LGBT
Parenting

For Lesbian Mothers

 

Conception and Pregnancy Guides » Parenting Guides » Stories and Memoirs » Web Sites

Conception and Pregnancy Guides

A Donor Insemination Guide: Written by and for Lesbian Women  by Mohler, Marie and Lacy Frazer (Binghamton, NY: Alice Street Editions, 2002)
A mix of personal recollection and how-to, exclusively about artificial insemination.
The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians: Tips and Techniques from Conception to Birth: How to Stay Sane and Care for Yourself  by Rachel (San Francisco: Cleis Press, 1999)
This book concentrates more on conception and preparation and less on pregnancy and birth.
The Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth  by Kim Toevs and Stephanie Brill (Los Angeles: Alyson Publications, 2002)
A guide specifically about pregnancy, written by a midwife who specializes in helping gay, bisexual and transgender parents.

Online bookstores

Amazon Bookstore Cooperative (the original Amazon bookstore!)

Boadecia’s Books

Beyond the Closet

Calamus Books

A Different Light

Outlooks Outbooks (Canadian)

Women and Children First

amazon.com

barnesandnoble.com

Parenting Guides

The Lesbian Parenting Book: A Guide to Creating Families and Raising Children  by D. Merilee Clunis and G. Dorsey Green (Seattle: Seal Press, 2003, 2nd ed.)
Written by a pair of physicians, this book covers topics related to every step in the child-raising process, from pre-conception to starting school, for gay women.
For Lesbian Parents: Your Guide for Helping Your Family Grow Up Happy, Healthy, and Proud  by Suzanne M. Johnson and Elizabeth O’Connor (New York: Guilford Press, 2001)
Focused on child-rearing more than pregnancy, this book was written by two psychologists who are also raising children together.
Considering Parenthood: A Handbook for Lesbians  by Cheri Pies (Duluth, Mn.: Spinsters Ink: 1988)
Exercises and discussion about the choices inherent in the decision to become a parent.
It's a Family Affair: The Complete Lesbian Parenting Book  by Lisa Saffron and Helen Sandler (London: Millivres Books, 2001)
A bit of a catchall guide by a UK author, covering artificial insemination, general parenting advice, and interviews with lesbian mothers and their children.

Stories and Memoirs

online bookstores
The Other Mother: A Lesbian's Fight for Her Daughter  by Nancy Abrams (Madison, Wi.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1999)
The story of a non-biological mother's loss of her child to her former partner and the unforgiving legal system.
Buying Dad: One Woman’s Search for the Perfect Sperm Donor  by Harlyn Aizley (Los Angeles: Alyson Publications, 2003)
A funny account by one-half of a lesbian couple trying to choose an ideal anonymous dad.
Serving in Silence  by Margarethe Cammermeyer (New York: Penguin, 1995)
The first-person account of an officer (and mother) who was discharged from the Army after revealing that she was a lesbian. Seyda, Barbara. Women in Love: Portraits of Lesbian Mothers and their Familes. Bulfinch, 1998.
Waiting in the Wings: Portrait of a Queer Motherhood  by Cherrie Moraga (Ann Arbor, Mi.: Firebrand Books, 1997)
The author, a Mexican-American writer/activist, writes about her late pregnancy and her son's premature birth and difficult first years, exploring the effects on her life and her relationship with her lover.
Women in Love: Portraits of Lesbian Mothers and their Familes  by Barbara Seyda (Boston: Bulfinch, 1998)
Stories and large format pictures, in the tradition of the Sisters photography book.

contact the Webmaster

Web Site

Lesbian Mothers Support
This site has extensive links to up-to-date information on a variety of legal, medical and social issues of interest to lesbian mothers.
Updated 7 December 2003