Evelyn Sharma on sharing breastfeeding photo: Why be shy about it?

Recently, actor Evelyn Sharma took to social media to share an image where she is seen breastfeeding her two month older daughter, Ava Bhindi, and discussed about cluster feeding becoming a part of her daily routine. A month back, she posted a similar picture, which much like the current one drew support from many. However, both posts were slammed by a few netizens who asked Sharma to keep her private pictures off social media.

The 35-year-old tells us that she would rather focus on the positive messages she received as she says, “I want to share my journey as a new mother with my friends and fans. It’s important for me to keep my social media personal and not just a work profile.”

Talking about the kind of trolling that happens with pictures of mothers breastfeeding their children, the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and Saaho (2019) actor says, “Such images show vulnerability and strength at the same time. I find it beautiful. Breastfeeding is one of the most natural and healthy things to do. And it really is why women have breasts in the first place. So why be shy about it?”

Sharma hopes that the post will be able to encourage young mothers and even nudge their partners to be more supportive: “Breastfeeding is much tougher than people think. When you start out as a new mum, it is often physically and mentally exhausting, particularly cluster feeds. I shared my story to let mums out there know that they aren’t alone in this.”

Quiz her about her new role of a mum and Sharma shares, “There’s a statue in Mumbai that says, ‘A child gives birth to a mother’. I’ve passed by it almost daily and it left me confused every time. Now I understand what it means. Motherhood has changed my life forever.”