Description
Book SynopsisAnalyzing the impact of motherhood on a woman's life, this intriguing study investigates the relationships between new and experienced mothers. Acknowledging how beginning mothers are able to articulate, debate, and negotiate dimensions of their mothering experiences with other mothers, this discussion reviews the physical and social aspects of pregnancy, the daily work of new mothering, and the competing cultural constructions of motherhood. Examining a diverse group of first-time mothers and how they discussed their own experiences with what many have called "the mommies' club," this reference documents the results of their interactions-the sharing of information and resources, the establishment of hierarchies of authority within the community of mothers, and how women are able to discursively explore and construct their maternal identities. This study reveals how essential, valuable, and complex mothers' connections with other mothers are, and yet how wrought and ambivalent these relationships can be as well.
Table of ContentsContents Chapter One - Conception Chapter Two - Initiation: Pregnancy Chapter Three - Initiation: Becoming a Mother Chapter Four - A World of Relationships: Inside the Club and Out Chapter Five-A"Welcome to the Stroller DerbyA" Chapter Six-The Complexities of Membership Chapter Seven-Conclusions Bibliography
