Matrescence NZ

This didn't all happen in the first year postpartum

it has been unfolding over the past 6 years.

And more will continue to unfold.

Matrescence is a catalyst for personal growth and transformation

IF

We have the right support, resources and understanding.

Without it matrescence can also be a catalyst for distress and dysfunction.

It is my mission to ensure more mothers experience the powerful transformation that matrescence can offer.

Is it wild or am I the wild one!?

I saw the recent report released by Hokinga Mai Collective estimating the cost of perinatal distress in NZ as upwards of $4.3billion per year.

I immediately wanted to know what the savings and returns would be on early intervention.

I couldn't find perinatal data for this in NZ but an Australian report which looked at 10 different interventions for general mental distress (not perinatal), found significant ROI for every intervention modelled.

Basically, early intervention saves money!

If society isn't motivated by maternal mental health maybe money will move the needle 🤷‍♀️

Seriously, I cannot wrap my head around our priorities as a society.

Research identities 4 different types of support, both informal and formal with numerous studies showing the value of various types of support.

- Emotional support – feeling loved, listened to, understood, accepted, and cared for.

Examples: someone checking in, validating feelings, giving a hug, listening without judgment.

Instrumental (practical/tangible) support – practical help that reduces the demands on the mother.

Examples: cooking meals, babysitting, childcare, housework, transport, financial assistance, helping with older children.

Informational support – advice, education, guidance, or information that helps solve problems or make decisions.

Examples: breastfeeding guidance, parenting education, information from a midwife, psychologist, GP, or trusted educator.

Appraisal support – encouragement and feedback that builds confidence, reassurance, and self-efficacy.

Examples: "You're doing a great job," helping a mother recognise she's coping well, normalising her experiences.

Let me know in the comments what type of support you provide ❤️

One of the many studies:

Dennis C-L, Dowswell T. Psychosocial and psychological interventions for preventing postpartum depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2021, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD001134. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001134.pub3.

Support for maternal mental health, diagnosis and early intervention is absolutely important.

And most mothers don't need clinical intervention.

Approximately 82% of mothers in NZ don't meet criteria for a clinical perinatal mental health disorder.

Some of these mothers are seeking help and are told 'they're not bad enough' or don't meet criteria for support services.

Some of these mothers are experiencing challenges within the normal developmental process of matrescence.

Some of these mothers are experiencing challenges due to the modern environment in which they are having to mother.

All mothers deserve support.

The 1 in 5 experiencing clinical levels of distress and the

5 in 5 experiencing matrescence.

If you'd like to provide support as a matrescence-informed care provider:

Comment CARE for a free training on integrating Matrescence into your practice.

Sorry guys, she's a somber one tonight.

This gives an alarming insight into what society values and what it doesn't.

What we value we prioritise.
What we prioritise we research.

Research shapes what professionals understand, what services exist and ultimately how mothers are understood and supported.

Matrescence is the profound developmental process of becoming a mother.

Matrescence is arguably the most significant transition in adulthood.

Matrescence arguably encompasses the largest adult brain reorganisation, second to infancy, similar to adolescence.

(I say arguably because we do not have sufficient research to unequivocally back this up yet).

Most mothers go through this transformation without the language or understanding of what they are experiencing.

Without this knowledge, mothers often describe feeling like something is wrong with them. They often describe feeling like they are failing at motherhood.

When we have the language for what mothers are experiencing, we understand this as a time of transition.

When we have the language to describe matrescence we understand this is a normal developmental process that often gets disrupted by Motherhood-the environmental context in which we are mothering.

The challenges mothers face are not due to internal failures but external ones.

It's time society started prioritising mothers and matrescence.

I mean paperclips, seriously 🤦‍♀️

Follow along if you want to be part of the matrescence movement.

Thanks to research by Dr Athan and colleagues, matrescence now has a framework.

There are now working models that help conceptualise the developmental process of matrescence so it doesn't stay invisible.

If you'd like to learn more about these so you can provide matrescence-informed care in your practice register for my free webinar (link in bio or comment CARE).

Together we can ensure the next generation of mothers don't go through matrescence without a name for it.

There is nothing wrong with mothers.

There is everything wrong with the environment in which mothers are trying to mother.

As a psychologist, I'm tired of hearing the deficit lens at which mothers struggles are viewed.

Walker (2022), found up to 50% of mothers in NZ (extrapolated from Australian and Singapore research too) may have moderate to severe perinatal distress.

This is collective distress, indicating something about the environment is influencing these stats.

Yet when mothers seek help this is often from providers taught to view distress from a pathological lens.

If you want to be the provider that supports mothers from a matrescence-informed model of care

Come along to my free webinar:
Integrating Matrescence in Practice.

Comment CARE or link in bio 🔗

"When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." - Alexander Den Heijer

When I first entered business plus motherhood and had the freedom to structure my days I got caught up in trying to give every area of my life 100% of me all the time.

But it's impossible.

These 'rules' have helped me enjoy all areas of my life, even though they are not in balance.

Some weeks I barely exercise.
Some days my house is a mess.
Some moments I'm needed in 3 places.

Some weeks I read each night.
Some days feel spacious.
Some moments I feel like I'm killing it.

I choose my priorities each day based on the needs of each area of my life, health, kids, relationship, business

AND

My decisions are guided by my values.

Hope this helps ✌️

There's really nothing wild about these statements.

What's wild is that we've been conditioned to believe mothers should be able to do the impossible.

And when mothers can't?
They blame themselves.

Yes, no single statement is going to prevent a mother needing postpartum therapy

AND

these statements can help reduce a mothers postpartum distress.

These statements can help shift beliefs so mothers accept help, experience less guilt, less self-blame and increase self-compassion.

What was the most helpful thing someone said to you?