Challenging Traditional Attitudes About Mothering on International Women’s Day 2021 with Mum for Mum

Mum For Mum is an organisation bringing together volunteers who support new mothers in their last three months of pregnancy and the first year of their baby’s life. It was an honour to speak to them – on International Women’s Day no less – and detail my thoughts about maternal ambivalence. 

I describe maternal ambivalence as a mother’s loving and fleeting feelings of hate for her child: these hating feelings strengthen the mother’s love. Most mothers have these feelings but find it hard to talk about them as they aren’t the social “norm”. 

I loved seeing so many heads in the audience nodding in agreement when I described mothering as a messy, interrupted but mostly loving experience. 

My work on the subject of maternal ambivalence over the last 10 years has led me to challenge traditional attitudes about mothering, and it was great to speak at a forum of such switched-on women. A big thank you to Mum For Mum Executive Director Nadene Alhadeff for the invite and making me feel so welcome!