Emerging in Motherhood: Matrescence

In this episode of Emerging in Motherhood: Matrescence, Zana welcomes Katerina Annels — an osteopath, trained lactation consultant and creator of the Nurture Online 7 Sisters program — for a thoughtful conversation about matrescence, postpartum care, maternal wellbeing and why every mother deserves a village.
Katerina shares how her own experiences, including pregnancy loss and becoming a mother, shaped her understanding of matrescence and the support women need through the transition into motherhood. Together, we explore why postpartum recovery is about more than caring for a newborn, and how practical, emotional and community support can make a meaningful difference to a mother's wellbeing, recovery and early parenting experience.
In this episode, we explore:
What matrescence is and how becoming a mother transforms our identity and sense of self.
Why postpartum care and support for mothers often feel scarce once a baby arrives.
The importance of the fourth trimester, postpartum rest, nourishment and recovery.
How practical help — from meals and household tasks to caring for older children — creates space for mothers to rest and bond with their babies.
How to build your village before birth and create a postpartum support plan that reflects your family's needs.
Why asking for help can feel difficult, how to communicate specific needs, and why it's important to make saying “no” an acceptable answer.
What we can learn from cultural traditions that prioritise postpartum rest, nourishment and community care.
How neighbours, friends and people across generations can become part of a mother's support network.
Why supporting mothers is not just an individual or family responsibility, but a wider cultural and societal one.
Katerina also shares more about her Nurture Online 7 Sisters program, which helps expectant mothers build a practical, sustainable postpartum support network before their baby arrives. While she is not currently running the workshops, mums can still access the information available through the website. 
Explore Katerina's 7 Sisters program: https://nurtureonline.org/7-sisters-sales-page
Because preparing for a baby should mean more than preparing the nursery. It should also mean preparing the community that will care for the mother.
If we want mothers to feel supported rather than isolated, and if we want our children and grandchildren to inherit a kinder, more connected world, we need to rethink how we approach postpartum care — and start building those communities now.
Because we don't simply bounce back. We rupture, we reshape, and we emerge. This is matrescence.
Connect with Emerging in Motherhood for more real conversations about the experiences, identities and transformations that shape us as mothers
As always, if you would like up to date information from Emerging in Motherhood: Matrescence, including the opportunity to send in your questions ahead of expert interviews then follow along on Facebook or
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575355774112 https://www.instagram.com/emergeinmotherhoodmatrescence/
  
 

Motherhood doesn’t mean “bouncing back” to who you were before. It can reshape your identity, values, relationships, career, and sense of self - yet many women enter pregnancy with almost no preparation for the emotional transformation ahead. Zana and her guest explore what happens when motherhood collides with emotionally demanding work, invisible mental load, and the pressure to support everyone else. The guest shares her experience as a child protection lawyer and mother, including the compassion fatigue that followed her home, the impact on her relationship, and why running and connection with other women became essential forms of support.You’ll hear about:
Why compassion fatigue can affect your home life even when you remain compassionate and effective at work
What pregnant women should be told about matrescence, identity change, and the feeling of becoming a different person
Why hospital classes and pamphlets often miss the emotional realities of birth, breastfeeding, and early motherhood
How moving towns can mean rebuilding your village from scratch
Why support needs to begin during pregnancy and continue well beyond the first six months postpartum
The practical challenge of receiving help when you are not someone who naturally asks for it
The guest also reflects on preparing for the possibility of going from one child to two, the unexpected ways motherhood can change long-term goals, and the importance of accepting that the journey will keep shifting. Her river metaphor offers a powerful reminder: motherhood has rapids and smoother waters, but trying to fight the current only makes the journey harder. For every mother who has felt emotionally depleted, isolated, guilty, or surprised by how much motherhood changed her, this conversation offers recognition and reassurance. You are not failing. You are navigating a profound transition, and you were never meant to do it alone
As always, if you would like up to date information from The Matrescence Project, including the opportunity to send in your questions ahead of expert interviews then follow The Matrescence Project on Facebook or Instagram
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575355774112
https://www.instagram.com/matrescence_project/ 
 

When You Become a Mother, You’re Born Too
You can prepare for birth, baby’s arrival, and the endless newborn essentials, but how do you prepare for the birth of you? If motherhood has left you anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or wondering why nobody warned you about this transformation, this conversation is for you. I speak with Emma from Empower Matrescence, a perinatal mental health nurse, birth debriefer, maternal and infant health researcher, and postnatal support practitioner. Emma shares how her own experience of breastfeeding struggles, extreme sleep deprivation, undiagnosed thyroid issues, and inadequate support revealed the gap between what mothers need and what the maternity system often provides.Together, we unpack:
Why matrescence is a profound physical, emotional, psychological, cultural, systemic, and spiritual transition
How the brain rewires for vigilance during pregnancy and postpartum, and when normal vigilance can become hypervigilance and anxiety
The far-reaching effects of birth trauma on the nervous system, bonding, relationships, confidence, and help-seeking
How sleep deprivation, birth experiences, nutrition, thyroid health, iron, vitamin D, and other contributing factors can compound perinatal mental health struggles
Why values and identity can shift dramatically when you begin seeing the world through the lens of “we” instead of “me”
Emma also explains why so many mothers fall into the gap between coping and crisis, where they are struggling deeply but do not qualify for the services designed for more severe mental health needs. Her story exposes what happens when mothers are blamed for their distress instead of being listened to, validated, and supported as whole people.This episode offers a compassionate reframe: you are not failing because motherhood feels harder than expected. You are moving through a major developmental transformation, often without the village, preparation, or care you deserve and need. And if life feels relentlessly difficult, reaching out for support is not weakness or evidence that you are a bad mother. It may be one of the bravest and most transformative things you do.
Essential listening for expectant mothers, new mums, mothers processing a difficult birth, and anyone who wants a more honest and compassionate understanding of the journey into motherhood.
If you would like to reach out to Emma personally, please visit her website:
https://www.empowermatrescence.com 
And as always, if you would like up to date information from The Matrescence Project, including the opportunity to send in your questions ahead of expert interviews then follow The Matrescence Project on Facebook or Instagram
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575355774112
https://www.instagram.com/matrescence_project/ 
 

Have you been planning your return to work after motherhood, but now feel a little lost about how to actually make it happen?
Perhaps you had the itch to return to work, only to discover that when you did, something didn't quite fit anymore.
Or maybe you're still itching to return to your career, but aren't sure what that should look like now that you're a mother.
Whatever your relationship with work, career and motherhood, today's conversation with India Sutherland from India Sutherland Coaching is likely to speak to you.
India experienced first-hand how matrescence can shift our identity, and how those changes can have profound implications for our careers, ambitions and the way we want to work.
Like many mothers, she eventually left the corporate world and built a coaching business that allows her to work in a way that is much more aligned with her values, her family and the life she wants to create.
In this conversation, India shares practical advice for mothers returning to work or navigating work after having children, including how to approach conversations with your employer, ask for the flexibility you need, and navigate the realities of sick children, school and daycare commitments, pickups and the many unexpected demands of family life.
But we also go deeper.
Because sometimes a difficult daycare or school drop-off—when your little person is clinging to your leg and begging you not to leave—can leave you wondering:
Is this really what I want to be doing?
How can I make this work better?
What do I actually value?
And perhaps most importantly:
What do my family and I actually need from the way we structure our lives?
Because our values aren't simply a buzzword.
As we move through matrescence and motherhood, our values can become clearer, shift or feel increasingly difficult to ignore. And when the way we're living and working feels out of alignment with those values, we can feel the consequences.
This is a conversation about motherhood and identity, returning to work, career change after having children, workplace flexibility, family needs and finding a way of working that feels more congruent with the woman you've become.
If you'd like to hear more from India or learn more about her coaching and how she supports mothers, you can find her through her website, Instagram and Substack below:
https://indiasutherland.com
https://www.instagram.com/indiasutherland.coaching?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsi=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
https://substack.com/@indiasutherlandcoaching
Topics discussed: matrescence, motherhood identity, returning to work after motherhood, career after motherhood, working mothers, career change, workplace flexibility, values, motherhood and career, Australian mothers, flexible work.
 
 
 

Are you on maternity leave or planning your return to work transition? Have you recently returned but feel different, changed, or like you are not performing in the same way? 
According to Mothered Magazine’s editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, author and award-winning workplace culture innovator, Alexa Starks, mums often do feel a difference in their performance - but for the better. If you need the evidence to help you understand the change or perhaps the language to explain it to others then this conversation is for you. 
Alexa also discusses what workplaces can do from a systemic perspective to better support mothers returning to work after maternity leave, and how this is in fact in their best interests as well as yours. 
We also discuss the long-overdue and much-needed change in the narrative of mothers, motherhood, and how awesome this real-life experience actually is for our leadership skills. 
If you want to access the full report (and perhaps show it to your boss?) visit: https://www.motheredmagazine.com
You can also check out Alexa Starks on Substack or Instagram.  
In future, if you want the opportunity to send in your questions to the incredibly knowledgeable women who will be sharing their insight and expertise on this podcast in future episodes, be sure to follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matrescence_project/ or on The Matrescence Project's Facebook Page where I share the details before the interviews. 
This is a podcast for all of us, so I want you to have the opportunity to have your questions answered!

Emily joins me from Canada to share her deeply honest journey through an unexpected path into motherhood. Together, we explore matrescence through multiple lenses—from the cultural and societal expectations placed on mothers to the deeply personal pressure so many women carry to become the elusive "good mother."
With remarkable vulnerability, Emily reflects on how motherhood challenged the identity she had carefully presented to the world, and how the transition through matrescence ultimately led her to discover a version of herself that felt genuinely authentic for the first time.
Our conversation also turns to the future. Emily shares the changes she hopes to see in the way society prepares, supports, and validates new parents, believing that a better understanding of matrescence has the power to transform the experience of motherhood for future generations.
Although we discuss differences between pregnancy and postpartum care in Canada and Australia, one truth remains universal: no matter where a woman lives, becoming a mother is a profound psychological, emotional, and social transition. Matrescence knows no borders, yet too often women are expected to navigate this transformation without the understanding, language, or support they deserve.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that while every mother's story is unique, the experience of becoming a mother is something that connects women across the world.

We prepare women for labour. We prepare them to feed a baby. We prepare them to keep a tiny human alive.
But very few of us are prepared for what happens to us.
In this bonus episode, I explore why understanding matrescence—the profound physical, emotional, psychological and social transition into motherhood—isn't simply empowering. It can be preventative.
When mothers have language for what they're experiencing, they are better equipped to recognise when they need support, extend compassion to themselves, and navigate one of life's biggest transformations with greater confidence. And maybe most important of all - the language connects us with each other, helps us feel heard, validated and part of a community rather than alone. 
This knowledge helps us embrace the changes and see how incredible our brain and body are, while really appreciating the beauty in those changes rather than trying to "bounce back". 
This episode is inspired by my latest Substack essay, The Missing Language of Motherhood, and is a call to action.
If this conversation resonates with you, please share it with one mother. Then encourage her to share it with another.
Awareness spreads one conversation at a time, and together we can help ensure fewer women enter motherhood without the knowledge they deserve.
Full Substack essay: https://substack.com/@thematrescenceproject 
 

How does a woman navigate matrescence when she still feels she is emerging from adolescence into adulthood herself?
Meet Olivia: A woman who speaks of exactly this, but with a few extra difficulties. In her first six months of motherhood, Olivia experienced domestic violence and a relationship breakdown. But after feeling lost in the process of becoming a mother, after feeling like motherhood eclipsed her identity entirely, Olivia finally feels like she is finding herself. This comes after two more pregnancies and babies, a deeply redemptive home birth, and another Bub on the way.
Olivia's truly inspiring story of motherhood and matrescence started with difficulty and isolation, but her perseverance and strength helped her transition into the mother, woman and individual she is today.  
This is a powerful reminder that matrescence is not a single moment, but an unfolding process that often occurs over years. 

Can you prepare for motherhood—and could preparing for matrescence change your postpartum experience?
In this raw and honest episode of The Matrescence Project, Rhi shares her experience of an unplanned pregnancy, the decision to continue with her pregnancy, and the research and preparation she undertook before becoming a mother.
Rather than sugarcoating the transition into motherhood, Rhi explained how she approached it with curiosity. She immersed herself in research, learned about matrescence and deliberately prepared herself for the changes that motherhood could bring - while she was pregnant.
She shares how understanding the transition into motherhood before her baby was born helped her approach postpartum with greater awareness and acceptance—and why she believes knowledge can be such a powerful tool for new mothers.
Rhi also reflects on the importance of embracing the changes that matrescence brings, trusting your partner, communicating openly and allowing your relationship to evolve alongside becoming parents.
Her story raises an important question:
What if we prepared women for becoming mothers with the same care and attention we give them for pregnancy and birth
Rhi's experience offers a different perspective on postpartum wellbeing: rather than waiting until motherhood feels difficult to seek information and support, what might happen if we began preparing women for the transition before their babies arrived?
Because preparing for motherhood isn't only about preparing for birth. Actually - it isn't about preparing for birth at all. Just like planning a wedding won't prepare you for the marriage itself, planning for the birth won't prepare you for the transition you will go through into motherhood and the profound implications of matrescence. 
Being prepared for motherhood is also about preparing for becoming.
For up to date information on future episodes, be part of the conversation and the opportunity to have experts answer your questions around matrescence and your becoming into motherhood, be sure to follow The Matrescence Project on Facebook and Instagram.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575355774112
https://www.instagram.com/matrescence_project/ 
 

What if the changes you're experiencing in motherhood aren't a sign that you're "losing yourself"—but evidence that your brain is adapting to one of life's biggest transitions?
In this jam-packed conversation, I'm joined by Dr. Renee White—doula, biochemist, founder of I Fill Your Cup, and host of The Science of Motherhood Podcast—to unpack the fascinating science behind matrescence.
Together, we explore:
Why becoming a mother can trigger such a profound identity shift
What happens in the brain from conception and throughout early motherhood
How and why these changes show up in everyday life
Why the experience can feel different with subsequent pregnancies
The impact of anxiety, trauma, and pre-existing mental health challenges during the transition to motherhood
Grieving your former self while embracing who you're becoming
Self-care, career changes, role transitions, and finding your footing in this new season of life
Most importantly, we discuss what mothers, families, communities, and healthcare providers can do to better support women through matrescence—so they can navigate this transition with greater understanding, confidence, and compassion.
Experts and Resources mentioned in this conversation:
- Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum (Neuroscience PhD, Doula and Mother) The Nurture Revolution
- Dr. Marian Piper (Artist, Writer and Researcher who turns pain into purpose)
Mums Matter Psychology offer Perinatal Mental Health Support for pregnancy and beyond, with bulk billing options https://www.mumsmatterpsychology.com 
Now that we have empowered ourselves with the scientific knowledge thanks to Dr. White's help, we discuss what we need to do to help support mothers so they experience this transition with less confusion and more calm and confidence.