When a baby is born, the entire world seems to shift. Family and friends gather, homes are filled with laughter, and celebrations pour in. In Pakistan, especially, the arrival of a newborn is a moment of pride and joy for the entire household. Everyone rushes to hold the baby, shower blessings, and offer advice. But in this excitement, one person often fades quietly into the background, the mother.

The truth is, traditions have long taught us to center our care and attention on the newborn. While this is natural, it often comes at the expense of the woman who has just gone through one of the most transformative, exhausting, and emotional experiences of her life. It’s time to break this cycle. After child birth care must include the mother, not just the baby.

The Invisible Struggles of a New Mother

For nine months, a woman carries life inside her. She faces morning sickness, body aches, sleepless nights, and the anxiety of what lies ahead. Then comes labor, a process that is physically draining and emotionally overwhelming. Once the baby arrives, the expectation is that her job is “done.” But in reality, her journey has only just begun.

Recovery after child birth is complex. It involves:

  • Physical healing from labor or surgery.
  • Emotional adjustment as hormones fluctuate.
  • Mental health struggles, including child birth depression and anxiety.
  • The pressure of expectations, being told to “bounce back,” care for the baby tirelessly, and manage household duties.

And yet, how often do we ask a new mother, “How are you doing?” More often, the focus is solely on the baby: “Is the baby eating? Sleeping? Gaining weight?”

The new mother, meanwhile, becomes invisible, a silent hero, exhausted and often overwhelmed.

Traditions That Need to Change

In Pakistani households, there are unspoken traditions that surface when a baby is born. Mothers-in-law often become strict overseers, sisters-in-law step back, and husbands focus on work pressures, leaving the new mother to navigate recovery with little empathy.

Instead of supporting her, many families unintentionally burden her with:

  • Constant instructions on how to raise the baby.
  • Comparisons to “how things were done before.”
  • Judgment for showing signs of weakness or needing rest.

These traditions need to change. The well-being of the child is deeply connected to the well-being of the mother. Ignoring her needs is not just unfair; it’s unhealthy for the entire household.

Why the Mother Matters Just as Much

It’s simple: a healthy, rested, and supported mother raises a healthier, happier child. When families focus only on the baby and neglect the mother’s recovery, they risk long-term effects.

Research shows that depression after child birth and untreated stress can impact a mother’s ability to bond with her baby. Physical neglect can slow her healing and increase complications. On the other hand, when mothers are cared for, they thrive and so do their children.

Taking care of the baby and taking care of the mother are not separate responsibilities. They are two sides of the same coin.

The Role of Family: A Collective Responsibility

Breaking tradition doesn’t mean abandoning cultural values; it means redefining them. In Pakistan, family bonds are strong, and households often live together. This creates the perfect opportunity to share the responsibility of care.

  • Husbands can play an active role by ensuring their wives rest, helping with baby duties, and expressing emotional support. Small gestures, like bringing home comfort products designed for new mothers, show that her needs matter.
  • Mothers-in-law can replace criticism with compassion, offering guidance that uplifts rather than dictates.
  • Sisters-in-law can step in as allies, providing companionship and lightening the mother’s load with small acts of care.
  • An extended family can shift the conversation from only asking about the baby to also checking in on the mother’s well-being.

When the entire family works together, the home becomes a safe space of healing rather than a battlefield of expectations.

Beyond the Baby: Redefining Care After Child Birth

In recent years, awareness about maternal health has grown, but it’s still not enough. We need to actively shift the narrative, from focusing exclusively on the newborn to creating balance in care.

That means:

  • Prioritizing the mother’s nutrition, rest, and comfort.
  • Recognizing signs of depression and offering support without judgment.
  • Providing her with products and solutions that aid recovery, like supportive mattresses, nursing pillows, and ergonomic seating.
  • Treating her as a whole person, not just a caregiver for the baby.

A Step Toward Change: MoltyFoam’s Mother’s Range

This is where initiatives like MoltyFoam’s newly launched TVC step in. Known for generations as a brand of comfort, MoltyFoam, the best mattress brand in Pakistan, is now championing the comfort of mothers themselves.

The range is designed with one goal in mind: to support women during their journey after child birth. From easing back pain to improving rest, these products give mothers the physical and emotional relief they need. And when families choose to bring these solutions home, they’re sending a powerful message:

“Your comfort matters. Your healing matters. You matter.”

It’s not just a product, it’s a shift in priorities, one that places the mother back where she belongs: at the center of care.

Breaking Traditions, Building Futures

The traditions of the past do not have to define the future. We can choose compassion over criticism, empathy over expectation, and unity over division. By caring for mothers as much as we care for babies, we’re not only creating healthier families today but also raising children who will carry these values of empathy into tomorrow.

Imagine a Pakistan where after child birth care is a collective family effort. Where husbands proudly support their wives. Where mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law work together, hand in hand. Where sisters-in-law become friends, not rivals. Where the new mother feels seen, celebrated, and cared for, not invisible.

That’s the tradition worth creating.

Conclusion

Breaking traditions is never easy, especially in a culture where customs run deep. But when traditions harm more than they heal, it becomes our responsibility to reshape them.

Care must go beyond the baby and include the mother. She is the foundation of the family, the one who gives life, and the one who deserves to be nurtured in return.

With brands like MoltyFoam stepping forward to highlight this change, and with families choosing compassion, we can create homes filled with love, support, and true healing.

Because when we care for the mother, we’re not just caring for one person; we’re caring for the whole family.