Motherhood Reimagined - by Sarah Kowalski (Paperback)

About the Book

Confronted by her approaching fortieth birthday with no prospective partner in sight, Sarah Kowalski decides to have a baby alone, first hoping she can use donor sperm donation, but eventually coming to terms with the fact that it's too late to use her own eggs. Facing a diagnosis of infertility, she grapples with what it means--emotionally and spiritually--to bring a child into the world via sperm and egg donation--and settles on her profound desire to be pregnant and bring a child into this world, regardless of the baby's genetic origins.

Book Synopsis

Confronted by her approaching fortieth birthday with no prospective partner in sight, Sarah Kowalski decides to have a baby alone, first hoping she can use donor sperm donation, but eventually coming to terms with the fact that it's too late to use her own eggs. Facing a diagnosis of infertility, she grapples with what it means-emotionally and spiritually-to bring a child into the world via sperm and egg donation-and settles on her profound desire to be pregnant and bring a child into this world, regardless of the baby's genetic origins.

Review Quotes

"A debut memoir traces one woman's pregnancy quest.....An insightful read for single-by-choice mothers interested in alternative therapies." -Kirkus Reviews
"Sarah has provided a gift to all women considering becoming a single mother with a beautifully written book that is both achingly painful and humorously honest. In her description of all that she had to go through to ultimately achieve her dream of having a child, her book reads like a novel that you can't put down. In the end, you realize that the peaks and valleys that she went through were in many ways a metaphor for life, one that she had no idea at the time would prepare her for her new role as a loving and patient mother." -Toni Weschler, MPH, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility
"In Motherhood Reimagined, Sarah Kowalski speaks to a generation of women who were told that they could have it all-only to discover that career success often comes at an emotional and physical cost. This honest, often heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting memoir chronicles Kowalski's race against the ticking clock of infertility. The discoveries she makes about her body and mind translate into a compelling and poignant read . . . This book is a must-read for any women who hears the ticking of her biological clock." -Marika Lindholm, CEO and founder of ESME.com (Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere)
"'In the end, life dashed every expectation I had about how I would become a mother.' And yet, Sarah Kowalski did become a mother-just not in the way she had imagined. In this powerful, timely, and important memoir, Kowalski reveals how difficult it is to become a mother in your forties, and yet also how the journey has served as a beautiful and transformational process for her. Best of all, she helps anyone interested in becoming a parent who might be struggling with infertility, confused about reproductive options and technology, psychologically and emotionally distressed, and/or lost in the vast jungle of online information about IVF, adoption, sperm/ egg donation, and so on to navigate their way to motherhood. This book fills a gap in the literature on modern parenthood by offering wisdom, insight, and practical advice that will help you realize your dreams-one way or another." -Mei Mei Fox, New York Times best-selling author and contributor at Forbes
"Motherhood Reimagined is a courageous journey through familiar life lessons. Using her embodied spiritual practice, author Sarah Kowalski faces her demons with vulnerability, humility, humor and insight." -Elena Brower, author of Art of Attention and Practice You
"This very readable story of the author's journey to single motherhood by choice is a must-read for anyone contemplating becoming an SMC. It feels like a good friend is letting you join her on the trip as she shares her ups and downs, disappointments and celebrations. Informative, emotionally moving, and hard to put down." -Jane Mattes, psychotherapist and Founder Single Mothers by Choice (SMC), author of Single Mothers by Choice
"Brave pioneers come in all sizes, shapes, ages and genders. Make no mistake, Sarah Kowalski is one of them. In her courageous memoir she opens up new territory, illuminating fresh possibilities for what it is to be an authentic dignified human being in the midst of probably the most profound life-changing event, becoming a mother, (in her case while being a single woman). She warmly, confidently and firmly draws the reader into the felt experience of all she faced, physically relationally, psychologically, financially and so on. Funny, inspiring, thought-provoking all at once. Sarah holds nothing back and opens up the chance for us to do the same in whatever we are facing in our own lives. A book for anyone living in our time and place." -James Flaherty, author of Coaching, Evoking Excellence in Others and Founder of New Venture