Mothers and Matresence
As Mother’s Day nears, and soon after the celebration of International Women’s Day 2026, I’m reminded of the journey had by a woman who mothers.
As my own children grow older to their teenage years now, and in the busy-ness of family life it would perhaps be easy to forget that which a woman can experience in those early weeks, months, years of motherhood.
Who am I kidding?! Those memories are etched in for life!!
Motherhood journeys vary, but wouldn’t you agree, amongst the obvious dream like blessed exquisite happy, that there is a life-impacting-intensity of a sorts too at times (eg. whether physical, hormonal, psychological, relational, or identity related).
The kind of moments and experiences that would be hard to scrap from a woman’s memory and would you even want to? It’s a part of who you are.
And did you know, it’s a recognised thing? “Matresence” was a term coined in 1970 by medical anthropologist Dana Raphael to describe the developmental transitioning that a woman can go through when she becomes a mother.
Content by Beth - The Matrescence Project @the_matrescence_project
Charlotte and Baby Theo - Copyright CO Kids
To all the mothers who we photograph for at nursery… I can’t help respect, applaud and champion every single one in solidarity. And even if I reference an upcoming Mother’s Day, of course a shout out to the - out of this world - incredible Dads/ partners who support that queen like mother.
For every family we reach through our children photography at nurseries, I continue to hope there is a child who’s reminded of their Superstar status. But so too the hope that for a Mother who birthed, weaned, questioned, pondered, cried inside, cried outside, belly laughed in those early child raising years …well, that when she looks at that picture of her child on the wall, that she falls head over heels in love with herself, and that she’s reminded of her solider like strength, her resilience and in a word, her absolute brilliance.
A photograph of a child in their early years is more than a child’s moment in time. It reminds of the work of a woman that birthed and work of a family that raised. As a mum raising teenagers now, there will never be enough pictures of my children for me to look at.
Happy Mother’s Day, to every Mother.
Your child’s photograph is a rightful tribute to the magnificence of you.
Carrie x
Owner and Founder of CO Kids
CO Kids Early Years Photography @co_kids_