Is There an Answer to the Question, 'Do I Start a Family?'

"The decision to have a child is not simple; it's a loaded and life-altering choice. It is no longer a fait accompli as it was in the days of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers before contraception."

"Mothering has often brought me to the edge. There have been times when I have been unhinged with worry, despair, and torment. Equally, being a mother has been the most significant gift of my life."

"Many 20-, 30-, and 40-something women live with doubts daily and know intuitively how hard it is to sign up for mothering."

"The idea of maternal ambivalence—an acceptance that there are multiple, often contradictory feelings attached to mothering and that the troubling ones hold value and meaning—was foreign to her."

Many women today are grappling with the decision of whether to start a family, reflecting on the complexities and implications of motherhood. This choice is no longer straightforward, as societal norms have shifted since previous generations. Personal experiences of motherhood can be both rewarding and challenging, leading to feelings of doubt and ambivalence. Conversations around maternal ambivalence reveal that many women experience conflicting emotions about motherhood, highlighting the importance of acknowledging these feelings in the decision-making process.

Read at Psychology Today