Being a mother is not an easy task. It’s a struggle to strike a balance between being a mother and having a career. Not forgetting the fact that once a mother starts working, everyone has an opinion about her and they do not fail to shove it down her throat.
And for women who return to work just after giving birth, it is even more difficult. These 12 celebs have opened up about the struggles of returning back to work after childbirth, and how they had to change certain things after childbirth. All of this just goes on to prove how the world is, truly, unkind to women.
I don’t think people understand the life and emotions of a working mother, because the world is so male-dominated. I wish women received more support in their workplaces. While I know many men who are kind and empathetic towards women, the work culture itself can be so tough. I wish we collectively paid more attention to how nurturing a child is important for the world at large.
It feels great but initially, you are struck only with guilt, the kind you have never known before. You constantly feel ‘Oh my God! What is my child doing?’ When you are with your child, you are like ‘I must cope with work, because I am a workaholic.’
Knowing that I could juggle motherhood & work empowered me. In fact, I said yes to Karan for Kaal Dhamaal a year after delivery! But I had ‘working mom’ guilt. So, I maximized my time with Arhaan.
“When Saira was born, being with her through her early years was my priority. So, my choices of roles became hugely judged on that parameter. It had to be worth leaving Saira and going to work.”
I disappeared because I didn’t have the strength to be judged by the world after all the years of being glam and fit on screen. But the beautiful part is that you can only hit your lowest low to know you can absolutely climb out of that hole. It’s a fight. A hard one.
My entire day revolves around the kids, at least on days that I am not working. I am focused on what they are doing, setting up Taimur’s classes, dividing my time between both of them, and figuring out my own nap times according to when my younger one falls asleep.
It’s very hard to balance the two, and not suffer from ‘mom guilt’ no matter which way you go. If you spend too much time at home, you feel bad about your work, and if you spend too much time at work, you feel bad about your child.
Like most working moms, I also experienced immense mom guilt returning to a career that I’d built for years. Being a working mother, one has to always work very hard at striking a balance.
I have a lot of guilt even now. I don’t know how it just comes. I think the first thing you feel as a mother is guilt. I don’t think anyone will say that so openly. I am at work, I am feeling guilty; I am at home, there’s a lot of guilt that I am not completing a lot of things that I used to normally do. So, it’s like you are only dealing with various kinds of guilt.
From my side, I always try to ensure that my shooting schedule is in Mumbai, or if I am going outstation, someone is there at home, so that they are never left alone. I would also make sure that the shooting schedule outdoors is not more than 10 days at a stretch so that I could visit my kids and see them. It is not like they wanted me to come, but it was me.
From the time I was 18, I’ve been juggling many responsibilities. My day begins at 5.30 am. It has been that way from the time I remember. Of course, after Aaradhya my priorities have changed completely. She comes first, everything else is secondary.
I was like going through emotions of guilt and emotions of being scared as a mum that what would happen to my child that I’m leaving behind. So the film had to be really, really special for me to be able to leave my baby home and go to the film set.

BRB, wondering how life changed for male celebs after they became fathers.