The psychology of motherhood

The psychology of motherhood

The psychology of motherhood

Concept of motherhood motherhood

A great word that carries many meanings and feelings, as it expresses the relationship of the mother to her child and the bearer of this word is often referred to as the mother, while the linguistic and idiomatic meanings of the concept of motherhood come.

The linguistic meaning of the word maternity:

Maternity linguistically means the quality or condition of the mother; It is said: She knew the true meaning of motherhood after she became a mother, and motherhood also expresses, linguistically, a bond that connects the mother with her children; It is said that the bond of motherhood is the strongest of human bonds.

Idiomatic meaning of maternity:

idiomatically maternity is the biological and psychological relationship between a woman and her children or children whom she gives birth to and cares for, That is, motherhood is the comprehensive meaning of the biological and psychological relationship together, and not one without the other, That is, she gives birth, raises, and clings to her children.

Maternal psychology

Maternal psychology is the psychology of the mother that is concerned with the transition of a woman from the stage of femininity to the stage of motherhood or maturity as a unique developmental stage experienced by the female.

Maternal psychology examines aspects of a mother's adaptation to pregnancy and motherhood.

It also examines each mother's differences, which include psychological strengths that give the mother more flexibility in dealing with her motherhood and new life. And weaknesses in distress or depression that may persist beyond childbirth.

This science studies the frequency and exacerbation of these symptoms.

The psychological impact of motherhood on the mother

• Maternity has a great and natural psychological impact on the mother, starting with her from the beginning of her pregnancy with her fetus and the postpartum period. During pregnancy, for example, some women feel anxious, depressed, and have mood swings about the current and upcoming stages, and other women adapt as a result of the physical changes that occur during pregnancy and body changes more flexibly and lovingly with the idea of ​​upcoming motherhood.

• Motherhood causes the mother to have ambivalent feelings about the same thing; The mother feels very happy when she sees her child grow up and develop socially, but she also feels upset because of his lack of constant presence around her, in addition, motherhood reinforces the feeling of mothers fear of losing their children.

• On the other hand, motherhood affects the mother's brain in the part related to decision-making. The child and his or her well-being become the mother's priority when making decisions. This would not take precedence over any other desires she had. According to multiple studies, this is due to the infralimbic cortex in the brain. Which enhances a mother's dedication to her children and which, when active, will make the mother choose her child first.

• Motherhood is a set of feelings and emotions that mix between positive and negative, starting with the pregnancy of a woman with her fetus and until after her birth. The mother bears feelings of love, attachment, care, and sacrifice along with fear, anxiety, and depression.

Types of maternity

There are several types of motherhood related to the role played by the mother and the bond that binds her to her child, according to the following:

Full mother

 This type of motherhood is considered one of the most powerful types of motherhood.

 In other words, the mother in this concept includes both biological and psychological meanings, and the complete mother plays all her roles towards her child, starting with the pregnancy of the fetus for nine months and bears the hardships of this pregnancy and the accompanying pain and physical and psychological fatigue. Then bear the hardships of childbirth and postpartum fatigue.

The long-term sharing of the fetus with its mother is the body, nerves, and soul, and the feelings of love and pain that this participation brings; It is she who gives birth to complete motherhood and gives the mother love, tenderness, kindness, giving and patience towards her children.

Biological mother only

This term refers to a mother who conceived and gave birth to her child without raising him. Any abandonment of him for any reason such as divorce, separation, or death. The biological mother’s job is to carry the pregnancy and suffer until the birth of the child without interfering with his upbringing. In this case, the bond is strong and deep with her son only from her side, but for the boy or girl, it is not like that.

Sons do not perceive or witness biological motherhood, but only psychological motherhood.

Psychic mother only

The meaning of the word psychological mother indicates that this mother did not bear and give birth to the child, but rather adopted him or took care of him after losing his biological mother. That is, the job of this mother is to take care of the child, raise it, take care of it, give it sympathy, and care for it until it grows up. This motherhood is more aware and conscious of the child than biological. Because he witnessed it and enjoyed it, psychological motherhood is divided into two parts:

Caring motherhood

It includes love, tenderness, kindness, protection, and pampering.

Critical motherhood

Which includes criticism, guidance, modification, ordering, forbidding, controlling, and sometimes cruelty.

It is noteworthy that the development of the relationship between the mother and her child transcends biological needs. What enhances the son's attachment to his mother is the nature of the interaction between them, which is represented by embracing, kind words, and tenderness.

Maternal instinct concept

• Maternal instinct is a common term associated with the mother. According to psychologist and professor of medical psychology, Dr. Catherine Monk, the word "instinct" refers to something innate or natural that includes a fixed behavioral response as a result of certain stimuli.

• The concept of maternal instinct refers to the presence of innate knowledge in the mother that prompts her to perform automatic behaviors (such as providing care) when she becomes a mother.

• Which motivates the mother to have children and love them, then knowing what she must do since their arrival and learning what is right for her to do for them and what is not.

• Many believe that the maternal instinct begins with the birth of the child. But according to studies, it begins days after birth, and sometimes months later. So moms who take the time to feel it shouldn't feel like a failure; Rather, look for a way to support and help.

The impact of the presence of the mother on the life of the child

The presence of the mother in the life of her child has effects, the most prominent of which are:

• The child's feeling of love, tenderness, and affection from the infancy stage onwards; Is a result of the care, attention, and love that a mother provides to her child.

• Developing self-confidence in the child; This is a result of his mother’s containment of him, her acceptance of his behavior, and the creation of an appropriate atmosphere for the development of his skills and ambitions.

• Self-reliance through the responsibilities assigned to him by the mother is commensurate with his age, and with time, the child becomes able to solve his problems and face the challenges that hinder him.

The impact of the absence of the mother on the life of the child

The absence of the mother in the life of her child has consequences, the most prominent of which are:

• Low self-esteem of the child and his feeling of shame leads to his loss of confidence in himself and those around him; This is due to his belief that he is unloved or unworthy of love.

• Difficulty in forming relationships with others.

•  Forming antisocial behavior and experiencing emotional problems.

Conclusion

Motherhood in the language is a description of every female who has become a mother. Idiomatically refers to the relationship between a mother and her children, a psychological and biological relationship. In this sense, it also refers to complete motherhood. 

As for the other types of motherhood, it is represented in psychological motherhood in which the mother provides care, education, and care for her child without giving birth to him. Biological motherhood, which gives birth without bringing up; For any reason.

It is noteworthy that the psychology of motherhood is the science that studies the stage of a woman's transition to motherhood, from pregnancy to postpartum, and studies the feelings associated with these various stages, whether positive or negative.