The experience of motherhood during the pandemic

Abstract

The aim was to highlight the challenges of motherhood during the pandemic and describe possible strategies to experience this moment without compromising the affective-emotional field of the binomial. For this, a bibliographic search was carried out in online databases with the descriptors: pandemic, maternity, domestic work, COVID-19. With the insertion of the pandemic by COVID-19, mothers are exceptionally busy, as they perform remote work at home, taking care of domestic activities and meeting the needs of their children, who are in continuous residence. The reduction in social interaction expands the degree of stress, there is a dysfunction in the sleep pattern and increases the levels of cortisol in the bloodstream. As a result, negative effects on the population's health emerged, such as: anxiety, fear, irritability, changes in appetite, among others. In view of this, the physical and mental exhaustion evidenced becomes a reflection in the children's behavior. It was verified the importance of a close look at mothers / women who experience the COVID-19 pandemic. As strategies, they are evidenced: asking for help from family members; division of tasks and household chores; social support; physical activity or leisure; maintaining online contact with friends / family; balanced diet; share experience reports; establish a break, however brief, for rest.