Maternal Health Terminology

noun the state or experience of being a mother; the qualities or characteristics associated with being a mother

• Motherhood is often considered a full-time job that requires dedication and sacrifice.
• My friend is adjusting to the challenges of motherhood with grace and humor.
• She's totally rocking the whole motherhood thing, even with her crazy schedule.
• The company's commitment to sustainability is like the motherhood of environmental responsibility.

noun the act of being a mother or providing maternal care

verb to act as a mother or provide maternal care

• The act of mothering involves providing care and nurturing to a child.
• She's always mothering everyone around her, making sure they're okay.
• Stop mothering me, I can take care of myself!
• The teacher took on a mothering role, guiding her students with wisdom and compassion.

noun the period of time after childbirth

adjective relating to the period of time after childbirth

• Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that can affect new mothers.
• I've been feeling a bit down since giving birth, I think I might have postpartum blues.
• I heard she's struggling with postpartum stuff after having the baby.
• The company experienced a postpartum slump in profits after the successful product launch.

noun a medical procedure in which a swab is taken from a mother's vagina and wiped on a newborn baby's skin, mouth, or eyes to transfer beneficial bacteria

• Vaginal seeding is a controversial procedure in which a newborn is exposed to the mother's vaginal fluids to promote a healthy microbiome.
• I heard about this thing called vaginal seeding where they rub the baby with the mom's fluids after birth.
• Have you heard of that vaginal seeding trend? It's supposed to be good for the baby's gut health.
• In a way, vaginal seeding can be seen as passing on the mother's 'good bacteria' to the baby for a healthy start in life.

noun a person who is an advocate for breastfeeding and works to promote and support breastfeeding in public and private spheres

• The lactivist group organized a breastfeeding awareness campaign in the community.
• I heard that lactivist mom is hosting a support group for breastfeeding mothers.
• She's known as the ultimate lactivist in our circle of friends.
• The lactivist fought tirelessly for the right to breastfeed in public places.