Becoming a Mother

First-time motherhood radically reshapes a woman's identity, relationships, lifestyle and body. Becoming a mother charts the diverse and complex history of Australian mothering for the first time, exposing the ways it has been both connected to and distinct from parallel developments in other industrialised societies. Through oral history interviews with a diverse cross-section of Australian mothers, the author illuminates changing maternal experiences and emotions since 1945. The book follows a woman's journey into motherhood, examining pregnancy, birth, childrearing, relationships and support, workloads and self-identity. Each chapter carefully excavates the persistent themes in how women describe mothering alongside the shifting historical context in which mothers are embedded. Drawing upon insights from anthropology, history, psychology and sociology, the book unpacks this multifaceted rite of passage and demonstrates how maternal memories continue to influence motherhood today. Despite radical shifts in understandings of gender, care and subjectivity, becoming a mother remains one of the most personally and culturally significant moments in a woman's life. As an innovative contribution to the multidisciplinary field of maternal studies, Becoming a mother offers critical insights into contemporary social issues including antenatal and maternity health care, perinatal mental health, maternal workforce participation, child care, parental leave and more.