'Brilliant' Jenni Murray
'Liberating, intoxicating' Zoe Williams
'Why, after decades of social progress, is motherhood still so much harder than it needs to be?'
Before becoming mothers, women are constantly reminded that their biological clock is ticking. Once pregnant, their bodies become public property: they are belittled, panicked, and denied autonomy. During childbirth, women's wishes are overlooked, which can have potentially serious consequences and trauma.
When the baby comes home, women embark on a life of pay cuts, missed career opportunities, greater distribution of housework, unbalanced emotional burdens, and criticism from everywhere. State support and family networks have weakened, and mothers are attacked for every 'choice' they make – if they are indeed given real choices.
In this provocative and vital book, Eliane Glaser explores why mothers are idealized but at the same time treated so poorly? Why have campaigns for mothers become so unpopular? And what must we do to change the state of affairs and improve the child-rearing experience for everyone.
Pages: 320, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm
