DREAMING FOR TWO: The Hidden Emotional Life of Expectant Mothers

Authors Greenberg, Kroll and Grill (a journalist, editor and psychotherapist, respectively) have combined efforts to explore a fertile topic—the unconscious dreams of pregnant women. While books abound on the subject of physical changes experienced during pregnancy, the literature on the emotional aspects is scanty, and this book adds to a growing awareness that becoming a mother is an emotional evolution for each and every woman. The authors maintain that while dreams are personal and unique, during pregnancy dreams may be characterized by common themes, which allow the pregnant woman to confront her deepest feelings and fears. The authors present a number of dreams garnered from mothers-to-be, along with their interpretations. They divide chapters into issues that frequently haunt the dreams of pregnant women, including identity crisis, ambivalence, career concerns, dependency issues and relationships. While many of the dreams included here are compelling (and some are vastly amusing) readers may crave more specific guidance on how to interpret their own dreams. Others, however, may be able to identify with the themes the authors explore and develop their own ways to unravel the messages found in their nocturnal reveries. This is a unique book that confronts emotional issues so often overshadowed by the physical aspects of pregnancy and probes the ambivalence and fear that invariably accompanies the joy and pleasure of motherhood. (May)