A Mother is Born : Preparing for Motherhood During Pregnancy

Rating:
Summary: A different kind of preparation for motherhood!
Review: My experience while pregnant with my first child was that 99 percent of the usual preparations involve either pregnancy or baby care. We learn how to take care of ourselves (mostly physically) when pregnant, we learn about childbirth and breastfeeding, we buy things for baby, and we learn the basics of baby care. A few mothers mentioned to me what a big change it is when the first child arrives, but not much more.

So I was unprepared for the surprising emotions and thoughts I would have surrounding my own life and my relationships with my baby, my husband, and my own mother. I didn't realize how totally unlike any other "job" motherhood is. I didn't realize the extent to which having a baby would transform my life and change me as a person.

I didn't buy "A Mother Is Born" until my son was three months old and I found myself enjoying the new addition to our family but struggling with many conflicting emotions and painful changes. I wish I had read the book (or at least started it) while still pregnant. I think it is a good guide to the new feelings and changes that a new mother can experience. It contains many powerful insights and it was valuable to me to have some of my new experiences put into words.

Some topics that are covered are: How society views mothering, perfectionism, the transition from another profession to motherhood, a mother's relationship with her own mother (including how her view of her mother affects her experience of mothering), various aspects of parenting, motherhood and femininity, sexuality, and many more.

The book is densely written - no frivolous or repetitive fluff! It is not an easy or particularly relaxing book to read - but not terribly difficult, either. The interesting, alternative ideas and insights keep you going.

Some drawbacks of the book are the small size of the print and its creative hyphenation and punctuation. There were even some "words" that aren't really words, according to my dictionary. My impression is that the author is a non-native speaker of English and that the book was not carefully edited or even spell-checked. I thought this would bother me, but it didn't, as the author is obviously well-educated and articulate.

Though the book, written from a Jungian perspective, does not show you motherhood through rose-colored glasses as many books do, it is uplifting and encouraging. It will help new mothers to believe in their ability to be a "good" mom, in spite of an initial lack of experience.