The reversal peak of Chicken-egg: A narrative on life after pregnancy

Dr. Athirakrishnan S 

MBBS,MPH,MAUS

Medical doctor

Public health consultant 

Disclaimer: The writing is based on collective observation and experience sharing. The style of writing may be mistaken for wider perspectives, but it states the truthful responses from women from various walks of life. This article was rejected by a site which called for papers on maternal health and presently the author finds this space to publish her understanding, perspectives and probes into further exploration by the readers. Her articles on maternal health published for the wider audience is listed below this blog post. The author finds no better space to express her experiences and narrative for those mothers who have related thoughts.

Chicken or egg first? A question everyone has debated over many years and is still unsettled with a definite answer. The title may characterize the author as a reductionist and; criticise and question her on various grounds. But I strongly move forward with this title where women are equivalent to chickens and budding womanhood as the egg. Why? To change this societal perspective, to have a stronger narrative, to strengthen the cohort and to convert a chicken egg into something stronger. I believe, on a behavioural and theoretical background a chicken egg can turn into an ostrich, the strongest, sturdiest, ever-enduring, highperforming bird with its inherent maternal instincts.

On literature search, the articles listed were on antenatal, postnatal, neonatal and the list was vast, about the concerns on progeny and it's future prospects. 

Are the words antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum forgotten? Or maybe it was a blind spot on the researcher. No, Definitely not. These are not just just words neglected but are lives forgotten. What these words depict are women in their phases of pregnancy. They are women who nurtured the child in her womb. And these women are not just body parts, they (she) are a wholesome of anatomy, physiology integrated with cognition and emotions. 

The stories each women narrate in her postpartum are different. Each has its own intrinsics, its own journey with vulnerabilities, its own end points and its own future prospects. I wondered the reason for researchers to explore on postpartum depression extensively as the literature search suggests. An in-depth thought supported by discussions and observations gave an insight on a lack of discussion space and lack or excess of traditional support to care. The societal judgement, work place discrimination and educational discouragement, pulls the women back to a space where they are left at their own. There is a need for introspection, need to retrospect and reroute these women's journey for a better discourse which suits their needs, guiding them to be free thinkers and help them impart their experiential learning to the progeny.

During the discussions and interviews with postpartum women, the observations which surprised me are the manner in which the women responded, the tactful avoidance to answer certain questions, the glare at her or her spouse’s family while answering, to openly talk about their deep concerns when in isolation and their expectant eyes or questions which showed their craving for atleast an informal recognition like the interview I was conducting. 

The blame is not on the men too. Many men are silent observers to this passive phase of women, rather than active trouble makers. The men are silent sufferers too in the narrative of a quiet motherhood. 

Neglect, passiveness and waivers in thoughts include the contents of the women's halo after pregnancy. The thoughts which clouded me were similar. This tempted me to search for some measures to turn this halo into a bright, shining and emanating aura- the aura of lingering innocence, sacrifice and suffering. The men are inclusions in this aura, without whom, the women we are today are mere living dead, emotionless, hollow, bland and humanity untouched.

The questions to ponder urgently for which we have to find out answers, to alert oneself on the life of women after pregnancy are:

Is she the victim or survivor?

Is she the neglect of a glorified physiological process ?

Shouldn't women after pregnancy be realised and cared for?

Are the women after pregnancy remnants of an ending life or a new form of life in their wholesome?

Are these women culprits of a crime or the feeding body, minds and pshyche to the progeny?

We know the answers to these questions blindfoldly, but there is a hesitance and resistance to make our thoughts practical. I urge the women who are in their phases of life after pregnancy to realise and understand themselves and request for support. The women should question themselves and those who are judgemental, seek answers from examples of experiential women, observe keenly and reach a conclusive decision on the way forward. Even when I pen this article, I have pauses, breaks and blanks in my mind, the reason probably are the reverbating thoughts of my own pregnancy experiences and discourse, alongside the familial and societal narratives. There are mismatches, there are compatible junctures but the path of liberation to positive narration usually masks the struggles and sufferings of our journey. It is the nature's attempt to provide clarity on our thoughts before we embark on a new phase of life.

The pride of the mother who carries the bundle of experience is a rarity. Here I include the term “mother” as all women after pregnancy with any outcomes, the prospective mothers and all those with mothers’ instincts. Nurture with natural ways, flaunt the motherhood in front of ourselves and take the baby steps with ourselves as the baby.  

The postpartum and women after pregnancy are in the peak of chicken- egg cycle which will take its natural course to stability only with conscious efforts and realised actions. The reversal of ourselves from chicken to a new egg is the expectation from each mother who is inherently equipped to carry the life forward. But, that new egg which represents each one of you (women) is stronger, unbreakable and hard, with flexibility, liineancy and emotions of a mother. 

We can shape ourselves to the stronger us! 

The pregnancy and life after pregnancy are the well learnt, memorized, corrected chapters of our own book. The next chapter is on the womanhood and motherhood. Embrace this chapter with renewed energy and purpose.

Related articles on maternal health by

Dr. Athirakrishnan S :

http://dspace.sctimst.ac.in

Morbidities and Quality of life in postpartum women. MPH thesis

https://magicalneoblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/postpartum-experiences-paving-way-to.html

Postpartum experiences paving the way to better metamorphosis.

Blog on the qualitative narrative of the MPH thesis

https://iapsm.org/blog/postpartum-maternal-strengthening-a-neglected-aspect-of-maternal-health-care/

Postpartum maternal strengthen- A neglected aspect of maternal health care. Blog post in IAPSM

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/athira-krishnan-b5a105158_according-to-one-of-my-followup-study-women-activity-7318977530219085824-luSQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAACW_NDYBBkY_uT6mry4WaZZWik7PC0-CEhY