'Will get pregnant three more times...': Sania Mirza opens up about motherhood, breastfeeding struggles and journey post-retirement

Sania Mirza, widely recognized as India's most successful female tennis player, recently shared her emotional journey of breastfeeding her son, Izhaan Mirza Malik. During an episode of The Masoom Minawala Show on April 21, Sania opened up about the challenges she faced while breastfeeding.

Despite breastfeeding for nearly three months, Sania found the experience to be emotionally and mentally draining. The pressure of being the sole provider of nourishment for her son took a toll on her well-being. The lack of sleep and constant feeding schedule only added to her exhaustion.

Sania Mirza revealed that she was still hitting the tennis courts the night before she welcomed her baby on October 30, 2018, and she jumped back into her workout routine just three weeks after giving birth. While she described her pregnancy as a beautiful experience, she confessed that breastfeeding turned out to be the toughest challenge for her.

In her own words, Sania expressed, “I breastfed for 2.5-3 months. For me, that was the hardest part of pregnancy, I have to say. I am like, I will get pregnant three more times, but this feeding business, I don’t know if I can do (again). For me, it was not the physical part of it; for me, the emotional and mental part of it was draining. As a working woman, it really ties you down because you feel like they (the babies) are so dependent on it. There is a time commitment, there is not enough sleep, and you are placing all your activities around when you need to feed the baby.”

“I did what was needful. But after 3 months, I went to the paediatrician and said, 'Look I have tried but I just can't do it'. He said to try for another month, and I said, 'I will lose my mind'. It was just very hard for me emotionally because you are already dealing with many things and hormones post-pregnancy... and being in the public eye, people are body-shaming you... for me knowing that this little human was dependent on just me for food was a very difficult thing because I felt like what if I am not there,” she added.

Sania Mirza and her former husband Shoaib Malik joyfully welcomed their son, Izhaan, into the world in 2018. During an appearance on The Masoom Minawala Show, Sania revealed the heartfelt reasons behind her decision to retire from professional tennis. Her primary motivation was to prioritize spending precious time with her son, Izhaan, during his crucial formative years. Sania recognized the importance of being present to provide him with the necessary stability and care he deserved.

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