A book written with a lot of feeling and a great deal of empathy. A really good guide to being a mother.
Nikki Scott calls it “all of it”. “Mama Let’s Talk About.…”. There is so much going on when one becomes a mother. And it’s not only what society sees from the outside. There is all that is happening to the woman herself, her ego, her body, her self. Scott might have started her book with one of her later paragraphs.
“This book won’t tell you what to do or what you should do regarding your babies or motherhood journey. You get to decide that yourself; try to trust yourself and your mama instincts. My goal is to validate you sensitively, respectfully, and compassionately”.
That’s the key to the book. All of it, as she speaks to all mothers. Scott begins from pregnancy and makes the point that society perpetuates many pregnancy-related assumptions which show little feeling for the dilemma of being pregnant. She goes from pregnancy through birth, post partum and caring for your baby. Even going back to work. Nikki offers advice based not only on her own experience, but also uses the advice of colleagues and others she has been in contact with.
As an aside, it’s a pity there is no table of contents, just for ease of skipping around as we all do.
The recounting of her colleagues’ incomplete and childless pregnancy is very moving and reinforces the authors support for all Mamas who have experienced pregnancy.
Reading her book makes you realize there are a range of symptoms, behaviors, fantasies, thoughts that so many women go through during this period in their lives. In truth, for many of us who never really had problems, it is an eye-opener and prepares us for being more supportive of others. At the same time, however, she shows the reader how to love themselves during this period. In spite of what you might think, you are allowed to talk,. You are allowed to feel…You are allowed to get it out of your system and talk about it.
Throughout the book, Scott emphasises how much society impacts the decisions and feelings women experience as Mothers. She emphasizes the uniqueness of this responsibility and how critical a role society at large plays. To remain confident and secure in spite of all these challenges is simply a part of motherhood.
As she says, “My goal is to validate you sensitively, respectfully, and compassionately“. I think you will agree with me that she does this well.