If you’ve ever returned to work after parental leave and thought, “I’m not the same person I was before I went on parental leave“, you are not imagining it. And there’s actually a word for what you’re going through.
In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I sit down with Amanda Jackson, founder of Motherhood and Matrescence and author of the book by the same name, to explore the concept of matrescence, the process of becoming a mother, and why understanding it is one of the most powerful tools a working mum can have.
In this episode we chat about:
- • What matrescence is — and why you’ve probably never heard of it (even though the word was coined in 1973)
• The 3 stages of matrescence: separation, liminality, and integration
• Why so many women feel like they’ve lost themselves after having children
• The invisible load: why the work of mothering goes unseen and how that affects our identity
• What really happens to your brain when you become a mum (it’s NOT “mummy brain” – it’s a neurological upgrade)
• How matrescence affects your return to work and what employers and women themselves can do differently
• Parenting for the audience vs. parenting for your family: how to block out the noise
• Patressence: do dads go through it too?
• Practical rituals and reflections to help you reconnect with who you are
• The powerful questions to ask yourself (and your kids) to understand your matrescence journey
Connect with Amanda Jackson
Website: motherhoodandmatrescence.com
Instagram: @motherhood_and_matrescence
LinkedIn: Amanda Jackson
Connect with Carina and Working Mumma
I'm Carina — I'm here to help you navigate how to be a mum and have a career.
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