Mom Genes
Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct
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3.7 • 7 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Lion in the Living Room comes a fascinating and provocative exploration of the biology of motherhood that “is witty, reassuring, and takes motherhood out of the footnotes and places it front and center—where it belongs” (Louann Brizendine, MD, New York Times bestselling author).
Everyone knows how babies are made, but scientists are only just beginning to understand the making of a mother. Mom Genes reveals the hard science behind our tenderest maternal impulses, tackling questions such as why mothers are destined to mimic their own moms (or not), how maternal aggression makes females the world’s most formidable creatures, and how a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic can make or break a mom.
Weaving the latest research with Abigail Tucker’s personal experiences, Mom Genes “is an eye-opening tour through the biology and psychology of a role that is at once utterly ordinary and wondrously strange” (Annie Murphy Paul, author of Origins).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Tucker (The Lion in the Living Room) takes readers on a tour of the "science behind the tender maternal instinct" in this revealing survey. Worldwide, Tucker writes, "more than 90 percent of all women become moms," yet the "cellular-level revolution that rebuilds the female brain" during pregnancy and beyond is still poorly understood. Among the fascinating topics Tucker digs into are that "moms dream differently than other people," that experience babysitting can predict postnatal hormone changes in men, and that the inner workings of baby-to-mom messaging (such as fetal movements) "serve an important psychological purpose." Environmental factors such as access to shelter, chemical pollutants, and socioeconomic background, meanwhile, can increase depression and may even affect a baby's sex—she cites a Columbia University study which showed that 70% of "the most emotionally and physically maxed-out" participants had girls. Tucker has a knack for making complex science accessible, and she encouragingly touts the importance of mothers having a support system: "New mothers depend on others for physical help... for practical guidance... and also for the more mysterious matter of emotional sustenance." Moms-to-be in search of a straightforward look at the changes ahead will find this a good place to start.
