Hi, Im Shannon.
Hello! Welcome to Matrescence Midwifery.
I am a private midwife in the Northern Rivers Region and based in Lennox Head. I service the areas of Byron, Ballina shire and Lismore in person and provide telehealth services wherever required in Australia.
I was drawn to midwifery when I became pregnant with my first child at the age of 19. Of course I didn’t know what a midwife was then, only that I was amazed at what my body was doing; creating and growing a new life. Her birth tested me in ways I had not known before and I was left amazed and empowered that we had achieved such a feat.
A new life had begun for both of us and I struggled to make sense of what to do to look after her and be her mum. I was no longer just looking out for me and my whole world had turned upside down. I was caught between two worlds, the old me and all that was familiar and the new me, who so desperately wanted to do the right thing and be a good mum, but had no idea what to do and almost resented the unfamiliar territory I had found myself in. So much so that I was afraid to have any more children as I found the “adjustment period” so hard. I didn’t tell anyone this as I had no language to describe how I felt and it seemed that having thoughts and feelings like this was wrong and socially unacceptable.
The pregnancy of my second daughter was 8 years later and I was well and in a different time of life. I had met my husband and thought that things would be different with support and more life experience. I was once again amazed at my baby growing inside of me and was looking forward to meeting her and being her mum. Though again I was caught off guard in the early days after her birth. Floating between the two worlds and feeling like I had failed once again. I suspected perhaps I might have postnatal depression, but didn’t want to admit that and hoped the feelings would pass.
The feelings seemed to pass for the most part and life had introduced me to midwifery through work as an Assistant Nurse in maternity wards, with amazing midwives being such advocates for the women they cared for. By this time I had also worked as a scientist in a pathology lab and as Child Support Worker in Child Protection. Along the way I was learning to become a nurse too. All of these roles presented many opportunities to develop a passion for informed consent and individualised care.
I started my Midwifery in 2012 when my youngest had just turned two. My husband also had two beautiful step children, that made our family a “His, mine and ours”.
During my training I was lucky to work with a midwife that worked in private practice and was passionate about women and families and all things homebirth. She was a fierce advocate for women’s choice and empowering them to find trust in their own bodies. In my first year out, I was able to be mentored by this midwife and this shaped my philosophy and midwifery practice. She had a foundation in natural therapies and the traditional “wise women” ways of being a midwife.
Since that time, I have worked in large regional hospitals in both Queensland and NSW and as soon as I could became a midwife in Midwifery Group Practice to achieve some of the continuity of care I felt served women best.
I had always yearned to return to homebirth and private practice and moving to the Northern Rivers has provided me with that opportunity.
It would seem that life had me walk the lessons of transition that can be seen with the transition to motherhood. Maiden, Mother, Wise Woman.
In recent years I have unlocked another piece of the puzzle that would make sense of my own journey to become a mother and teach me that I could pass on this lesson to women; Matrescence.
Matrescence is a term coined by Dana Raphael in the 1970’s and refers to the physical, physiological and emotional process of becoming a mother. It remains largely unexplored in the medical community, but in recent years is gaining more understanding as the focus of having a child has shifted to recognise that a mother is born too.
It can be likened to adolescence in that it occurs over a period of years (the end stage may not be defined), and alters how a woman sees her world. A dramatic shift in identity as she transitions from her life before having a baby and her world as a mother. Everything looks different through the lens of Matrescence. All relationships change, inclusive of the ones she has with herself, friends, loved ones, and work colleagues. This evolution happens simultaneously as the skills of parenthood are learnt and the physical challenges and environment occur.
It can be easy to understand that if a new mother is not supported in this time, how much harder her world can be, which of course then reflects on all parts of her life, not least the relationship with her new child. In the same light, if a woman understands that Matrescence is a normal rite of passage when having a baby, the woman may be better poised to set up support and those around her will also understand the need for support. Imagine if Marescence was thought of and spoken about in the same light as adolescence or menopause? What understanding, resources and ways of living would be provided for mothers then? From the individual woman right through to educating young people in schools or governments providing programs that facilitate support in parental leave and the workplace.
Recognising that Matrescence is the very process of becoming a mother, I have become passionate about providing a matrescentric style of Midwifery support. In this way I can assist new parents in developing an understanding of the rite of passage to come and the most optimal way they can be supported.
