Science Reveals Motherhood's Intensity Matches Adolescence and Menopause

Understanding the Transformation of Matrescence

It was a warm summer morning, and I was folding a mountain of laundry on our screened-in porch. The sound of my 3-month-old daughter’s screams filled the air as she fought against nap time. I was exhausted, and every sound she made sent a wave of tension through my body. I reassured myself that her fussiness was normal, but inside, I felt like I was silently screaming just as loudly as she was.

I was listening to a podcast about parenting when the host said something that changed my perspective on motherhood forever: “Mastrescence is as intense as adolescence.” I had never heard the term before, but it immediately resonated with me. Just like adolescence marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, matrescence is the physical, psychological, and spiritual transformation someone goes through when they become a mother. It’s not just sleep deprivation or the baby blues—it’s a complete redefinition of self.

Stunned by this eloquent way to describe the identity shift I felt, I found comfort in knowing it wasn’t all in my head. It was an experience shared by many new parents. While I was well-educated during pregnancy about what to put on my baby registry and where to book my birthing class, there was far less focus on postpartum recovery and the emotional challenges that come with it. What surprised me most was that while these challenges have always existed, the scientific community has only recently started to understand them better.

Dr. Jessica Vernon, M.D., author and associate medical director at Oula, explains that matrescence is still in its early stages of study. “We know that the process of giving birth and the transition to parenthood are only the beginning,” she says. “The physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and in the postpartum period are not temporary.”

From my own experience, becoming a mom fundamentally changed who I am from the inside out. My difficult early period with my first daughter—marked by postpartum anxiety and depression—inspired me to delve into the study of matrescence and to advocate for myself and other new mothers during this delicate time.

The Hormonal Changes of Matrescence

The transition to motherhood isn’t just about sleepless nights and diaper changes; it’s a complete identity shift, both biologically and emotionally. This is why I founded Mila & Jo Media, a content marketing agency that helps brands connect with mothers.

Scientists say this transformation is similar to adolescence because of hormonal changes, brain rewiring, and an evolving sense of self. Dr. Brunilda Nazario, Chief Physician Editor at WebMD, explains that during this time, a woman experiences shifts in her hormones and environment that lead to lasting changes in her brain and body. These changes are permanent neurological and biological changes that experts believe prepare a woman for motherhood.

So why do we treat it as just a phase instead of a major life transition? Here’s what you need to know about matrescence if you’re about to become a mom—or want to support someone in your life who is expecting.

It’s Not Just "Baby Blues"—It’s Your Hormones

Immediately after birth, some women experience a feeling of sadness mixed with nostalgia and homesickness, often called the 'baby blues.' This is largely due to the dramatic hormone shift that happens right after childbirth, where the high levels of hormones that supported a healthy pregnancy drop to levels as low as menopause. This experience is actually the start of matrescence and should be given as much credit as puberty.

Chelsey Scaffidi, a matrescence educator and author of The Mother Year, says that while adolescence is widely recognized and supported as a developmental milestone, matrescence has often gone unnamed and unacknowledged, despite being just as biologically and psychologically significant. In fact, recent research suggests that the neurological and hormonal changes of matrescence may even surpass those of puberty in both scope and intensity.

Scaffidi points out that the hormonal changes during matrescence include:

• Estrogen and Progesterone: During pregnancy, these hormones spike to levels more than 100 times higher than during puberty. After childbirth, they crash almost immediately, triggering intense emotional shifts.
• Oxytocin: Known as the bonding hormone, oxytocin plays a role in both adolescence and matrescence, fueling peer bonding in teens and maternal bonding in new mothers.
• Prolactin: This hormone surges in late pregnancy and especially after birth, stimulating milk production and promoting maternal behaviors such as nurturing and protecting offspring.

No, It’s Not Mommy Brain—It’s a Complete Rewire of Your Cognition Function

Sometimes, new sleep-deprived and healing mothers are teased for having ‘mommy brain’ when they are forgetful or can’t keep up with multiple tasks. However, recent research indicates that becoming a mom does, in fact, permanently rewire the brain.

A 2025 study using MRI scans found that gray matter volume shrank by 4% to 5% across 94% of the brain in first-time mothers, most notably in regions tied to social cognition. While some of that volume began to rebound by six months postpartum, the changes weren’t fully reversed. Researchers don’t see this as a downfall but as a benefit, suggesting that the brain becomes more efficient to prioritize maternal responsiveness and attunement.

Rapid postpartum changes have also been observed in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. A 2024 study showed these areas shift dramatically within the first six weeks postpartum. These changes are linked to positive maternal feelings, indicating that the transformation is deeply tied to the emotional experience of becoming a mother.

It’s Not All Biology—It’s Experiential

It’s important to note that matrescence doesn’t just pertain to those who have been pregnant and given birth. Adoptive mothers also experience a transformation. While they may not go through the hormonal shifts of pregnancy, they still undergo a significant shift in identity, anxiety, stress, and even post-adoption depression, which can mirror postpartum experiences.

Bonding with their child triggers hormonal responses like increased oxytocin, and they endure similar challenges of sleep deprivation, social isolation, and the steep learning curve of early parenthood. Though the path looks different, the impact is just as real and worthy of recognition.

Why Naming 'Matrescence' Matters

Naming matrescence as a distinct developmental stage rather than just a temporary adjustment can normalize the experience. When mothers understand what they’re going through, they’re less likely to feel alone or broken. It makes sense that matrescence brings a complex blend of emotions: joy, grief, excitement, and anxiety.

Many women grieve the freedom and identity they left behind, even as they embrace the new. Much like a teenager may long for the simplicity of childhood while yearning for adult independence, mothers often find themselves suspended between who they were and who they are becoming.

I welcomed my second daughter in late 2024, and at almost five months postpartum, I can say this transition was infinitely easier than the first. My brain had already been rewired and attuned to the balancing act of being a mother, a human, a wife, a friend, and a professional. My hormones were already tied up in the needs of tiny humans. My heart was prepared for the breaking-open it was about to experience again.

And perhaps most importantly, I had a term, a definition, a lived experience, and a word to label my continued transformation into motherhood: matrescence. Knowing that what I was feeling had a name made all the difference. It allowed me to give myself more grace, recognize the growing pains for what they were, and see the beauty in the becoming—not just of my children, but of myself. Matrescence didn’t end after the first or second baby—it’s an ongoing universal evolution. It’s who I am now, and I see it in my mother, my grandmother, and all of my friends who take this journey. Through them and myself, I own ‘matrescence’ with awareness, acceptance—and maybe even a little awe.