The Baby Trap

by Ellen Peck

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870350005
• ISBN13: 9780870350009
• Release Date: April 1971
• Publisher: David McKay Co
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

This Book Changed My Life

I found this book 36 years ago at the age of 22. It was revolutionary and singular and remains to this day the most important book I've ever read. The idea that motherhood was not compulsory for a young woman of my generation had never occurred to me. After several years of careful soul-searching I had my tubes tied, and I've never looked back. For years folks told me I'd be sorry some day. Never happened -- in fact my confidence in that brave decision has grown over the years. Parenting is a very tough job that I hold in such high esteem I didn't feel up to it myself; not everyone is cut out for it. We don't expect everyone to be surgeons or piano virtuosos or Olympians; it hardly makes sense that everyone possesses the complex skill set to nurture children to healthy adulthood. (Look around you; the evidence for that is everywhere!) My decision was a very personal one -- I intuited that, for many reasons beyond my control, I would be a horrid mother -- and I don't advocate it for anyone without a great deal of careful thought. But I advocate equally careful thought for those contemplating parenthood. Before I learned not to tell people I'd had myself voluntarily sterilized, I shared that fact with a very pregnant acquaintance. She was aghast and sputtered, "But-but -- what if you change your mind? That's so permanent!" I couldn't help myself. Call me a bad person, but I gestured toward her belly and asked, "What do you call THAT?" Peck's book fell into my hands at a critical time and shaped my life in ways I couldn't even anticipate. I sincerely believe the world would be a better place if EVERY young person read this book before becoming sexually active.

baby, baby, oh baby

Well, folks, it's been 36 years since the release of this book into print, seems that either no one read it, or no one got the message. Every day humanity marches on wrapped up so tightly in their judeo-christian fairytales or becoming cogs in the international, planet-wide mass marketing machinery. In, either case, procreation hasn't slowed down one discernable iota. It seems that it is primarily women writing review about this book. Not here. This was given to me by my mom whilst still a young man was I. It changed my lack of thought about parenthood in the nature of life, from a matter of fact, to a choice. I have exponded the principles of this book to everyone I meet, to think and consider the consequences. Though it seldom goes far, due to media and peer pressure, and misinformation, and fear of a lonely old age. Seldom do people ever, if ever; consider the consequences of rearing offspring. Time, cost, planet/environmental concerns, and piece of mind. Childbearing is not a fact of life, but a matter of choice poorly exhibited. It's a bit dated, but the matters at hand haven't changed, it should be re-printed and made madatory reading in schools, an extremely valuable book sorely missing from our shelves, Viva Planned Parenthood. Just received the book and re-read after all of these years, I wish I had had hundreds of copies to disseminate through al of those years. Perhaps we could have saved a few lives.

Long time review..

I read this book when it first came out almost 30 years ago. It was revolutionary then, and I think it still is because sadly women (and men) still do not consider the impact of children. (The children also end up paying the price for inconsiderate parents.) The overall message I got from the book was T H I N K before you reproduce. I have observed what society, media, everyone says about having kiddies and then observed the reality and they DO NOT square in the slightest. Also (to me) the underlying unwritten advice is: if you are going to have children, BE SMART. Date a man (or woman) for well over a year. ASK QUESTIONS! DO NOT think you are going to change a person after you have married and DEFINATELY after you have had a child. Children DO NOT save marriages, they provide more of the original tension that produced the early marital problems. You marry a party animal? don't think they will settle down once the calf is dropped. I HAVE OBSERVED too many women who only complain AFTER they have repro'ed. Then they start whining about problems that were as plain as a wart on the nose. This book is full of these observations, full of the hypocritical examples from ads in the media, film, etc. Again the main message is THINK BEFORE YOU REPRODUCE... two cents ¢¢

The Baby Trap

The best book for the childfree woman. A must read for all. It should be a requirement for all teenage girls. Rather than lots of statistics from poorly funded studies, this is a true life example and entertaining look at the reproductive choice.

Straight talk about choosing childlessness

I read this book about 25 years ago and was profoundly influenced. I was in my 20's when the book came out, a time of great personal change for all of us as we enter adulthood. In addition, it was a time of massive social change, particularly for women. Ms. Peck's book put into words much of what I was feeling at the time. I don't think I was unique. Having children was still viewed then as a given, in spite of the fact that advances in birth control gave us greater choice in the matter and abortion had just become legal. I was raised female during the 50's and 60's, so naturally I thought I liked children. Then, my personal experiences called these assumptions into question. I was suddenly thrown into a quandary and forced to reconsider the precepts of childhood training and socialization.Ms. Peck's clear, well-written book gave my questions a voice. I did choose, at that time, to be childless. Now, at age 50, I am still childless and happy with that decision. The most profound freedom afforded me by feminism is the freedom to make that choice!Now, in a new century, I think it appropriate to re-examine what Ms. Peck said so well for us in the 70's. There is backlash now and much agonizing over the growing childlessness of today's professional women. There is hand-wringing over middle-aged career women "yearning" for children. I think women need to think through their decision whether to have children or not and re-examine their motivations. If their desire is real, and based on a full understanding of the demands of having and raising children, as well as a realistic assessment of the sacrifices required, more power to them. However, too many of us cling to our socialization and decide to have kids based on some romantic notion of motherhood and feminine fulfillment. I am here to tell you that children are not necessary to a full, good life and fulfillment as a woman! After more than 25 years, I can still say bravo to Ellen Peck, and thank you.