Four short reviews of possible interest to those of you who don’t follow me on Goodreads (two nonfiction books and two pieces of fiction for young people–and those of us who are not so young, too!): Mary Roach, Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex An entertaining, fast read that made me laugh. The [...]
I use the words “parents” and “parenting” a lot. I often describe myself as a parent rather than as a mother (though I certainly use both labels). I avoid “mothers” and “fathers,” “mothering” and “fathering” because I don’t like the implications that certain parenting roles/actions are inherently feminine or masculine, that “mothers” are somehow a [...]
And Baby Makes More: Known Donors, Queer Parents, and Our Unexpected Families is a collection of twenty-two personal essays that deal–from many different angles and in many different ways–with the experience of creating a family with the help of a known donor. Mostly sperm, a little egg thrown in for good measure. (Well, I mean [...]
I’m sort of a Grinch about summer reading programs. It feels weird to me to react this way, because I’m extremely rah! rah! about reading, libraries in general, and the St. Paul Public Library system in particular. They made these great design-y materials for this year’s program with an awesome color palette, and the super-enthusiastic [...]
Welcome to First the Egg, a collection of practical information, links, and cultural criticism. This site is a feminist intervention in our rigidly-gendered culture of childbirth and parenting. It aims to provide a nonsexist space for people who want to learn, reflect, commiserate, or laugh about being pregnant, giving birth, and helping children grow up whole and happy.
Feel free to contact me with ideas or questions at
book review: Peggy Vincent’s Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife
I really enjoyed–and recommend–Peggy Vincent’s 2002 memoir Baby Catcher. Vincent’s narrative voice feels strong, empathetic, and funny. She tells many birth stories, spanning decades and multiple birth settings: we see babies born in three quite different hospitals, an ‘alternative birth center’ in one of those hospitals, and many different sorts of homes … including a sailboat [...]