The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Everything and Why We Pretend It Doesn't - Hardcover

Maushart Ph.D., Susan

3.85

288 ratings by Goodreads

9781565844834: The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Everything and Why We Pretend It Doesn't

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565844831 ISBN 13: 9781565844834

Publisher: New Press, 1999

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Erma Bombeck meets Naomi Wolf -- a funny, articulate, right-on-the-money look at being a new mother in the '90s.

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Review:

Who could argue with the fact that a woman's life is changed completely and will never be the same again from the moment her first baby is born? Susan Maushart's thought-provoking book will certainly strike a chord with mothers, who, with so many different demands on their time, rarely have time for themselves; guilt at taking time for themselves is perhaps something that many mothers will identify with.

The author believes that advice on how to be the perfect mum, primarily from experts in the media, is putting untold pressure on new mothers who can never live up to these expectations. It is, Maushart contends, a no-win situation which women find themselves in: working mums face criticism that they are neglecting their families, while those who choose to stay are home are regarded as dull.

Maushart challenges society's assertions that breast-feeding is always best--another source of guilt for many mothers who are unsuccessful at this. It is her claim that mothers, for fear of misunderstanding or condemnation, keep these problems firmly hidden in the closet. The author's background as a social scientist comes through strongly in the book, in the wealth of substantive facts, details and research from the fields of sociology and psychology. The book is perhaps controversial in its conclusions, but is certainly a fascinating read. --Carole Butterworth

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