Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy

20 percent of our blood is traveling through the placenta, keeping our future child or children nourished. We don’t hear about its remarkable immunity work, fighting off and eliminating pathogens while also allowing antibodies that exist in a mother’s body to pass through and on to the baby.

There is a biological underpinning to these mood swings, but new mothers are also under tremendous pressure to be happy

Pregnancy brings about the birth of not one but two new beings. Mother is not a fixed identity; we are dynamic and grow along with our young. The

the utter obliteration of their previous selves?

Microchimerism occurs in pregnancies that end in miscarriage or are terminated. Even if a pregnancy ends early, the cells of that fetus may live on. Even if a child dies, a bit of his life continues in his mother’s body. Microchimerism is part of how life begins, and it is part of how life goes on.

Today, feminism means supporting women in whatever method of birth that they want.

While the origins of American obstetrics and gynecology may be infuriating, many of us have benefitted from it. Advancements in the field have improved health outcomes for mothers and babies.

Studies show that breast-feeding is good for a baby’s immunological health: breast-fed babies have lower instances of colds and viruses.7 And when they do get sick, breast-fed babies are often able to recover quickly because their mother’s body produces the specific antibodies needed to quell their infection.

The nutritional and immunological components of breast milk change every day, according to the specific, individual needs of a baby.