Our research on the life–changing effects of motherhood. 19/07/2026
What really happens when a woman becomes a mother?
Motherhood is often described as life–changing, yet the depth of that transformation is rarely understood. Beyond sleepless nights and practical adjustments lies matrescence: the profound process of becoming a mother.
Like adolescence, matrescence is a period of far–reaching physical, emotional, psychological, social, political, and spiritual change that reshapes identity. It unfolds not only within a woman’s body or home, but also across her relationships, her place in society, the way she spends her time and money, and how she understands the world. It often prompts deeper questions about meaning, values, community, and connection. For many women, this transition also brings a form of spiritual disruption or awakening, though this is experienced in different ways and to varying degrees. Motherhood exposes our vulnerability and interdependence in a culture that prizes autonomy, productivity, and self–optimisation. It is, fundamentally, a transformative human experience.
Our report Motherhood, Inside Out presents the qualitative findings from our wider research project on new motherhood, drawing on interviews and focus groups with 91 mothers and interviews with 14 professionals directly involved in maternal care. It explores women’s experiences of matrescence from the inside out, examining how they navigate the physical, emotional, social, relational, political, and spiritual dimensions of becoming a mother. Participants reflected on identity, faith and spirituality, embodiment and body image, media, family and friendships, local community, work, politics and current affairs, and mortality.
The research found that there is no single, universal experience of becoming a mother. Every participant’s journey was shaped by her own circumstances, relationships, and beliefs. Yet across every theme we encountered women whose views and perspectives – and, in many cases, whose entire lives – had been transformed by motherhood. We heard from the mother who now writes regular postcards to her children in case she dies unexpectedly; the mother who understands breastfeeding her child as worship; the Christian mother pacing at the back of church with a crying baby, grieving the uninterrupted worship she once took for granted; the many mothers newly angered by inadequate maternity policies, unaffordable childcare, or diminished agency at work; and the mother who finds herself baking cupcakes at midnight because her daughter cannot sleep.
The report also considers how well existing forms of support respond to these experiences, and where significant gaps remain. It finds that the inner changes of matrescence, and how they intersect – are generally not adequately supported, highlighting the need for more holistic approaches to maternal care. Where mothers experience consistent, relational, face–to–face support, they feel better equipped to navigate this transition. In this context, churches can sometimes provide one of the few places of sustained local accompaniment, even if their potential to support mothers – spiritually and in other ways – is not always fully realised.
The report concludes with practical recommendations for healthcare providers and local churches and faith communities. These focus on improving understanding of the inner dimensions of ordinary matrescence and increasing awareness of the support that already exists. More broadly, however, the findings point to the need for a wider cultural shift: one that more fully recognises and responds to the depth of the personal, relational, political, and spiritual transformation that accompanies becoming a mother.
You can read the report in full here.
Methodology
Theos and Bible Society researchers spoke to 91 self–defining mothers and 14 experts and professionals directly involved in maternal care. Findings from our qualitative study were lightly supplemented with a quantitative survey of women aged 18–75 in Great Britain, both with and without children, exploring perceptions of motherhood. Full datasets can be found on the Ipsos website here.
Full analysis of the quantitative survey can be found here.
About the authors
Dr Marianne Rozario is senior researcher and projects lead at Theos, and author of several publications including Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service (2025), Moving on Project: Wraparound Survivor Support (2025), and co–author of Ashes to Ashes (2023). She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Notre Dame Australia.
Dr Rhiannon McAleer is Director of Research and Impact at Bible Society. She writes and speaks on contemporary Christianity, spirituality and Bible engagement and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter.
Dr Madeleine Pennington is Head of Research at Theos and co–host of the podcast Motherhood vs the Machine.
Dr Eona Bell was a Research Assistant at Theos. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the London School of Economics.
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