The U.S. has experienced a dramatic increase in births to unmarried women in recent decades—from 4% of births in 1950, with most of the babies then adopted, to more than 30% today. Melissa Ludtke's book is the only in-depth analysis of this radical change in family formation to compare and contrast the lives of these mothers of varying ages and economic circumstances.
On Our Own Unmarried Motherhood in America
About the Book
Reviews
"Ludtke brings the voices of women having children on their own into a public debate from which these voices have been conspicuously absent. Interweaving their voices with her own savvy and intuitive commentary, she has written a vitally important book."—Carol Gilligan, author of In a Different VoiceTable of Contents
Prologue
1. My Story: Decision-making About Unmarried Motherhood
2. Unmarried Motherhood: A Half-Century of Change
3. Having a Baby: Unmarried Adolescent Mothers
4. Having a Baby: Unmarried Older Mothers
5. Raising Children: Unmarried Adolescent Mothers
6. Raising Children: Unmarried Older Mothers
7. Where's Daddy? Unmarried Adolescent Mothers
8. Where's Daddy? Unmarried Okler Mothers
9. Unmarried Mothers: Who We Are and Where We're Headed
Afterword
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index