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Ready, January 2008
Hardcover
Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood
Basic Books
January 2008
On Sale: December 25, 2007
320 pages ISBN: 0465027857 EAN: 9780465027859 Hardcover
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Self-Help | Non-Fiction
Over the past three decades, skyrocketing numbers of women
have chosen to start their families in their late thirties
and early forties. In 2005, ten times as many women had
their first child between the ages of 35 and 39 as in 1975,
and thirteen times as many had their first between 40 and
44. Women now have the option to define for themselves when
they’re ready for family, rather than sticking to a schedule
set by social convention. As a society, however, we have yet
to come to terms with the phenomenon of later motherhood,
and women who decide it makes sense for them to delay
pregnancy often find themselves confronted with alarmist
warnings about the dangers of waiting too long. In Ready, Elizabeth Gregory tracks the burgeoning
trend of new later motherhood and demonstrates that for many
women today, waiting for family works best. She provides
compelling evidence of the benefits of having children
later--by birth or by adoption. Gregory reveals that large
numbers of women succeed in having children between 35 and
44 by the usual means (one in seven kids born today has a
mom in that age range), and that many of those who don’t
succeed nonetheless find alternate routes to happy families
via egg donation or adoption. And they’re glad they waited. Without ignoring the complexities that older women may face
in their quest to have children, Gregory reveals the many
advantages of waiting: Stronger family focus: Having
achieved many of their personal and career goals, new later
moms feel ready to focus on family rather than trying to
juggle priorities. More financial power: New later moms have established
careers and make higher salaries. Greater self-confidence: New later moms have more career
experience, and their management skills translate directly
into managing a household and advocating for their children. More stable single-parenting: New later moms who are single
have more resources. High marriage rate: On average, 85 percent of new later moms
are married, lending stability to the family structure. Longer lives: Evidence indicates that new later moms
actually live longer than moms who start their families
earlier. Based on in-depth interviews with more than 100 new later
moms and extensive collateral research, READY shatters the
myths surrounding later motherhood. Drawing on both the
statistical evidence and the voices of the new later mothers
themselves, Gregory delivers surprising and welcome news
that will revolutionize the way we think about motherhood.
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