You expected sleepless nights and endless nappies. What nobody told you is that motherhood would rewrite who you are at the deepest level. This book is your compassionate guide through the identity shift that transforms everything—your sense of self, your relationships, your ambitions, and your place in the world. Drawing on the emerging understanding of matrescence, it normalises the confusion, grief, and joy of becoming a mother without pretending there is one right way. You will learn to recognise the loss of your former self without guilt, navigate the changed landscape of your body and your partnerships, and slowly build a new identity that holds both who you were and who you are becoming. Each chapter offers reflection prompts and practical strategies you can use in the quiet moments of early motherhood. Whether you are pregnant, newly postpartum, or further along, this book meets you where you are and reminds you that you are not losing yourself—you are becoming someone larger. Part of The Pregnancy Companion Library.