The Fourth Trimester Village - Matrescence, Motherhood Rage & the Making of a Mother with Dr Edna Lekgabe

From Australian Birth Stories by Sophie Walker

May 27, 2026 · 1h 5m

About this episode

This episode discusses the complex transition of matrescence with Dr Edna Lekgabe, focusing on the emotional challenges of motherhood.

If you've ever felt blindsided by motherhood — the grief, the rage, the identity shift, the loneliness — this episode is for you. I sat down with Melbourne-based perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe to talk about one of the most profound and under-discussed transitions a woman can go through: matrescence. Edna has a gift for making the complex feel manageable, and this conversation is full of those lightbulb moments — the kind that make you exhale and think, oh, so that's what's happening to me. About Dr Edna Lekgabe: Dr Edna Lekgabe is a perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist based in Melbourne, specialising in mental health for women across pregnancy, postpartum and beyond. She is also a mother of two and one of the most warm, wise voices in this space. This episode is brought to you by Bugaboo. Getting out of the house in the fourth trimester can feel enormous — and having the right pram makes a real difference to whether you actually do it. The Bugaboo Kangaroo is designed exactly for that. All-terrain wheels, one-hand fold and steering, and an XL basket for everything you need to bring. It's a single pram now and a double later, with over 20…

People in this episode

Host: Sophie Walker

Guest: Dr Edna Lekgabe

Topics covered

matrescence
motherhood
mental health
identity shift
postpartum
motherhood rage

Keywords

matrescence
motherhood rage
mental health
postpartum
identity shift
grief
loneliness

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Melbourne