WHAT IS MATRESCENCE?
WHAT THE HELL IS MATRESCENCE & WHY HAVEN’T YOU HEARD IT BEFORE?
[mat-res-ence]
(NOUN)
The process of becoming a mother is called ‘matrescence’.
Matrescence is the transition, transformation & identity shift all women go through when they become a mother & it affects every aspect of your life.
It’s a real word & it’s in the dictionary.
Coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in 1973, matrescence is the name for the profound journey of becoming a mother, encompassing physical, psychological & emotional transformations.
A BIT LIKE ADOLESCENCE
Matrescence is the emergence of a new identity which happens when you become a mother. A huge shift happens, changing so many aspects of your life - you just don’t see it coming.
Just like the phases of puberty, adolescence & menopause, the transition women go through when they become a mother is ‘an actual thing’.
And it has a name.
Matrescence is real but widely under used & because we don’t know about it, we think there’s something wrong with us, we’re not coping, we can’t do it, we’re on our own.
Matrescence encapsulates everything you experience in those hazy moments of motherhood. Highlighting the change which occurs in your identity & the profound effect this new, exciting & overwhelming role has on your life.
DID YOU FEEL IT TOO?
That feeling of losing yourself, questioning your whole identity, your life & thinking what the hell has happened!
The feeling that you don’t know what you’re doing, being totally out of your depth & the constant pressure of everyone else seemingly doing a better job than you.
Becoming a mum feels like a constant struggle between wanting to be with your baby every second while at the same time wanting to run off into the sunset in search of your lost independence & freedom.
Feeling an overwhelming sense of love & contentment whilst simultaneously feeling completely lost & disconnected from the world.
I felt all of this… & I’m guessing you do too, which is why you’ve found yourself here.
THERE’S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW…
Being a mum feels bloody hard, because it is.
Matrescence is often referred to as the ‘forgotten transition of motherhood’. It is the word you’ve been looking for to describe everything you’ve felt since becoming a mum.
In understanding this word, you’ll be able to get to a place where you feel more content, connected & accepting of your motherhood journey.
Matrescence is a bit like a roadmap to explain how you’re feeling as a mother. Because when you know the markers & milestones of matrescence, you’ll be able to navigate your journey without overwhelm, shame or isolation.
While every mothers journey is unique, matrescence gives a framework, a language, an idea that unites mothers through their journey.
Matrescence allows you - & others - to accept that having a baby marks a transition that is both an end & a beginning.
Matrescence is the stepping stone between who you were & who you are now.