Rewriting the Mother Code: Ruthie Ackerman on Her Journey from Childfree to Choosing Motherhood with Help from a Donor Egg

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For the 231st episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes author Ruthie Ackerman, whose new book The Mother Code traces her journey from proudly child-free to embracing motherhood later in life.

In this interview, Ackerman opens up about questioning whether to have a baby, unpacking the generational and societal narratives that shaped her resistance to motherhood, and how she ultimately rewrote her story. We also dig into the cultural myths that make motherhood look unappealing, the marvel of science and genetics, Ruthie's fertility journey that culminated in the decision to use a donor egg, her fears about the situations that turned out not to come true, and the benefits of being an older mom. This conversation is a powerful reminder that there’s no single “mother code”—each of us should write our own.

For more from today's guest, Ruthie Ackerman:

• Order The Mother Code on Amazon or Bookshop.org
• Follow Ruthie on Instagram @ruackerman
• Check out Ruthie's website at ruthieackerman.com

Get your copy of Girl Gone Wild from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Psst, Courtney has an 0nIyFan$, which is a horny way to support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/cocopeepshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsunknown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with host Courtney Kocak ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@courtneykocak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram and Twitter.

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