I learned not to be hard on my body’: Alia Bhatt on post-baby fitness

    Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt made it to the cover of Vogue India’s May-June 2023 issue. In the accompanying interiew, the star opened up about rumors surrounding her dramatic weight loss, and addressed pressure to snap back in to shape after giving birth.

    The ‘Brahamastra’ actor announced the birth of her and Ranbhir Kapoor’s daughter, Raha, in 2022. Bhatt talked to Vogue about the pressures society places over mothers to revert back to their old bodies after giving birth:

    “I wasn’t hard on myself because I was so proud of what my body had done when I delivered Raha. I know everyone believes that I lost weight unnaturally but the truth is that I can’t even get my wisdom tooth extracted at the moment since I’m breastfeeding and can’t be given anaesthesia. Many folks are under the impression that individuals who work in the visual medium do unnatural things to their bodies to get back in shape post-delivery. That’s why I felt like it was important to document parts of my fitness journey on Instagram. I didn’t put any pressure on myself. The doctors advised me to only push harder in my workouts post 12 weeks, and I did that.”

    In December 2022, the ‘Darlings’ actress shared a picture of herself performing yoga, urging mothers to keep listening to their bodies and to never be hard on themselves after what their bodies had gone through:

    To my fellow mamas, listening to your body post delivery is key. Do NOT do anything your gut tells you not to. For the first week or two during my workouts, all I did was breathe… walk… find my stability and balance again (& I still have a long way to go). Take your time – appreciate what your body has done. After what my body did this year I have taken a vow to never be hard on myself again. Childbirth is a miracle in every way, and giving your body that love and support that it gave you is the least we can do.”

    Describing herself as a healthy person to Vogue, Bhatt said that she worked out six days a week, but during post-partum recovery, she refused to check her weight to avoid getting pressurized by unrealistic expectations.

    “I avoided checking my weight every day like many people do when they work out religiously. I would step on the scale maybe once in two weeks. You need to be consistent and let change happen at its own pace. My mother-in-law even made me those gond ke laddus which I ate for six weeks. People need to understand that putting on weight during pregnancy is not a result of eating too much; it’s because you’re making life inside you and that life needs that extra weight. It has to be in sync with your BMI, of course, and you should consult a professional if you have questions but you’re supposed to put on a certain amount of weight. It’s completely okay!”

    Along with taking care of her own mental health and well being, Bhatt revealed that she ensured her newborn’s mental well-being was her biggest priority, a process that included diswoing the stereotype that a crying baby is an unhappy baby:

    “As a new mom, you don’t want your baby to even frown; you just want them to be happy all the time. But I’m very clear about not having anyone tell Raha that she shouldn’t cry. Nobody should pacify her by saying, ‘Don’t cry, you’re a good girl’. I get very upset about that. Just because she’s crying, doesn’t mean she’s a bad child. Her tears help me understand whether something is wrong. Crying is good. Crying is communication. And sadly, that goes away with time because the minute you start talking, crying becomes something to be embarrassed by. Even as adults, crying is your body’s way of saying that something is up and you need to deal with it.”

  • Shoaib Akhtar reveals he was his mother’s driver for 11 years, pays tribute

    Shoaib Akhtar reveals he was his mother’s driver for 11 years, pays tribute

    Pakistani cricket star Shoaib Akhtar recalled his relationship with his mother on the occasion of Mother’s Day during an interview with Sportskeeda. Akhtar said that he was very close to her.

    “After my retirement, I served my mother for 11 years as a driver. I used to drive a car for my mother for almost three hours every day,” said Akhtar, adding that he used to go with his mother wherever she wanted to go, regardless of being a star.

    Shoaib said that Allah rewards those who sever their parents. “If you serve your parents as a servant, then Allah blesses you so much that you feel like the king of this world. If a person respects their parents, Allah makes sure to bestow that person with equal respect in the eyes of society and makes them successful.”

    He said that it does not matter who your parents are, you should never take them for granted.

    The fast bowler also said that many people say that he is famous in India because he says good things about them. “No, I don’t think bad or negatively about them [Indians]. This is the reason why Allah blesses me with respect.”

  • Mother’s Day: Here’s what you can do to make your mother feel special without spending money

    Every year the second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother’s Day and this year Mother’s Day will be celebrated on May 9, which is just around the corner.

    While mothers should be celebrated every day for their selfless love and sacrifices, Mother’s Day gives us a chance to make them feel even more special. The day holds significant importance as it gives us a chance to show our mother how much we love her. However, showing love can sometimes get tricky – sometimes you don’t have the right words and other times you just don’t know how to show it.

    Here is the list of the things you can do to make your mother feel special this Mother’s Day
    Watch something with her that she loves

    Whether it’s an old movie, or it’s a drama serial she loves or it is a cooking show she does not miss, turn on the TV and watch it together. If you are watching a show or a movie talk to her about her favorite characters and ask her what she loves most about them. It will make her feel special that you are taking interest in what she loves.

    Teach her something new

    There is no age of learning and anyone can learn anything at any stage of life. You can teach your mother anything she struggles with, for example, if she is not comfortable with technological devices you can show her how to use them. It is very common to lose patience while teaching something so remember not to lose your patience.

    Go through old pictures and albums with her

    Sit with your mother and take out an old album or pictures of her younger self. Looking at her old pictures will give a chance to your mother to revisit her old times with you, and will also help you understand her better way, which will eventually lead to a stronger bond between you two.

    Cook for her

    They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach but honestly, the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. So get into some action and cook a great meal for her. If you don’t know how to cook you can always take help from the internet.

    Talk to her

    Last but not the least, take out the time to talk to her. Sometimes we take the most basic of things for granted, and having an honest conversation is one of them. Being heard is one of the greatest feelings in the world and makes the other person feel special. Try putting down your phone, make a cup of coffee or tea anything your mother prefers and be a good listener.

    Do whatever you think will make your mother special, but anything you do should revolve around her – do not make it about yourself.

  • ‘Seamless is an illusion’: Natasha on balancing motherhood with a career

    Make-up Artist Natasha Khalid recently opened up about juggling a career with motherhood, giving her followers an insight into what her typical day looks like.

    “I’m routinely asked in comments and DMs about how it is I juggle everything I do so perfectly while looking good ‘all the time’,” said Natasha posting a picture of herself with her baby in her PJs. “My husband took this picture of me on an average night and this is my reality 99% of the time.”

    The makeup artist continued: “Juggling baby duties while meeting deadlines, running masterclasses/student corrections, planning YouTube shoots, reworking Instagram/Facebook content while also planning home/baby schedules/duties is gruelling most days and I tend to get most of my work done at night once Noor sleeps as that is when I can quiet my mind to focus.”

    “I tend to predominantly be in oversized pyjamas with a curly top knot and no makeup,” said Natasha further, adding: “In most of what I juggle and do, my time takes a major hit.”

    Natasha said that the reason why she shares these snippets is “because it’s so easy to believe looking at a certain angle that we see on social media that people may have it ‘together’ or may not ‘struggle at all’.”

    “What seems seamless is due to perfect lighting/filters but is all an illusion,” added Natasha. “Being a working woman and a wife/Mama and your own person is a full-time job and to me, this picture right here is what is ‘imperfectly perfect.”

    “For all those women who follow me and find themselves in the same boat, remember this is reality and the rest of it is fun but always a curated illusion,” said the makeup artist.

    Mahira Khan, who is single mother, commented on Natasha’s post saying: “I want a baby, [in] my arms.”

    Other mothers also thanked Natasha in the comments section for sharing her experience and giving them confidence and support.

    Last year, after giving birth Natasha shared an endearing message for all new mothers out there highlighting body positivity and the pressure women face after giving birth.