A New Way To Think About The Transisition To Motherhood

Learning about another way to approach Motherhood

When a baby is born, so is a mother -- but the natural (and sometimes unsteady) process of transition to motherhood is often silenced by shame or misdiagnosed as postpartum depression. In this quick, informative talk, reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks breaks down the emotional tug-of-war of becoming a new mother -- and shares a term that could help describe it: matrescence. This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page. About the speaker Alexandra Sacks · Reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks, M.D. is widely recognized as the leading clinical expert on matrescence: the developmental transition into motherhood. 

A New Way To Think About The Transition To Motherhood

When a baby is born, so is a mother -- but the natural (and sometimes unsteady) process of transition to motherhood is often silenced by shame or misdiagnosed as postpartum depression. In this quick, informative talk, reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks breaks down the emotional tug-of-war of becoming a new mother -- and shares a term that could help describe it: matrescence. This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.

About the speaker Alexandra Sacks · Reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks, M.D. is widely recognized as the leading clinical expert on matrescence: the developmental transition into motherhood.

Stay At Home Mum

The Term 'Stay-at-Home-Mum' under fire


Is the term 'stay-at-home-mum' outdated?  It caused a stir many years ago because mothers who chose to stay at home and raise their children were considered with disdain.  It is a topic that can arouse many emotions.
  

Every time I go through immigration at an international airport and scribble madly to complete the dreaded arrival forms, while simultaneously manhandling my overtired children, the ‘what is your occupation?’ question frustrates me.

Do I write ‘lawyer’? That is what I did for most of my professional life. I trained as a lawyer, I was paid good money to practise as a lawyer and I consider myself a ‘lawyer by trade’. But it is not what I have spent most of the past seven years doing.

I’ve been having babies, raising children, managing a household, cooking, cleaning, driving, counselling, negotiating, teaching, feeding, nurturing and caring for my family on a full time, 24/7 basis. I’ve also cared for and supported my husband, and captained the ship that is our somewhat chaotic household.