Term Paper on Is Motherhood Necessary?
In today’s world the corporate and the modern woman views motherhood as an
option unlike the past women. The traditional perceptions of women are changing
and motherhood is no longer viewed as a necessary sequel of a marriage. Some
feel that it is a matter of one’s personal preference to choose or not to choose
to become a mother. Motherhood is the state of being a mother. It should not be
mixed with getting married. It should also not be taken for the love a mother
gives to her children after giving birth to that child. A woman can show
affection to an adopted child but that would not cover the meaning of
motherhood. As it is, motherhood means actually going through the physical
process of giving birth to a child and of course giving love and affection.
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Motherhood is necessary for a woman to achieve full meaning of womanhood. A girl
passes through various stages of life biologically. She becomes a woman when she
gets married and has intimate physical intercourse with or without affection
with her husband. Motherhood is linked with the desire to have a child. Shaina
NC, a well-known designer and the person behind Golden Ensemble, one of the most
famous designer stores for bridal wear in the India, states that marriage and
motherhood means completeness for a woman. Lisa (2001) points out that there are
many considerations a woman has to go through before embarking on the route to
motherhood. For example, the future of the baby, the precautions to be taken
during the pregnancy, the name of the baby, toys and stuff and other necessary
things needed to cater to the needs of the new would-be arrival.
But the most important of all is the consideration of the preconception period.
There are many necessities that a woman needs to keep in mind before even going
through the process of sexual intercourse for motherhood. For example, it is
important to take a folic acid supplement before conceiving. John R. Sussman,
M.D., private practitioner of Obstetrics and Gynecology in New Milford, CT and
co-author of ‘The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby’, states, "Starting a
supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid a day in the months prior to
pregnancy and continuing through the first trimester significantly decreases the
risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida."
There are many precautions and cares that a woman needs to follow while becoming
a mother. Any divergence from these precautions may result in drastic
consequences. Women also hesitate from getting into the state of motherhood
because they do not want to go through the hardships and toil and also want to
eliminate the risk of dying during the perceiving process. Motherhood is
necessary for a woman in order to provide a meaning to her life. Its necessity
is truly reflected in the necessity of having a child.
On the other hand, one might consider motherhood as the state whereby a woman is
full of love and affection and care for her child. It is the presence of that
love and affection that creates motherhood. Of course a woman upon giving birth
to a child becomes a mother biologically speaking. But according to the
definition of giving love, attention and affection to the child may or may not
necessarily be there. Look at the children who do not have a mother. Isn’t the
love of a mother integral for all of us? There is a child in each one of us
somewhere within us, which needs a maternal love. Motherhood needs assurance
from a biological point of view for its conception. The length of pregnancy
duration varies from couple to couple. Weschler explains that women need to know
their own bodies, their fertility signs and their own menstrual cycle before
embarking on the road to becoming a mother. But this does not necessarily mean
that motherhood is an unachievable state. One needs to have faith in God as well
to provide courage and ability to be a mother.
Finally the role of the society for motherhood as the basic right of women is
best described by Kollontai (1915) in her book Society and Motherhood.
Motherhood is also a question of being financially able to raise your child.
Mothers should be given extra benefits in the working hours and the workingwomen
are even more prone to falling into the trap of thinking not to perceive a
child. It is the duty of the society to provide women with the necessary support
in order for her to become a mother. Kollontai (1915) explains that visionary
philanthropists from olden days such as Jules Simon, Felix Poussineau, Adolphe
Pinard, Louis Frank in Belgium and Paulina Schiff in Italy, Ellen Key, and Ruth
Bré in Germany, are all those who advanced the idea of motherhood as the basic
right of women in the name of humanity and justice.
Works Cited
http://weddingsutra.indbazaar.com/lovelife/said_woman.asp
Beamer, Lisa (2001) Motherhood, Here I Come! PregnancyMagazine.com Highbury
House Communications, Inc. http://pregmag.iparenting.com/articles/motherhood.htm
Weschler, Toni. Taking Charge of Your Fertility’, Amazon Books http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060950536/pregnancytoday
Sussman, John R., co-author of ‘The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby’,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0028626958/pregnancytoday
Kollontai, A., (1915) Society and Motherhood Petrograd, 1916, pp. 3-18, abridged
Source: Alexandra Kollontai: Selected Articles and Speeches, Progress
Publishers, 1984 Transcribed by Sally Ryan for marxists.org, 2000
http://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/works/mother.htm
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