Matrescence – The transition from woman to mother
- Heather Newman
- Nov 20, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 23, 2025
The Journey into Motherhood
Motherhood is a rollercoaster; one minute it can feel like joyous experience and the next it can leave you feeling like aren't capble, leaving you scared of what is to come. It's a deeply personal journey to each and every women based on their own life experience, values, beliefs, partner, support, family of origin and so on. The transition into motherhood, known as matrescence, is a profound and complex process that involves physical, emotional, social, and psychological changes. Matrescence is a term coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael to describe the process of becoming a mother.
I hadn’t heard this word ‘matrescence’ until I was well into my motherhood journey. I was tuned into a live talk on Anna Marthur’s Motherhood Minds project with Mama Rising Business coach Gemma Mercer. During their discussion, my mind was blown! I specifically remember thinking “Wow, so that’s what was happening to me”. It felt validating, but also strange to have never heard this word before, ever! Gemma went on to become a huge influence and inspiration in my own materscene journey. Having worked together 1:1, Gemma helped me understand and have compassion for the monumental transformation I had gone on, and then helped me shape my new identify as both a mother and a Postpartum doula.
Resource | I’ve attached a link below where you will find Gemma Mercer talking to Amy Taylor-Kabbaz on her podcast ‘Mama Rising’. discussing how to find your new identity.
So what is Matrescence exactly?
Matrescence encompasses the physical changes that occur during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. As women, our bodies undergo incredible transformations to support and nurture a growing life, from hormonal fluctuations to weight gain and physical discomfort. This transformation is often overlooked and misunderstood by society; which I'm sure isn't surprising to most who know we live in a world highly dominated by men, their health, their clocks and energy - these are just facts.
I want to make a note of something I was told recently which relates to what I have said above. I attended a learning workshop at The Shakespeare School in Stratford, along with my daughter. During this workshop the guide explained why it was only boys that were 'allowed' to go to school. He asked me "What would girls do with the knowledge they would learn?" I replied "Use it" to which he then smiled and said "Exactly, and then women would become harder to control, and they couldn't have that". I understand that we have moved on from the Tuder days in terms of equality for women. However, we still have a huge way to go if the word that describes the transition of women to mother isn't known widely, in 2025, across the globe - It is a medical term, it is valid and yet has been hidden - I wonder why eh?
The experience of giving birth can be intense and overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. We often don't have enough time to truly process what we went through because we now have a little human in our arms, and as wonderful as that is (obviously) what we just went thought deserves time and space. Postpartum recovery can be challenging, as new mothers, we have to navigate sleep deprivation, healing from childbirth, and adjusting to the demands of caring for a newborn. It is a lot!
Emotionally, matrescence is a rollercoaster of highs and lows. The bond between mother and child begins to form during pregnancy and continues to deepen in the early days of caring for a newborn. However, the emotional challenges of motherhood can also be overwhelming. I will share more of my own emotional challenges in early motherhood in time. It isn’t easy, and without proper support, can be a very isolating and scary place.
As new mothers, we may experience feelings of guilt, doubt, or anxiety as we navigate the demands of caring for a newborn, managing household responsibilities, and maintaining relationships with partners, family, and friends. Socially, matrescence can bring about changes in relationships and identity. Becoming a mother often means shifting priorities, reevaluating friendships, and adjusting to new roles within the family dynamic. This was huge for me, and I really did feel such a loss over my identify; both professionally and personally. The expectations and pressures placed on mothers by society can be immense, leading to feelings of inadequacy or isolation. Finding a support network of other mothers, friends, and family members can be crucial in navigating the challenges of matrescence (and this is where a Postpartum Doula can really help!)
Psychologically, matrescence involves a process of identity transformation. Our sense of self shifts as we take on the role of mother, incorporating this new identity into our existing sense of self. The emotional labor of motherhood, the juggling of multiple responsibilities, and the pressures of societal expectations can take a toll on a woman’s mental health – it sure did for me! It is important for new mothers to prioritise self-care, seek help when needed, and practice self-compassion during this transformative time. This can be easier said than done, as my own experience shows, but again this is why having a postpartum doula in your corner, or planning for your postpartum can make a huge difference - SHOUT OUT to Postpartum Planning but more about this later, let me just say that when we get married, we plan, why wouldn't we do this when we are bringing a baby into the world?! - Anyway, moving on...
Resource | I have linked a TED Talk by Alexandra Sacks discussing ‘A new way to think about the transition into Motherhood’.
Alexandra Sacks also wrote a wonderful article – ‘The Birth of a Mother’, published in the New York Times about the transition into Motherhood, I’ve also linked this below.
In Conclusion
Matrescence is a profound and life-changing journey that all mothers go through. It's a process that involves physical, emotional, social, and psychological changes as we transition into the role of the mother. It’s monumental, intense and all consuming, also it’s inevitable, and yet more often than not, this huge transition isn’t given the time, space and care it deserves (cue the eye rollers here!) There is not enough education around the transition of matrescence. If there were, more mothers would feel held, supported, and understood, and in turn, they’d be able to care for their babies from a steadier, more resourced place because they’d know their support system genuinely had their back. The ripple effect of truly understanding this monumental transition would be enormous: mothers cared for, babies cared for, less trauma, more love, stronger attachment, safer home lives, healthier relationships, healthier children, teens, adults… and on it goes. It would change the world!
For me, it was about learning that I wasn't going crazy, and losing my mind or myself. I was metamorphasising into a new version of myself, and that not only takes time, but needs safe people and places to do so in. Matrscence is messy, and requires those around you to be able to hold your hand through it, instead of tidying up.
Matrescence isn’t widely known, and the understanding of the transition is a blur. Whilst we are going through this incredible transformation, we can also experience loss. I myself experienced deep loss during my own matrescence journey (something I will write about in a separate journal post because I believe grief in motherhood deserves its own space).
The challenges of matrescence can be daunting, but by seeking support, practicing self-care, and embracing the journey of matrescence by understanding what it is, we can navigate the complexities of motherhood with grace and resilience.
Matrescence Resource
I have posted a link below to a youtube clip of Amy Taylor-Kabbaz author of ‘Mama Rising’ and creator of the ‘Mama Rising’ Podcast and discussing Matrescence with Lucy Jones, author of the book ‘Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood”.
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