Hot Flashes Warm Bottles : First-Time Mothers Over Forty

by Nancy London

As an older first-time mother of a young daughter, Nancy London combed the bookshelves in search of support and guidance for some of the emotional and physical challenges she faced. To her dismay, she found that most parenting books were written for much younger women, while books on midlife assumed the female reader had grown children. The next day, Nancy ran an ad in the local newspaper to start a support group for first-time moms over forty, and her phone hasn't stopped ringing since. Hot Flashes, Warm Bottles is the first prescriptive and anecdotal guidebook for the multitudes of older moms, and distills the wisdom, insight, and practical advice gathered during her years as a therapist and support group leader. With tips for renewing physical and sexual energy, parenting after infertility and adoption, balancing career and family, and caring for elderly parents, the personal stories from these older moms are often humorous, sometimes surprising, but always reassuring. Without exception, the reader will be left with the comforting knowledge that she is not alone on her journey. Hot Flashes fills a much-needed place in the parenting field, at a time when more and more women are embracing motherhood later in life.

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2001

Reviews

[S Modi]

A honest, well-written look at the challenges of first time motherhood in your 40s. It spans quite a few topics - noticing how aging affects your own energy (and balancing the comparisons with younger moms vs what you bring to the table - patience/experience), the struggles with infertility, the challenges of adoption, being a sandwich generation (where you are raising young children while caring for elderly parents). It was great to hear real women's stories about this. Still relevant and applicable today despite being written in 2001. Many of us have put motherhood off due to demanding careers or just not finding the right partner. While it may be difficult, most didn't regret their choice. Food for thought.

[Jane]

I enjoyed this. I think it's a book worth owning. I'd like to do the journaling. Maybe this summer.