ABSTRACT
There can be no doubt that parenthood produces changes in the lives of mothers and fathers. New parents become true experts on things like strollers, car seats, bottles, diapers, and late-night feedings. Not only does everyday life change for couples as they add more tasks to the seemingly full list of family chores, but having a baby also absorbs much of their time and attention-particularly for new mothers. Erdrich’s (1995) compelling memoir of her own transition to parenthood captures the extent to which newborns consume a mother’s energies and gives a real sense of the intensity of new motherhood:
As we read her account, we feel her pressure, her sense of urgency, and the constant monotony that are all part of life as she transitions to parenthood. Though her days seem an endless wash of baby’s cries, her next telling confession demonstrates a deeper emotional connection to her child as she admits “that in deep love, I want her, I choose her. I adore the privilege of our baby’s constant care” (p. 56).
