Have you heard of the term matrescence? Probably not, and yet you’ve heard of “adolescence” – a time in your life that is defined by hormonal upheaval and a loss of control over how you look and feel while burdening expectations from your peers to look and feel a certain way. This is also how our entrance into motherhood is, aka matrescence. Except this phase is longer and possibly more life-altering.

We need to talk about and normalize the turbulence and of this process. We need to prep new moms about what is coming so that they don’t fall into our cultural norms of pathologizing this process. While some women do experience a transition that needs medical attention, many are just going through a normal and predictable shift.

I want to hear your story of initiation into motherhood. What was it like for you? What do you tell new moms about what the experience is like?