Why Modern Motherhood Feels So Hard: Raising Children Without A Village and the Need for Cultural Midwifery

Why does motherhood so often feel overwhelming, lonely, and heavier than we ever imagined? In this opening episode of The Inner Work of Motherhood, we explore the roots of the modern maternal struggle: the loss of the village, the unrealistic expectations of the “Good Mother,” and the cultural pressures that leave women doing the work of many, often in isolation. 

We’ll explore the need for cultural midwifery - a collective reimagining of how we hold mothers as they cross thresholds, navigate daily challenges, and shape the next generation. This conversation is both a truth-telling about why mothers are struggling and an invitation to dream of a culture that holds them with the reverence, support, and belonging they deserve.

Whether you’re a new mom navigating postpartum, a seasoned mother longing for deeper support, or someone passionate about creating community around parenthood, this episode will help you understand why modern motherhood feels so hard and what needs to change.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to The Inner Work of Motherhood
• 1:31 What Mothers Say Their Biggest Struggles Are
• 3:46 How We Want To Feel As Mothers
• 4:29 Why We Have To Talk About The Hard Parts
• 5:45 The Waters We're Swimming In
• 7:40 Maternal Mental Health Is A Public Health Crisis
• 9:04 Mothers Are Overworked and Undersupported
• 10:47 The Impossible Standard of Modern Motherhood
• 12:07 Avoiding Judgment and the Pressure To Suffer Silently
• 19:32 The Romanticization and Catastrophizing of Motherhood
• 21:51 Where Do Our Negative Feelings Fit Into Our Image of a Good Mother?
• 24:57 Where Does The Perfect Mother Archetype Come From?
• 29:50 The "Good Girl" To "Good Mother" Pipeline
• 31:26 Awakening From The Spell of Patriarchal Expectations
• 32:46 The Need for Matrescence to Become Mainstream
• 36:19 How We Begin to Shift the Cultural Narrative Around Mothers
• 37:34 We Can't Recreate The Village Without Matriarchy
• 48:13 The Precipice of Massive Societal Change
• 52:26 Conscious Mothering Is Revolutionary
• 53:33 Our Children Need Happy Mothers
• 54:41 Our Inner Work Is Building The Bridge for Cultural Change
• 58:07 Simple Ways to Find Freedom in Motherhood
• 1:00:22 What to Expect This Season
• 1:01:38 Short Integration Practice