Every working mother's path is unique and should be celebrated, not lamented. Yet all too frequently, working mothers are presented with advice, rules to follow or guidelines as if all women's experiences are the same and a one-size-fits-all solution is appropriate. Maternal Optimism: Forging Positive Paths through Work and Motherhood aims to provide readers with stories and research that support the notion of women owning and feeling confident in the choices they make, as they navigate a complex series of work and family transitions. This book challenges the impulse to reduce work/life challenges to a single point in time, such as the decision to return to work after the birth of a child; instead, it recognizes that work and family decisions are anything but stagnant. They shift as life and career shift and are often filled with unpredictable events.By understanding and anticipating these shifts, working mothers can develop the resiliency they need at home and at work. This book is a resource for all professional women as they approach the difficulties and the joys of growing a family and a career.

Preface Defining Maternal OptimismPART 1: THE EXPECTED PATHChapter 1. Envisioning the Future as a Working MotherChapter 2. Nine Months and Counting: Balancing Pregnancyand ProfessionalismChapter 3. Becoming a Working Mother: Maternity Leaveand Returning to WorkChapter 4. The Evolution of Work and Family, Growing aFamily and a CareerChapter 5. Older, Wiser, but Still a Working MotherPART 2: THE UNEXPECTED PATHChapter 6. Flexible Work, A Benefit but Not a PanaceaChapter 7. Creating a Non-Linear Career StoryChapter 8. What to Expect from the Unexpected inWork and FamilyChapter 9. Allies Not Enemies: Garnering Support from theMen in Our LivesEpilogue. Where Do We Go from Here: Moving Beyond Maternal Optimism