In this episode of Mothering With Grace, host Kaitlyn Grace explores matrescence as the hidden postpartum transition that begins long before birth — and why it’s often overlooked in conversations about postpartum mental health.

While awareness around postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders has grown, many mothers still feel lost, disconnected, or “off” without meeting the criteria for a clinical diagnosis. In this episode, Kaitlyn explains the gap in postpartum care — where emotional, identity, and relational changes are real, yet unsupported — and how matrescence helps make sense of these experiences.

Kaitlyn breaks down why matrescence is a universal developmental process, not a pathology, and how identity shifts, emotional exhaustion, and changes in selfhood can begin during pregnancy and continue long after birth. She also explores why current maternal mental health systems often miss this transition — and what kind of education, guidance, and support mothers truly need.

This episode is for pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and anyone navigating motherhood who feels disconnected from themselves despite being told they’re “fine.” Topics include matrescence, postpartum mental health, identity shifts after birth, emotional wellbeing in motherhood, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and the need for expanded postpartum support beyond diagnosis.

New episodes coming soon.

Free Resources

Free Postpartum Guide: https://www.motheringwithgrace.org/pages/free-postpartum-guide

Connect & Collaborate

Email: motheringwithgracellc@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mothering.with.grace/
Website: https://www.motheringwithgrace.org/

Get in touch! I love hearing from listeners and exploring collaborations.

Birth is the beginning. Postpartum lasts a lifetime. And grace is how we meet it.