The Wild Robot and the Transition to Parenthood







About the Author Michelle Miller is a Product Development Specialist at Great Kids. Prior to joining the Product Development team, Michell worked for three years as a Great Kids trainer. Before that, she worked as a trainer supervisor, and home visitor with a Healthy Families program in Middle Tennessee. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her three children and doing anything outdoors, especially kayaking.

“Where we expected land, there was water, and we were unmoored.” Chelsea Conaboy

After hearing lots of great reviews about the movie The Wild Robot (mostly from my grown children), I finally sat down to watch it. The movie depicts the story of a service robot that gets lost during shipping and washes up on the shore of an island populated only with animals. This robot, Roz, is programmed to complete tasks. And when they awaken, they set out to do just that.

Without revealing too much of the plot, the main task that Roz finds is that of caring for an orphaned baby goose. The robot does this much as one might expect from a robot. And while the movie is what my dad would’ve called “a real tearjerker,” there are many laughable moments as Roz learns what it means and feels like to essentially rewire themselves to become not simply a perfunctory care provider but a responsive and nurturing mother.

In addition to being entertaining, what I love about this story is that, whether intentional or not, the story of this robot struggling to become a nurturing parent is not unlike what many women experience as they transition into motherhood.

The Motherhood Myth Vs. Reality

While the arrival of a child is often portrayed as a blissful experience, one that is filled with warmth and the sudden bestowal of parental instinct, it’s important to understand that this is not the real-time experience of many women. As Chelsea Conaboy deftly points out in her book Mother Brain: How Neuroscience is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood, “There is no switch that flips when we become pregnant or when our baby arrives.”

In fact, recent brain research shows that transitioning into motherhood/parenthood is often more of a gradual process involving the rewiring and restructuring of the parent’s brain.^2,6

This transformation occurs due to the day-to-day care that parents provide for their new baby.^2,6  In essence, the more parents are supported in getting to know their baby and offering nurturing, responsive care, the more readily their brains can adapt and grow through the challenges of this new role.⁶

Why Understanding the Often-Challenging Transition to Motherhood Matters

It’s well-known that the first few weeks, months, and years of a baby’s life are crucial. What children experience during this time lays the foundation for their mental, emotional, and physical health throughout their lives.¹  This is why it is essential to bring awareness to this period of transition, which can be demanding and challenging for even the most well-equipped parents. For parents who face financial instability, low social support, oppression, and other stressors, this transition can be even more overwhelming.²

Additionally, Perinatal Mental Health Conditions are Common

The challenges new parents encounter in the early weeks and months postpartum can be further complicated by perinatal mental health conditions, which are among the most common complications of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Estimates suggest that about 1 in 5—or 20%—of new mothers, and 5-10% of co-parenting partners will experience one or more of these conditions.^3,6,8,10,12

These conditions, which most commonly include, but are not limited to, depression and anxiety, typically arise during pregnancy or within the first 12 months postpartum.^8,10   If left undetected and untreated, they can increase the risk of insufficient prenatal care and poor birth outcomes, including low birth weight, premature birth, stillbirth, and accidental death.^10,12  Additionally, exposure to perinatal mood conditions can increase risks for childhood challenges, such as cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges.^8,12  Reportedly, untreated maternal mental health conditions cost the U.S. around 14.2 billion dollars annually.^5,7

While this can all seem a bit overwhelming, there is a lot that parents and their support communities can do to make the transition to parenting an easier and more amazing time for all parents and babies.

What expectant parents and others can do to support the transition to parenting

• Set realistic expectations. Acknowledge that the transition to parenthood is a challenging time for most parents, especially those impacted by trauma, external stressors, and maternal mental health conditions.^2,6

• Recognize that perinatal mental health conditions are common. Talk to healthcare providers or other trusted professionals about risk factors and symptoms and find out how they can provide assessment and support during pregnancy and after the baby is born.⁹

• Invest Time in Parenting Education. Explore reliable parenting resources to learn about newborn care and what to expect when your baby is born.¹¹

• Prepare for support. Expect to ask for help. Plan ahead for how family members and friends can assist with household chores, like meals and laundry, or watching the baby to ensure time for needed naps and showers.¹¹

• Seek Parenting Resources. Talk with your healthcare provider or local health department representative about local parenting support services, like home visiting services, parenting education, and support groups.¹¹

Great Kids® Supports Expectant Parents

At Great Kids®, we’re dedicated to supporting parents and families as they transition into parenthood and care for a new baby from pregnancy through the early months and years beyond.

Our Growing Great Kids® Next Generation Prenatal Manual is packed full of lots of engaging research-based conversation guides, including conversations around bonding, parental well-being, and the parent brain.

References

1. Center on the Developing Child. (2024, August 8). Brain Architecture. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture  
2. Conaboy, C. (2022, September 13). Mother brain: How neuroscience is rewriting the story of parenthood. Henry Holt and Co.
3. Darwin, Z., Domoney, J., Iles, J., Bristow, F., Siew, J., and Vaheshta, S. (2021, January 12). Assessing the mental health of fathers, other co-parents, and partners in the perinatal period: Mixed methods evidence synthesis. Frontiers in Psychiatry (11). https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585479/full
4. FRIENDS. (2023, Septemenber 12). Protective Factors. https://friendsnrc.org/prevention/protective-factors/
5. Howard, L.M. and Khalifeh H. (2020, September 15). Perinatal mental health: a review of progress and challenges. World Psychiatry 19(3), 313-327. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32931106/
6. Kirshenbaum, G. (2023). The nurture revolution: Growing your baby’s brain and transforming their mental health through the art of nurtured parenting. Grand Central Publishing.
7. Luca, D.L., Margiotta, C., Staatx, C., Garlow, E., Christensen, A., and Zivin, K. (2020, May 6). Financial toll of untreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders among 2017 births in the United States. American Journal of Public Health 110(6), 888-896. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32298167/
8. Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. (2024, May 9). Maternal mental health conditions: The most common complication of pregnancy and parenting. https://www.mmhla.org/articles/maternal-mental-health-conditions-the-most-common-complication-of-pregnancy-and-parenting
9. Nonacs, R. (2024, July 3). What are the barriers to accessing perinatal mental health services? MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/barriers-to-access-perinatal-mental-health-services/
10. Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. (2023, April 4). About maternal mental health disorders. https://policycentermmh.org/mmh-disorders/  
11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Welfare Information Gateway & FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention. (2019) https://friendsnrc.org/prevention/protective-factors/
12. Wilson, C.A., Bublitz, M., Prabha, C., Hanley, S., Honikman, S., Kittel-Schneider, S., Cristina, S., Rückl, Z., Leahy-Warren, P., and Byatt, N. (2024, July 14). A global perspective: Access to mental health care for perinatal populations. Seminars in Perinatology 48(6). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146000524000764?via%3Dihub