A candid feminist and personal deep dive into the science and culture of pregnancy and
motherhood Like most first-time mothers Angela Garbes was filled with questions when she
became pregnant. What exactly is a placenta and how does it function? How does a body go into
labor? Why is breast best? Is wine totally off-limits? But as she soon discovered it's not
easy to find satisfying answers. Your obstetrician will cautiously quote statistics online
sources will scare you with conflicting and often inaccurate data and even the most trusted
books will offer information with a heavy dose of judgment. To educate herself the food and
culture writer embarked on an intensive journey of exploration diving into the scientific
mysteries and cultural attitudes that surround motherhood to find answers to questions that had
only previously been given in the form of advice about what women ought to do-rather than
allowing them the freedom to choose the right path for themselves. In Like a Mother Garbes
offers a rigorously researched and compelling look at the physiology biology and psychology
of pregnancy and motherhood informed by in-depth reportage and personal experience. With the
curiosity of a journalist the perspective of a feminist and the intimacy and urgency of a
mother she explores the emerging science behind the pressing questions women have about
everything from miscarriage to complicated labors to postpartum changes. The result is a
visceral full-frontal look at what's really happening during those nine life-altering months
and why women deserve access to better care support and information. Infused with humor and
born out of awe appreciation and understanding of the female body and its strength Like a
Mother debunks common myths and dated assumptions offering guidance and camaraderie to women
navigating one of the biggest and most profound changes in their lives.
