Endurance Mothering
Did anyone else see this article last week?
Unsurprisingly, pregnant women are cited as endurance specialists, approaching this newly defined limit during their 40-ish weeks of making an actual new human (or two).
Interesting, to me, that this is presented in statistical terms. No mention of the impact of sleep deprivation on pregnant women, or the other physical changes that come with pregnancy (nausea, indigestion, vomiting, rhinitis, piles, reduced lung capacity....I could go on) AND infant care (sleep deprivation, financial dependence, fast acquisition of new vocabulary, habits & skills....)
Despite all this - despite us living it & our partners witnessing it - there isn't a strong cultural representation of mothers as strong, determined, physically & emotionally resilient. Far more commonly we're represented in slightly mawkish, soppy ways.
Brownie points to anyone who can link me to common representations of mothers as powerful, impressive & awesome.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48527798?fbclid=IwAR134bqKFLFDkO2gvQJkQAd6zGOFR_DXcN77mHj3qA2Ke87etvB4CG9YIw8
