Just like their babies, mothers face developmental changes during the first year after birth, according to new research.
A study by the Open University shows that mothers' identities shift after birth and says these changes need to be acknowledged in order to decide which policies will best support them.
The report, Becoming a mother for the first time in Tower Hamlets by Professor Wendy Hollway, Professor Ann Phoenix and Heather Elliott, studied new mothers in Tower Hamlets in London using a diverse sample of mothers from different backgrounds, including different cultures, classes and ages. Some were single mothers.
It was launched at a recent conference on modern motherhood.
The aim was to look at "how mothers make the transition to motherhood and experience the process, how they mother and how their relationships and social contexts impact on their experiences".
Blame
The authors say that "mothers are frequently subject to public scrutiny". They add that many publications of the last two decades have shown how mothers are held responsible for children's social problems and how they are blamed for 'bad mothering'. Mothers are the focus, they say, for concerns such as childhood obesity and children's safety, but more research is needed into what can help support mothers.
The research found that women's identities change gradually during the first year after their child's birth and beyond. The feelings of mothers about the changing demands on them varied as well as the timing of the changes.
Their priorities also changed - for example, their career and educational aspirations shifted, as did their enjoyment of leisure activities. At a deeper level, their whole identities shifted and all faced some form of conflict, with different emphases for different women, between being a mother and being an individual with their own needs and desires.
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