Matrescence. The term was coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in the 1970’s to describe the process of becoming a mother. Similar in how we shift during adolescence with a combination of hormonal and identity changes, Matrescence encompasses all the changes that occur from preconception to postpartum. In this sense, we understand that Matrescence is a developmental stage 1in a birthing person’s life. A New Identity The transition to motherhood can be a rather jarring experience, especially when we have a preconceived idea of what motherhood looks like. We are so often fed this image of motherhood, particularly new motherhood, as…