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The Mother's Guide to Sex: Enjoying Your Sexuality Through All Stages of Motherhood
A hip, no-holds-barred guide to combining the joy of sex with the joy of motherhood.
Just because you're a mother, or about to become one, doesn't mean you have to kiss your sex life good-bye. Finally, here's a unique guidebook that offers practical advice on honoring your sexuality throughout every stage of motherhood. Honest, humorous, and reassuring, The Mother's Guide to Sex delivers comprehensive information about sex and parenting, including recommendations from medical experts, sex experts, and the best experts of all -- hundreds of other mothers, whose candid anecdotes and suggestions will support, encourage, and inspire you to explore your maternal sexuality. As they sound off about the ebb and flow of desire, conflicting feelings about how their bodies have changed, the challenges they face in renegotiating their relationship with their sexuality, and more, you'll realize that you're not alone in your yearning to combine motherhood and a good sex life. You'll
* how motherhood makes you a better lover
* how to enjoy healthy, safe sex during pregnancy and the postpartum period
* what factors affect your sex drive, why so many mothers lose desire, and ways to reclaim it
* how your sex life can survive despite limited time, energy, and privacy
* why single moms are entitled to great sex, and how to get it
* ten good reasons to talk to your kids about sex, and what to say
* how to model positive sexual behavior for your kids
* where to find the best resources on sex and parenting
Just because you're a mother, or about to become one, doesn't mean you have to kiss your sex life good-bye. Finally, here's a unique guidebook that offers practical advice on honoring your sexuality throughout every stage of motherhood. Honest, humorous, and reassuring, The Mother's Guide to Sex delivers comprehensive information about sex and parenting, including recommendations from medical experts, sex experts, and the best experts of all -- hundreds of other mothers, whose candid anecdotes and suggestions will support, encourage, and inspire you to explore your maternal sexuality. As they sound off about the ebb and flow of desire, conflicting feelings about how their bodies have changed, the challenges they face in renegotiating their relationship with their sexuality, and more, you'll realize that you're not alone in your yearning to combine motherhood and a good sex life. You'll
* how motherhood makes you a better lover
* how to enjoy healthy, safe sex during pregnancy and the postpartum period
* what factors affect your sex drive, why so many mothers lose desire, and ways to reclaim it
* how your sex life can survive despite limited time, energy, and privacy
* why single moms are entitled to great sex, and how to get it
* ten good reasons to talk to your kids about sex, and what to say
* how to model positive sexual behavior for your kids
* where to find the best resources on sex and parenting
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2001
1 person is currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 28, 2012
This review appeared in Clamor #17, November/December 2002, page 23.
Mammas have sex! Lots of people don’t want to deal with that fact, but it’s true nonetheless. In The Mother’s Guide to Sex, co-authors Anne Semans and Cathy Winks don’t just write about moms having sex, they encourage it. In 16 chapters and an extensive 21 page list of resources (including books, websites, telephone hotlines, and contact information for a variety of organizations), these San Francisco sex educators present women with tools they’ll need in order to be both loving mothers and sexual beings.
“Part One: Building Blocks of Sexuality” covers sexual self-image and self-esteem, self-love, desire (and the lack of it), and communication. Included in this section are tidbits about sexy mammas of ancient cultures and how the patriarchy did away with them, as well as sidebars featuring thought provoking questions about the reader’s sexual history and lists of “The Many Ways to Masturbate” and “Desire Motivators.” The informative “genital tour” section would be even more helpful with a diagram (which, unfortunately, this book is completely lacking). Finally, the communication chapter gives tips useful to anyone who wants to talk more openly in order to get needs met.
From conception to sex during pregnancy and after childbirth, in “Part Two: The ABCs of Becoming a Mom,” Semans and Winks cover topics on the mind of every mother (and mother-to-be), but rarely mentioned in mainstream pregnancy and birth books. There is information about getting pregnant without even trying and even more about trying without getting pregnant; I wish there had been more discussion of impacts on women’s sexuality caused by abortion and “donating” eggs. The “Sex During Pregnancy” chapter is comprehensive, dealing with physical and mental realities. A sidebar gives fantastic ideas for boosting body image, and there are plenty of details about when to proceed with caution as well as the myths and realities of keeping mom and fetus safe. There are even answers to questions about electric vibrators, S/M play, vaginal fisting, and piercings. In “The Fourth Trimester: Sex and the Postpartum Mom,” the authors explain emotional and physical changes many women experience after childbirth. Topics covered include breast-feeding, depression, partner perceptions, and survivors’ issues. It would have been helpful if somewhere in Part Two there had been more in-depth coverage of episiotomies and how to avoid them, as they tend to be detrimental to a women’s sexuality.
Thankfully, this guide doesn’t stop after the baby’s born, but takes moms through parenthood from infancy on through the teenage years. “Part Three: Reinventing Sex as a Parent” is all about getting it on even with kids in the house. The chapter on “Surviving Scarcity” gives tips on saving money, managing time, and having privacy. My favorite chapter is “The Silver Lining: Expanding Your Definition of Sex.” Points made in this chapter include “sex isn’t the be-all and end-all,” “sex is always changing,” “sex is more than genital contact,” “sex is more than intercourse,” “sex thrives on intimacy,” “sex thrives on independence,” and “sex is worth prioritizing.” Right On! Part Three ends with on entire chapter about “Sex and the Single Mom.”
Women with kids in their lives owe it to themselves and their young ones to read this book and put what they learn into practice. The benefits are sure to be far reaching.
Mammas have sex! Lots of people don’t want to deal with that fact, but it’s true nonetheless. In The Mother’s Guide to Sex, co-authors Anne Semans and Cathy Winks don’t just write about moms having sex, they encourage it. In 16 chapters and an extensive 21 page list of resources (including books, websites, telephone hotlines, and contact information for a variety of organizations), these San Francisco sex educators present women with tools they’ll need in order to be both loving mothers and sexual beings.
“Part One: Building Blocks of Sexuality” covers sexual self-image and self-esteem, self-love, desire (and the lack of it), and communication. Included in this section are tidbits about sexy mammas of ancient cultures and how the patriarchy did away with them, as well as sidebars featuring thought provoking questions about the reader’s sexual history and lists of “The Many Ways to Masturbate” and “Desire Motivators.” The informative “genital tour” section would be even more helpful with a diagram (which, unfortunately, this book is completely lacking). Finally, the communication chapter gives tips useful to anyone who wants to talk more openly in order to get needs met.
From conception to sex during pregnancy and after childbirth, in “Part Two: The ABCs of Becoming a Mom,” Semans and Winks cover topics on the mind of every mother (and mother-to-be), but rarely mentioned in mainstream pregnancy and birth books. There is information about getting pregnant without even trying and even more about trying without getting pregnant; I wish there had been more discussion of impacts on women’s sexuality caused by abortion and “donating” eggs. The “Sex During Pregnancy” chapter is comprehensive, dealing with physical and mental realities. A sidebar gives fantastic ideas for boosting body image, and there are plenty of details about when to proceed with caution as well as the myths and realities of keeping mom and fetus safe. There are even answers to questions about electric vibrators, S/M play, vaginal fisting, and piercings. In “The Fourth Trimester: Sex and the Postpartum Mom,” the authors explain emotional and physical changes many women experience after childbirth. Topics covered include breast-feeding, depression, partner perceptions, and survivors’ issues. It would have been helpful if somewhere in Part Two there had been more in-depth coverage of episiotomies and how to avoid them, as they tend to be detrimental to a women’s sexuality.
Thankfully, this guide doesn’t stop after the baby’s born, but takes moms through parenthood from infancy on through the teenage years. “Part Three: Reinventing Sex as a Parent” is all about getting it on even with kids in the house. The chapter on “Surviving Scarcity” gives tips on saving money, managing time, and having privacy. My favorite chapter is “The Silver Lining: Expanding Your Definition of Sex.” Points made in this chapter include “sex isn’t the be-all and end-all,” “sex is always changing,” “sex is more than genital contact,” “sex is more than intercourse,” “sex thrives on intimacy,” “sex thrives on independence,” and “sex is worth prioritizing.” Right On! Part Three ends with on entire chapter about “Sex and the Single Mom.”
Women with kids in their lives owe it to themselves and their young ones to read this book and put what they learn into practice. The benefits are sure to be far reaching.
August 7, 2008
What I particularly liked about this book was the section on raising sex-positive children - and how to communicate attitudes and information about sexuality to even the youngest of children.
November 23, 2008
Laugh if you want. It helps.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews