Regretful mothers

In Regretful Mothers , Israeli sociologist Orna Donath interviews mothers (some already grandmothers) who regret having given birth.

Donath's thesis is that social pressure on motherhood is enormous—contrary to popular belief, women aren't free to decide whether or not to have children—and the result can be regret. This has nothing to do with these mothers' love for their children, but rather with frustration regarding the expectations surrounding motherhood.

Although many people feel uncomfortable about the topic, this book seeks to discuss it frankly, without labels or prejudice. This study aims to address a taboo that is rarely discussed, but one that needs to be addressed so that motherhood can be experienced fully and as it should be: with pleasure, doubts, joy, fear, and without the romanticism that awakens in many women the feeling of not fitting into the role of perfection that should be theirs.

"Donath breaks what she calls the untouchable taboo. The book's most valuable elements are the diverse perspectives provided by the interviews, which reflect an impressive degree of self-awareness (and oftentimes, self-awareness) from women who have otherwise remained silent." - Publishers Weekly

"Donath reveals the debate of a taboo, a denied reality and largely the result of social pressure imposed on women." - La Vanguardia

"Donath's aim is simple: to enable mothers to experience motherhood as a subjective experience, one that can combine love and regret and be accepted by society, regardless of what it may appear to be." - The Guardian