Matrescence describes the deepest identity transformation a woman undergoes when she becomes a mother. What happens when matrescence collides with modern life - the impossible juggle of work and motherhood, the relationships that crack under the pressure, the fathers also navigating their own invisible transition?
When matrescence collides with modern life, the result is a paradox: women raised to believe they can achieve anything now feel compelled to do everything.
Modern society measures worth by productivity and salary; invisible care giving counts for little.
Landmark research shows couple's egalitarian intentions collapse after birth, with mothers absorbing far more domestic labour.
Compounding this strain is the loss of the traditional "village". Ninety per cent of Australian mothers report significant loneliness.
Continuity of care is rare, hospital stays are brief, support often ends after the early postpartum weeks. Matrescence, however, unfolds over years.
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