For most women, the time around pregnancy, birth and new motherhood is a joy. And it is also full of worries, fears, frustration, disappointment or guilt. The term motherhood describes the process of becoming a mother. It is a transformation that has not yet received much attention in research. The main focus so far has been on the baby’s development.

If we pay attention to our emotions, we also have the chance to deal with them. We feel more self-efficacious and are able to shape and thus deal with our environment more mindfully. Awareness of the challenges of motherhood helps to validate, normalize and discuss feelings and needs.

What could be the challenges?

• Change in the family dynamic
• Ambivalence between “I want to be with my child” and “I need space for myself”
• Imagination vs reality
• Guilt, shame and the concept of “the good enough mother”

Enriched by: Alexandra Sacks, The Birth of a Mother, The New York Times 05/08/2017