Maybe Baby: 28 Writers Tell the Truth about Skepticism, Infertility, Baby Lust, Childlessness, Ambivalence, and How They Made the

I am a young woman who is thinking a lot about having a child and what that will mean in my life. I am also in a relationship with a partner who is not as "interested" right now as I am in this huge topic. I turned to this book for "conversations" on parenthood and that is exactly what it offered. Maybe Baby includes many different ideas about having and not having kids and the uncertainty in between. I found these essays to be entertaining and thought provoking; I look forward to passing this book on to my partner and discussing our favorite installments.

Having a child is a huge decision, and yet there is little candid discussion about it in society, so this book is a great contribution. All of the essays are incredibly well written, and very honest. If this is a subject that interests you, you may well read it in one sitting. (I did.) The book also aims to expore a wide diversity of experiences and feelings on the subject. The gamut includes: 1) a rather shocking essay from a feminist professor who intentionally gets her tubes tied when quite young, seemingly to make a statement; 2) an essay from a Latina woman whose child struggles with a diagnosis of autism, and her subsequent inability to accept the diagnosis; 3) genuinely funny essays, covering everything from the (entertaining) reasons certain people never got around to having kids, to the joys of roadtrips with them.

Something happened when I turned 28 ... the biological clock stopped ticking and I realized that having children wouldn't make me a better person or a more valuable woman. Although I always had children in my life before my 28th birthday I experienced the common baby hunger that hormones trigger in the brain. Either reality hit me or when it came down to it I saw that motherhood required one simple thing: absolute selflessness. Children are priorities not accessories. They are people not living dolls. And they are not pets or insurance policies to have someone care for you in old age, childen are their own being. This is a wonderful collection of essays on the wisest choice to ever be made, to not have children, because one is honest enough to see that being a mother would only be an express route to resentment.

I was walking through the bookstore and this title caught my eye... as at the time.. I too was contemplating having a child with my husband.. but we both are "on the fence" about it. This book jumped out at me and practically slapped me in the face, perfect timing.. It's a wonderful read and refreshing. I was so tired of hearing couples, trying to "recruit" me to motherhood and often had been criticized for saying, I'm not sure I want kids... This book was a great eye opener, although I am still "on the fence" this book had expressed my feelings through the voice and thoughts of these talented writers... It was nice to hear parents in the book express their true feelings about their doubts and worries....Thank you for your stories, and your expression. This book is a must for everyone... with kids or without.

I couldn't put this book down. I'm a literate 27-year-old with an exciting life, just starting to feel that baby lust that so many of us struggle with, yet not sure if the sacrifices, lifestyle changes and restructuring of priorities that happens with parenthood is going to be right for me. This book gave me some excellent food for thought. Every angle that I had wrestled with and many more were presented by real people who have struggled with the same questions I have. I couldn't believe the diversity of thought, the raw and painful honesty, and the naked love shown in each of these pieces. It helped me sort through my priorities and examine my personality, and gave me a much clearer idea of exactly what my personal pros and cons are. So much of the writing about parenthood resorts to cliches and easy answers, and none of the writers in this book copped out and allowed themselves that comfort of falling back on the usual sentiments. The writers were honest enough to examine even the negative personality traits which played a part in helping them make their decisions, and were also honest about the positive and negative things they felt and experienced because of their decision. I was surprised and impressed by this book. It was not a comfortable read and made me squirm inside many times, seeing my own selfishness or worries reflected back at me, but the book got to the heart of the many truths and considerations involved in making this hugely important decision.