The complex and contradictory emotional paths to parenthood

Human reproduction is a biosocial experience. The path to parenthood cannot be traversed independent of the social, cultural, economic, and legal contexts in which it takes places. Those structures condition gender roles that find expression in courtship, marriage, family life, and work. The last century has witnessed imbricated social and technological changes that have given rise to unprecedented possibilities and unforeseen tensions. This chapter sets the stage for Path to Parenthood’s exploration of the complex and contradictory emotions that women and men weather on the journey through pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenthood. The chapter explains the narrative study that forms the foundation of each chapter’s analysis, the scholarly literature within which they sit, how they are organised, and what this book’s unique contributions are.