‘Postpartum is as real as pregnancy’: Zara Noor Abbas on learning a whole new way of life after giving birth

Embracing motherhood is like stepping into a vivid new world of experiences — it’s beautiful, overwhelming, and empowering. But while many women openly share their pregnancy journeys and the life-changing moment of giving birth, there’s a significant chapter that often remains less talked about — the postpartum period.

This phase is as integral to the maternal experience as the preceding nine months, which is why actor Zara Noor Abbas, who recently gave birth to a baby girl, wants to talk about it.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Abbas shared her experiences navigating the challenges and triumphs of postpartum life. Since she and her husband Asad Siddiqui welcomed Noor-e-Jahan to their lives on March 27, Abbas has been candid about the rollercoaster that follows childbirth.

Accompanied by a series of touching stills capturing her little one’s tiny shoes, a beautiful cake and celebrations, Abbas penned both a thank you note and a manifesto for new mothers.

She started by expressing gratitude: “First and foremost — Thank YOU to all my friends and family and my amazing fans for all the [love] and [prayers]. I read all the comments and messages.”

She then delved into the essence of her postpartum experience, describing it as a journey “from nothingness to everything,” a transition filled with a profound sense of joy and empowerment. “This rush of joy and power. The feeling that I can conquer anything now. The nourishment of empowerment and love. The tears, the all-nighters.”

Abbas also spoke openly about the overwhelming feelings of confusion and the steep learning curve that comes with understanding a newborn’s needs — from deciphering different cries to mastering the gentle art of baby massages.

“The difficulties in understanding what the baby wants. Which cry will signal me of a particular task/action. How to position the head — how to lengthen the body, how to massage the fragile bones that you can hear sounds of. The questions that will only be answered by finding the answers by spending alone time with the baby. The pressure to know it all in these 40 days. It’s superior! It’s a lot! And I feel like we don’t talk much about the journey after the birth,” she wrote, shedding light on the intense reality of postpartum life, often glossed over in mainstream discussions.

“POSTPARTUM. Lol. It’s real. It’s as real as pregnancy,” she said.

Her advice to new mothers? Accept help and take a step back to embrace achievements without succumbing to the pressure of doing everything perfectly. “Accept help. Rest. Eat. Sleep. Nap,” Abbas urged, emphasising the importance of self-care and setting boundaries.

The most powerful part of her message was a reminder of the inherent strength in motherhood: “You know why? Because you are a mother. And Mothers, oh Mothers! Don’t we know their strength enough?!”

Abbas’s note is a call to normalise the conversations around postpartum challenges. By sharing her story, she hopes to inspire and reassure other new mothers that while the road to recovery might be long, they are not alone, and they are inherently strong. As she promised, “You will be just fine.”

The reasons to remain quiet about postpartum life are many — cultural taboos, privacy, or even just the chaos of adjusting to life with a baby. But discussing it openly can validate the experiences of countless other new mothers, offering them solace during a time that can feel isolating. It’s crucial that we share these stories, not only to shed light on the realities of postpartum recovery but also to feel connected.