MOM GENES

A science journalist navigates the murky waters of maternal instinct.

“My hope is not to momsplain, but for you and I to discover together what divides moms and what unites us,” writes Smithsonian correspondent Tucker. “I want to witness—under a microscope, or inside a monkey corral—the forces that move us all. I want to know what rocks the hand that rocks the cradle.” There are many elements involved in maternal instinct—“a spontaneously arising set of emotions and actions pertaining to the perception and care of babies”—including genetics, hormones, brain chemistry, fear and uncertainty, and external influences from friends and family. Though the author touches on each of these factors, she is often stymied. “We don’t truly know” how the maternal brain shape-shifts; the “findings are mixed and inevitably controversial” when it comes to maternal memory lapses; “maybe a few key genes could sway the quality of maternal behavior.” According to one researcher in the field of maternal genetics, “we are at the base of this humungous mountain. We are not sure how to climb it. Everybody is just picking at it in various ways.” Consequently, it’s clear that we are in the nascent stages of such research. Despite some opacity based on learned guesswork, Tucker is a consistently energetic guide, and she doesn’t shy away from discussing “the dangerous and opaque mental problems that hound moms.” In a particularly vibrant chapter, the author explores the countless deleterious effects of poverty and how American society continually fails to provide the support that mothers deserve. Filling in the gaps and moving the story forward are Tucker’s personal observations—she is the mother of four—and the ups and downs of her experiences, many of which will be familiar to mothers of all backgrounds.

Stimulating preliminary notes toward a deeper understanding of an area of science that shows promise.