South African media personality Thembisa Nxumalo has broken her silence on the poor support she received after giving birth to her youngest son.
Taking to X, the mother of three shared the worst postpartum experience she had, including going back to work seven days after giving birth.
“I went back to work a week after I gave birth to my son. Today, I tell my therapist that I’m exhausted and emotional, and my cup is empty. She looks at me and says; you know why. I literally sobbed,” she wrote.
Now, if you’ve been pregnant before, you know how daunting the process is. Beautiful as it is, it takes a toll not only on your physical but on your mental and emotional state.
This is because your hormones are high and your body is constantly at work, creating a whole human being, so you’re bound to feel out of place.
Even after giving birth, your hormones don’t disappear, and the only thing your body needs is rest, lots of rest, so going back to work even after two months is out of the question.
“We don’t speak enough about the effects pregnancy has on a woman, physically and mentally. How important it is to take the time to get back to self. We also don’t speak enough about how society seldom gives women a safe space to do so,” Nxumalo said.
She opened up about how tired she is, which is understandable because she did not rest and allow her body to heal. Instead, she worked until she couldn’t anymore.
“The pressure to snap back. To not look like you’ve just had a baby. Hell, to not look like your mental state. Constantly taking on more because a growing family needs growing pockets.
“It’s an amazing time. This year feels like it’s sprinkled with magic dust, but … Man, I’m tired.”
Some mothers could relate to her as sometimes society doesn’t give them grace.
“They say it’s not a disease, they say we are cry babies. 😏. I found it disturbing when fellow female leaders ignored my request to breastfeed, my baby’s right to be breastfed, I was ignored.
@morokeBK said: “A right to pump for my daughter. I will never forgive them on this!”