Dear Mama, What if I told you there's no such thing as snapping back after giving birth, only expanding into? What if I asked you to imagine Black motherhood without suffering? Could you do it? Have we made suffering a rite of passage in Black motherhood? Have we shrouded Black motherhood in self-sacrifice as opposed to sacred sacrifice? These are the questions we explore in this episode about matrescence. Coined by reproductive psychologist Dana Raphael, matrescence is the process of becoming a mother, including the physical, psychological, and emotional changes that occur during pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. Lissen yall, this episode drove us Thea to drink! So we're glad to have one of our favs Stepha Lafond of Unlearning Motherhood, ridin' shotgun with us who provides context to all the things we know and feel about transitioning to and in motherhood but didn't have the language for. ✨Much like adolescence, matrescence involves ongoing shifts that shape our identity and understanding of ourselves. ✨How self-forgiveness sets the tone for your motherhood journey ✨Why setting the strong Black women free is essential for us and our children ✨Normalizing not doing motherhood alone 💗Black Mama Magic Card for this episode: Card # 39 - My Children Are My Teachers💗 EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Episode 51: When It All Falls Down, Finding Freedom & Transitioning to Conscious Parenting w/ Domari Dickinson 🎙️DBM Episode 33: Haitian American Mama w/ Stepha LaFond 🎙️Meditations By Mamas: Full Moon/Shedding Meditation featuring Stepha LaFond ✨MERCH OF THE MONTH - Black Mama Magic Card Deck ✨ ✨PATREON BONUS CONTENT - Grounding lead by Thea: "If I surrender to the air I can ride it" - Toni Morrison✨ ABOUT OUR GUEST: Stepha is a Life Coach, Mentor, and Speaker, dedicated to helping moms navigate the space between who they were and who they're still becoming. As a mom of two young children, she knows firsthand the struggles of juggling the demands of motherhood, career, and life. She started her practice out of a desire to put moms at the center of the conversation, with an emphasis on shifting the narrative on modern motherhood to one that allows space for mamas to grow, heal and take care of themselves at all stages of their journey. Her work on Matrescence- the transition into motherhood- invites her clients and spectators to explore and hold space for this common but rarely discussed phase of development, whilst taking a critical look at the unjust systems and power structures impacting motherhood and creating necessary shifts towards liberation. Connect with Stepha LaFond & Unlearning Motherhood: Instagram 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas Instagram YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation. Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us or email us at magic@demblackmamas.com. For full show notes & transcript, check out our website: demblackmamas.com