Matrescence -blending two worlds together

https://www.ted.com/talks/alexandra_sacks_a_new_way_to_think_about_the_transition_to_motherhood

When I meet a newly pregnant mom for the first time, I sometimes think about that moment when she frames the person she has always been and blends in the new version of what she will become. Complete with new levels of responsibility, selflessness, maturity, and interstellar wisdom. Does it just happen one day or is it a slow integration? Is the former self still there or has she vanished? Will her new role as a mother allow her to maintain the core of herself and be so much more? This dual identity is really one in the same, but it can take time to sort out. Even if the exact moment this concept of "Matrescence" is recognized, it may take an unknown amount of time to find and embrace that balance.

“Matrescence” is described by Reproductive Psychiatrist, Alexandra Sacks, as a tug of war between the natural progression of becoming a mom and remembering normal components of life. “When a baby is born, so is a mother -- but the natural (and sometimes unsteady) process of transition to motherhood is often silenced by shame or misdiagnosed as postpartum depression.” -Alexandra Sacks, Reproductive Psychiatrist

No matter the age or circumstances in which a lady discovers motherhood, she has been living her life as an individual up until this point. Like any of us, she has spent time enduring physiological development, exploring interests, pursuing a career, finding herself, and managing her life. The enormous role of motherhood can be an unfamiliar shift with huge responsibilities. How does one maintain the original version of oneself, while being a lifeline to another being?

With motherhood comes additional roles such as wife or partner, house manager or domestic engineer, and in many cases breadwinner. Maybe these were already part of the scenery pre-baby but now there's an ongoing tight rope act of managing everything without dropping a spinning plate.

Life offers some non-linear pathways to accomplishing goals. Some people function highly with multiple overlays of activities while others prefer to focus on specific stages and then return to something with intention. No matter the method, the former self can meet the new mommy self in a productive way and embrace the present identity wholeheartedly. Matrescence is a unique concept and one that exists right in front of us!