Is It True That Motherhood Is Contagious?
To the question of whether motherhood is contagious, the best answer we can give you is that numerous studies confirm that the fertility of a friend positively influences the risk of becoming a mother.
Keep in mind that, currently, the decision to have children is influenced not only by the individual characteristics and preferences of the couple, but also by the social network in which people are inserted.
In fact, the researchers consider that women whose friends became mothers became pregnant within two years after pregnancy, due to the feeling of confidence and the desire for motherhood provoked.
Certainly, motherhood is contagious especially between the first 12 and 23 months of a child’s life. Then this feeling subsides, until it disappears after the child’s third birthday.
Why is motherhood contagious?
Beyond the biological clock, there are two explanations. First, women who are stressed out and scared by the idea of becoming mothers may want to become mothers when they see their friends becoming successful mothers.
Second, from a social point of view, when some of them become mothers in a group of friends, none of them may want to feel abandoned. This fact would cause her to be the only one who could not share the experience and, therefore, feel a bit displaced.
So, if the desire for a child was already present, having a friend who has just had a baby will give a boost to the motherhood project, since it reassures and delights to know that someone is going through the same thing.
Finally, it is also easier to maintain the friendship relationship if you experience parenting at the same time. In this way, it is easier to share experiences, and it also allows children to become friends from the moment they take their first steps.
“Life is a flame that is always burning, but it ignites once more each time a child is born”
-George Bernard-
What are the benefits of being a mother at the same time as your friends?
Becoming mothers during the same period of time can bring many benefits. In fact, friends can share their experiences, which will help reduce the stress associated with taking on an important new role.
Finally, we offer you 4 benefits of being a mother at the same time as your friends:
1.- A future friend for your child
Many children are born without a playmate, so it is a great advantage to have them around children of the same age, such as the children of your friends. The fact of having the little one in the same period will cause the meetings between friends to become children’s parties.
2.- Share experiences
When a pregnant woman shares the news about her pregnancy with her friends, some women remember their past experiences and want to relive them.
In the event that they have children, the emotion that mothers experience when they hear news about pregnancies will serve to motivate them to repeat the experience and, why not, to be encouraged to become a mother again.
3.- Be strengthened by fears and insecurities
Generally, women fear pregnancy and the responsibilities they face after the baby is born. If you are pregnant at the same time as a friend, you can share with her your fears, doubts and anxieties in order to strengthen your security.
4.- A similar lifestyle
Many expectant mothers are motivated in the reproductive phase when their friend suddenly changes her lifestyle.
When you have a pregnant friend and you also decide to have a child, you can share with her many activities that involve and strengthen the bond, as well as being able to maintain a similar lifestyle.
In short, having a child is a great uncertainty, in social and economic terms. That is why doing it with a friend transforms the unknown into a shared experience.
As you have seen, motherhood is contagious. So if you have a pregnant friend and you aren’t pregnant yet, you might be next!
