Books about motherhood

[Vitallyli]

Motherhood has changed me as a person and I remember reading how motherhood transforms your brain and I would love to read more about it. Not necessary a dry scientific explanation, but what it means to be a mother, history, psychology, relationships between mother and a son, mother and a daughter. I can't find anything when googling, can anyone recommend something please?

We're just giving this thread a bump for the OP in case anyone's around with some suggestions.

My dcs are more or less adults now, but one book I remember reading which really nailed what early motherhood was all about was What Mothers Do Especially When It Looks Like Nothing by Naomi Stadlen. I'm not sure if that's the kind of thing you're looking for?

I’ve read quite a few, and most of them I’ve re-read with each child as they are wonderful to revisit when going through such a profound and changing experience (plus, long feeding sessions 🙂). The one mentioned above is good. My favourite is ‘Our Babies Ourselves’ by Meredith Small. Takes an anthropological look at how babies fit into our society as it is now. What having a baby ‘means’ from a cultural point of view vs a biological one, how other cultures accommodate babies etc. Sounds dry and I’m not doing it justice but I really love it and it’s not dry to read at all but endlessly fascinating. Other more memoir-ish ones that are personal but also reflect universal truths about the experience of becoming a mother are ‘Life after birth’ by Kate Figes. Very good. ‘A life’s work’ by Rachel Cusk. Get’s kind of a bad rap as it’s a bit negative and sneery about things like baby groups. But her writing is beautiful and much of it still rang true. Another two I enjoyed but not quite as much were ‘The blue jay’s dance’ by Louise Erdrich and ‘My wild and sleepless nights’ by Clover Stroud.

P.s. happy reading!!

Perhaps a bit more academically written but I really enjoyed this as it was really clear how our thinking of children and childhood is so shaped by context

David F. Lancy
The Anthropology of Childhood: Cherubs, Chattel, Changelings

And thanks for the thread idea

Was it this that you read about brain changes? www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/what-happens-to-a-womans-brain-when-she-becomes-a-mother/384179/

I like the books mentioned above, esp our babies ourselves and what mother's do. The Emily Ostler books though they're more instructive than ponderous.

A book called dream babies, it goes through advice to mother's through history.

That Holly McNish book, nobody told me.

Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano looks at the transition through fairytales and a Jungian perspective as a 'hero's journey' - she's a Jungian analyst. I loved it.

Thanks to everyone who's posted ideas.

@Vitallyli - we just thought we'd @ you in case you hadn't noticed these wonderful suggestions

I don't know if this is of interest to you but it's a good read https://www.amazon.co.uk/Can-Any-Mother-Help-Me-ebook/dp/B005G21COA/ref=mpssa111?adgrpid=49968796461&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuoePnoj29QIVCbLtCh33VwktEAAYASAAEgL1DDBwE&hvadid=259096414923&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=20489&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9314677696027234373&hvtargid=kwd-354489843567&hydadcr=13694_1820774&keywords=can+any+mother+help+me&qid=1644528031&sr=8-1

@Himawarigirl thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for!

@savethecactus thank you! I definitely saw this one being mentioned before! Will give it a try!

@pitterpatterrain thank you! Looks very interesting!

@DawnMumsnet thank you for bumping the thread! Wonderful suggestions and are all in my Amazon basket now!

I loved Making Babies by Anne Enright. A really lovely book and a useful antidote to the miseryfest that was Rachel Cusk’s A Life’s Work.

Black Milk by Elif Safak

I'm just placemarking so I can come back to this thread for ideas.

My dd is 18 months now, there won't be another which is something I'm really struggling with. I have (quite gladly I think) thrown myself into all things baby and mostly embraced being defined almost entirely as a mother for a while, but I do feel the baby stage is coming to an end now and I need to find where I fit again. I didn't go back to work so I think that's why I'm a bit adrift too, I have been working freelance instead and need to decide if that's something to pursue or whether I want to fine a full time role.

Anyway that's all a bit of an off topic ramble but having stumbled across this thread I feel like some of these suggestions will help me put the very intense last 18 months into context almost? No idea if that makes sense but thank you OP for.the thread

It’s fiction, but Night Waking by Sarah Moss is the best book I’ve ever read about being the mother of young children.