What is matrescence?
Matrescence is characterized by the "birth of a mother", i.e. the moment when a woman feels she is becoming a mother and becomes a mother through the birth of her child. At the moment of childbirth, when the child is born, we leave pregnancy behind and enter the post-partum period, and a woman sometimes suffers the symptoms. That's why we've put together some healthy content on the subject to complement your menstrual panties, which will help you cope with post-partum discharge.
For many women, matrescence represents a major psychological upheaval. All the confidence acquired beforegiving birth can be shattered, giving way to fears, anxieties and a loss of self-confidence. After all, childbirth is not just the birth of a child, it's also the birth of a mother.
Watch our video with Tziganette on the subject:
Maternity is a delicate time, which can provoke many emotions: sadness, doubt, depression due to hormonal changes, but also because of the psychological change involved in becoming a mother. It's a transitional period when many emotions come together, sometimes leading to doubts about the child's birth and desire. It can be a difficult time. However, we'd like to remind you that it's perfectly normal to have doubts, and that this doesn't mean you don't love your child.
It's just as important to add that, contrary to what you may read or hear, a child's love isn't immediate and can take time to manifest itself. There's no need to feel guilty. Motherhood is a stage in the life of a young mother, and each one experiences it differently.
But all too often, the (sometimes more negative) emotions that mothers feel during matrescence are put aside or not taken into account. The clichés and injunctions that exist in our society around the ideal mother are numerous, so this can sometimes give way to post-partum depression. But motherhood doesn't come naturally to everyone. Feeling at peace with yourself in your role as a mother can take time. Sometimes, too, some people will never feel a desire for motherhood or fatherhood, and that's okay. Having children is not a compulsory step in life.
That's what psychiatrist Anne Raynaud tells us. Founder and director of the Instituts de la Parentalité in France (Bordeaux & Paris). She offers parenting support programs, consultations for parents of young children and training for professionals, to help them deal with the specific problems of parenthood and building attachment bonds.
Discover our podcast dedicated to matrescence with Floriane Stauffer:
When do you become a mother? When does one become a mother?
As we said earlier, matrescence is a time of upheaval: the body changes, hormones are in turmoil, and there are hormonal drops after childbirth. Added to this is the fact that it's a time when young mothers feel a lot of pressure, both from those around them and from themselves. Some women may feel that they're not up to the task of looking after their child. A lot is expected of the mother at this time, yet she herself is in the throes of self-doubt. Unlike childbirth, for which there are courses to prepare you, there is no preparation for becoming a mother.
How do you embrace matrescence?
Get help and support. Whether it's your partner, your friends, your family etc... The father, the partner, plays (most of the time) a major role in the arrival of a child. Don't hesitate to seek comfort from women who are going through or have gone through the same thing as you. Expressing your feelings can help you accept and cope with the upheavals associated with the birth of your baby and the influx of hormones.
Take time for yourself and accept the fact that this is a complicated time: it passes with time. Taking time for yourself when you've just given birth may seem complicated, but even 20 minutes to think about something else, such as reading or yoga, can help you to let go.
The important thing to remember: everyone goes at their own pace. The fact that you don't feel comfortable or up to it shouldn't make you feel guilty: it's a normal feeling! Surround yourself with people who make you feel good, and trust them!
When do you feel like becoming a mother?
Some people will never feel the desire to become mothers or fathers, and that's okay. Having children is not a compulsory step in life.
That's what psychiatrist Anne Raynaud tells us. Founder and director of the Instituts de la Parentalité in France (Bordeaux & Paris). She offers parenting support programs, consultations for parents of young children and training for professionals, to help them deal with the specific problems of parenthood and building attachment bonds.
"The desire for a child: so many inner questions
Being a parent sounds like quite an adventure...
Being a parent is "quite simply" the story of an encounter. An intimate encounter with oneself, through the eyes of my child, this being to whom I give life and who gives me the gift of discovering myself.
The idea of having a child, so far away, has been growing stronger in me for some time now. It's hard to describe, so obvious and, at the same time, a little strange. The questions come and go, and then they fade away. But what questions could possibly be holding back the impetus I feel deep down: the desire to have a child?
Sometimes, the conditions seem right. My partner is there, very present in my life, I finally feel professionally stable and it's just the right time. It's also the time when we're building our cosy nest, for this new family. It's all happening at the same time, and sometimes it's a bit overwhelming in my head, but what a joy it is to see our couple turn into a family and to see our love grow through this desire for a child.
And then, for others, it's a bit of a surprise, or else all the rational criteria don't seem to be present in my existence and yet, it's now that I feel called to this great adventure.
To change our lives, to give birth to a little being that we're going to make, that's going to prolong the intensity of our love and transform our lives, is that really reasonable? It's true, I so often feel inside myself, like a struggle between the irrepressible desire to give birth and, at the same time, all that this will transform. Changing my habits, no longer having the freedom to go out or do sport when I feel like it, all the constraints inherent in the arrival of a little baby on my sleep, for example, the material reorganization of our lives... But whatever, I feel ready.
So it's normal to feel this desire tinged with hesitation. It's just that I feel deep down that this commitment will change my life. So it's essential that I feel all these questions inside me. It's not that I don't want the baby I'm dreaming of. It's just that, through these deep questions, I'm taking on the dimension of this great adventure. Sometimes, it's already inside me, when I feel indecisive and unsure about continuing the pregnancy. I'm angry at myself for thinking that maybe I don't want this child. But these ideas and doubts are not built up against this baby, already inside me, but reflect the sense of responsibility that is beginning to take hold, now that this path to parenthood is taking shape. In contrast to guilt, it's the emergence of an essential feeling of involvement with this unborn child. These questions are essential, and it's vital to ask them consciously right from the start. It's the signal that I'm already beginning my preparation to become a parent. My baby can't blame me for asking whether I feel ready to welcome him or her. On the contrary, it's a lovely gift.
So I understand that wanting a child is a bit complex and ambivalent: between an irrepressible desire and a fear of not being able to do it. But all the same, what an experience, and we'll learn together..."
If you're feeling lost and need psychological support, don't forget that health professionals are there to help you.
