What is 'matrescence' and why does it matter?

The term "matrescence" was coined by medical anthropologist Dana Raphael in the 1970s. Raphael used the term to describe the process of becoming a mother and likened it to adolescence, emphasizing the profound changes and transformations women go through when transitioning into motherhood.

Since then, the term has gained recognition and is commonly used in the fields of psychology, sociology, and maternal mental health to describe the unique journey of becoming a mother.

Essentially, motherhood (and parenthood) is a developmental stage like any other. It requires major neural reorganization coupled with the gradual acquisition of new skills. it is an adaptive state that is actually not unique to birthing people, but something all humans can grow into

his developmental shift triggers significant changes, allowing one to adapt to the many demands of parenting. Areas associated with empathy, emotional regulation, and caregiving undergo rewiring, enabling attunement to baby's needs. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation, undergoes changes too. This can lead to heightened vigilance and increased empathy.

let's talk about it:

when we can collectively embrace parenthood as transformative, (like, reeeeallly transformative) there could be (we hope) a greater shift within the framework of our society- so that caregiving isn't something that happens in isolation.