Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting [Paperback]

Jann Blackstone-Ford (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312281315 | ISBN-13: 978-0312281311 | Publication Date: November 1, 2002 | Edition: First Edition

"The future doesn't frighten me, but sometimes I wish there was help, a type of midlife mom roadside assistance-someone who would show up exactly when you need it and tell you how to handle the problem." -Janice Stewart, mother at thirty-nine to Joshua

What's a woman to do when she's facing menopause, toddlers, and elder care all at the same time? Women who have "been there and done that" provide some insight in Midlife Motherhood. Offering humor, warmth, and frankness, this is a handholding guide for the uninitiated.

What's on their minds:
· Common fears and concerns: from Down's syndrome to being too old
· Fertility challenges and what to physically expect from pregnancy
· How to juggle postpartum demands-parenting, working, caring for aging parents . . . and all at once!
· Getting back into shape
· Hot flashes and warm bottles: coping with hormonal changes while caring for a new baby

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

More women are becoming mothers at midlife. Blackstone-Ford, a certified mediator specializing in family issues, bases much of this book on her own experiences as well as on input from other mothers who participated in her Internet discussion group. She does a creditable job of addressing topics of concern, e.g., fertility, pregnancy, birth, adoption, career and family issues, and postpartum health and emotional issues. Unfortunately, her coverage of some medical issues is incomplete, and readers may be led to underestimate associated risks or complexities. (...) In discussing episiotomies and ceasareans, she also glosses over current evidence of associated risks. A better purchase would be Doreen Nagle's But I Don't Feel Too Old To Be a Mommy. Nagle, who also founded an online midlife motherhood discussion group, wisely avoids offering advice on medical issues already covered in other books, and she includes extensive discussion on preconceptual healthcare, a topic that is notably lacking in Blackstone-Ford's book.
Noemie Maxwell, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jann Blackstone-Ford is a certified mediator and the Stepfamily and Divorce Specialist as well as the Midlife Mother expert for Parentsoup.com, an iVillage website. She is the director of Bonus Families, www.bonusfamilies.com, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support and reassurance of stepfamilies around the world. She is also the creator of www.midlifemother.com, a support site for women who choose to become mothers at midlife. Jann lives with her family in Discovery Bay, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312281315
• ISBN-13: 978-0312281311
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #302,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Helpful, November 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting (Paperback)

I wasn't supposed to be able to have children and here I am at 38, pregnant. My husband and I are very happy, but I had no idea what was in store. I don't really care about the medical stuff. I can get that from a ton of books out there. I was looking for something that would tell me what to expect when the child was here. I found it in Midlife Motherhood. Very honest assessment of having a child at midlife, along with suggestions on how to cope. Plus, great stories from other midlife moms. I really liked the chapter on infertility--I could relate to many of the women. This book was very reassuring and very positive. I know I will read it over and over during my pregnancy.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I found the Library Journal Review misleading..., April 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting (Paperback)

Midlife Motherhood is about having children and making the adjustment, so preconceptual healthcare, as suggested in the review, is not an issue. Midlife Motherhood offers a chapter on health and diet after the child comes home, which I found very helpful. I own both books and it just wasn't a good comparison. That's why I always take reviews with a grain of salt. I prefer the customer reviews.

Personally, I was looking for a good "support book" while pregnant. Midlife Motherhood offers just the right amount of professional advice and 'been there, done that' experience. I read it while I was pregnant and now that I have had my child, once again find myself refering to various chapters for reassurance. I really like this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relieved, February 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting (Paperback)

Yahoo! More women like me who have decided to become mothers after 40. I have to say, I know I put it off for a long time, but I had no trouble getting pregnant--once I did I became this ridiculous worry wart who questioned everything I knew about motherhood. And, since my own mom has passed, there was no one I knew to ask the silly questions that bugged me. I'm glad I stumbled across Midlife Motherhood. It's a reassuring look at having children at midlife.