About Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day gifts from my daughters
MOTHER’S DAY is so special for everyone! And when your first child is born the day after Mother’s Day, it will forever be special 😍
This year we had all the customary celebrations… The kids made me cards and gifts, we had a special meal together, lots of cuddles and hugs… I also wished my Mom and Mom-like figures in my life, family and friends who are Moms… and I also asked for AND got some alone time - the coveted “ME” time! I am at a stage in Motherhood where I can comfortably think about self-care, self-compassion, “ME” time, MY goals, MY needs. But not too long ago, these words or concepts were non-existent to me.
A few months ago, I came across the term Matrescence. Confused? I was too? Sounds like “Adolescence” but with “Matre” in it… Well you see, that is exactly the point!!! To define loosely, “Matrescence” is a period of time that encompasses the Developmental Transition into Motherhood. What?!?! My thoughts exactly! A quick internet search will show you that this term is not new. In fact it was first described by scientists in the 1970s, but this concept has only recently been studied and researched in depth. And once I entered that vast rabbit hole, I came across scientific papers, research articles, interviews, blog posts, podcasts, books - all discussing and explaining MATRESCENCE!
Remember your teenage years? Those years of awkwardness? Changes in our bodies, hormonal changes, big ideas - our brains and bodies went through enormous changes, and we were forever transformed into grown adults. We all are aware that our bodies go through enormous changes during pregnancy. And most parents can relate to the feeling of being changed forever once we become parents. Not only do our bodies undergo physical, hormonal, emotional (and very likely spiritual) changes, but as much as we would have liked or wanted, we don’t really “bounce back”. We quite literally undergo a TRANSFORMATION - our brains change also, and these changes happen at the cellular level. Some of these changes absolutely make sense from an evolutionary standpoint - we become very attuned to our new baby’s needs, their cries, breathing patterns - all to ensure the baby's survival and optimal growth. Little did I know that all these changes also meant unbeknownst changes in my personality, needs and desires, priorities, expectations, tolerance towards other people and their ideas, and so much more.
This Mother’s Day, I reflected on my own Matrescence and how I have transformed in every way possible. And I am learning to have no regrets for those changes, for they have served me well in my Motherhood journey as well as personal growth journey.
So tell me, how has your Matrescence been?