When does a female become a mother? At the time of her baby's birth, or at the time of conception?

At tne birth of her child; until then she is a pregnant woman.

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At birth. They even have a separate category of Mother’s Day cards for women who are expecting, pregnancy is different.

At the moment they realize the little bundle will depend on them for every little thing right up to the moment they scream, “Gawd, you never let me make my own decisions, and you always tell me what to do! I HATE YOU!”, and still want to have it and love it forever anyway.

Women who suffer late term miscarriages very much see themselves as the deceased infant’s mother, helps with the grieving process.
So it appears to be somewhat of a grey area, ultimately down to individual viewpoints I guess.

Only once the bible considers the spawn a person.
That means, one month after birth.

Sometimes they never do.

Breeding /= parenting.

Wow really great answers everyone. I had no idea there were such a diversity of perspectives to consider.

Thank you all.

I would disagree.
When the woman begins taking care of herself, and the baby she is carrying, she has become a mother.
I have a niece who used drugs and drank all through her pregnancy, and basically abandoned the baby after giving birth. I would not consider her a mother.

I’ll just leave it up to the woman. I’ve had 5 unsuccessful pregnancies, I don’t feel like I was ever a mother, but the pregnancies ended very early. I would imagine even during pregnancy many women begin to feel like a mother. They often watch what they eat, take vitamins, set up the baby room, imagine the future with that baby, etc.

I guess it depends if we are talking about technically a mother or from a more emotional viewpoint. Technically she becomes a mother when the baby is born in my opinion, but I don’t feel there is any need to be technical.

I think she starts becoming a mother when she decides she wants to be a mother.

A pregnant woman is a mother. If not, then why does the woman and others say she is carrying a baby? I have never head anyone say, “Oh Jane congratulations on carrying a fetus”.

She might be a good mother or a bad mother but she is still a mother.

@JLeslie ”...I don’t feel there is any need to be technical.”

Perhaps the best advice I’ve received all year.

@BeenThereSaidThat I don’t think I have ever heard someone say, “congratulations on becoming a mother” when the woman is just pregnant. Sounds like bad wishes if you are superstitious. Kenahora. When someone announces they are pregnant people might say “congratulations” but it is congrats for the pregnancy, and the prospect of becoming a mother. Isn’t it?

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies I’m glad I could help. I’m curious as to what prompted the question?

@JLeslie “I’m curious as to what prompted the question?”

Silly. I bought a car, and whilst programming the AM band on the radio, I came across that old religious show. I think it was Unshackled, which has been on the air since 1950. I don’t know because I only listened to a minute of it. But I’m a distant fan of the show and appreciate what they do with it. Well, the shows stand out because of the old style, unchanged since the beginning. The stories are about how sinners can find new life in Jesus Christ. Supposedly all the stories are true, sent in by the listeners. They don’t pull any punches with subject matter, dealing with rape and killing all sorts of violence. As radio shows go, it’s a pretty good show.

Anyway, I bleeped in to a second of this show, and the man was telling the woman that motherhood began at the time of conception. She was a mother right now. And that seemed to have an affect upon her decision to have an abortion.

I don’t know how it turned out. The next station was playing Stairway to Heaven.

What? A Christian man guilt-tripping a women he doesn’t even know into not having an abortion, as though the decision somehow impacted his life?

I’m thoroughly shocked. Stunned, even. Utterly gobsmacked.

@Seek That’s the difference between Patriarchy and Matriarchy.

From the beginning I figured it was a Christian inspired question, but I didn’t want to assume. It sounded vaguely similar to when does life begin.

Is there a way to ask this question without it seeming Christian inspired, or extrapolating it into a pro life vs pro choice subject?

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies I think you worded it well. The answers here did not start a debate about when life begins. You seemed to get some good thought out answers, and they were fairly varied.