Hi, I’m Stephanie. Welcome to the Motherhood Cafe. I created this website as a place for new and expecting mothers to go to get good information — and perspective — about motherhood and parenting. I have a PhD in Sociology, specializing in parenting culture. I’m widely published, have appeared on TV, and have spoken on national and international platforms as an expert on postpartum adjustment, postpartum depression, infant feeding, and parenting culture.
I set up the Motherhood Cafe to share my research and knowledge about parenting and motherhood, especially the stages and phases of adjusting to motherhood — the identity change, the emotions and experiences of new motherhood, issues related to feeding, etc.
Because my other area of expertise is parenting culture — the social and cultural environment within which modern day parenting takes place, the Motherhood Cafe is also a place to discuss and critique modern parenthood and parenting culture.
The purpose of the Motherhood Cafe is to create a trusted community where women can get good perspective, as well as helpful knowledge and information about their parenting experiences and concerns. My interest is to encourage and support mothers’ (and families’) self-empowerment, growth, and moral parenting autonomy.
You can view my featured research publications and presentations here.
I continue to be actively involved in research on motherhood and parenting culture. I am a member, for example, of the Motherhood Institute for Research and Community Involvement as well as the Parenting Culture Studies group of researchers.
Lastly, I am also a mother myself. I have two children, a girl born in 2000 and a boy born in 2001. They, along with my husband, are what motivated me to do my PhD in the first place. They are also the the inspiration and support behind my work on this motherhood website.
I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me.
