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About the Interviews
As of September/October 2003, I have recorded repeated, in-depth interviews of 1-2 hours each to document the monthly progress
of the pregnancies of 14 pregnant women who are or were expecting a first child, and 1 pregnant woman who was expecting a
third child. I also recorded before and after delivery interviews with 1 additional first-time mother. (Prior to the commencement
of this research, I had engaged in preliminary fieldwork in the Ann Arbor and Detroit suburbs for a total of approximately
6 months.)
The process of documenting a womans pregnancy typically started at the beginning of the 2nd trimester between weeks 14
and 22, although in 2 cases, the process began between weeks 6 and 10. I also am recording post-pregnancy interviews with
the women in order to document the stories of their births. Typically, I have recorded interviews during the first 12 weeks
post-partum. To date, I have interviewed 11 women with their partners (all of them male spouses) at least once; 2 women were
interviewed regularly with their partners. The other 2 women are not partnered currently: One lives with and receives assistance
from her own parents because she receives almost no assistance from the childs father (who is her former partner). The other
chose to become pregnant using artificial insemination and raise her child as a single mother. I also have interviewed 2
womens mothers-in-law who planned to be involved actively in the expected childs care.
About Participant-Observation
In addition, I have conducted participant-observation and informal interviews with pregnant women/couples attending 4
different childbirth preparation courses, prenatal yoga and pregnancy massage classes, a hospital-sponsored birth fair, and
other community events and settings, such as shopping at BabiesRUs and small, independent childrens stores and waiting in
line at a local ice cream shop. I also observed at more than 100 appointments with women receiving prenatal care from obstetricians,
certified nurse-midwives, and direct-entry midwives who attend home births, more than 50 ultrasound appointments, and at genetic
counseling sessions at a major university research hospital. I also participated in a training workshop for doulas, or labor
assistants.
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I completed fieldwork for this project in February 2004 - in time for the birth of my first child.
Currently, I am writing my dissertation, which I hope to complete and defend in 2006.
I began ethnographic research for my dissertation in September/October 2002. Tentatively titled, "The Baby in the Body: Pregnancy
Practices as Kin- and Person-Making in the Contemporary United States," my dissertation will examine the relationship between
practices and ideas of biological and social reproduction (i.e., childbearing and child rearing) and metaphors of production
(e.g., workplace values). I followed 15 women/couples through their pregnancies, conducting interviews and observations of
their family and work lives. In addition, I have participated and observed at baby showers, childbirth classes, fetal ultrasound
and genetic counseling appointments, and prenatal care appointments with obstetricians, certified nurse-midwives, and direct-entry
midwives.
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