by Nancy London, M.S.W.

Book Reviews

"What a wonderful and sorely needed book. I recommend Hot Flashes, Warm Bottles to every woman approaching midlife with young children in tow. A life saver!”

Christiane Northrup, M.D.
author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

"When an author whose work I respect says she has written a new book, I am always eager to read it. Nancy London's newest more than met my expectations. Hot Flashes Warm Bottles is thorough, fun, and useful. Written from the heart of a mother, this book offers superb emotional help and support for the growing throng of first-time moms over forty. Let Nancy London introduce you to the many midlife mothers (and their children) she has listened to. You will will cry and laugh out loud. And you may even find yourself wondering if a late-in-life child may not be in your future too. It is a rare and exquisite work..."

Susun Weed
author of The NEW Menopausal Years

"As a professional coach to many midlife women, I've found Nancy London's book to be an extremely helpful resource. Hot Flashes Warm Bottles is reassuring and enlightening for someone beginning motherhood in her forties. When your body is sandwiched between childbirth and menopause and your life is sandwiched between caring for children and aging parents, a book specifically addressed to the challenges you're facing can provide immeasurable support. "

Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D.
Silver Spring, MD United States

"I am 41, single, and am in the process of adopting my first child. This book gave me insight of what to expect as an older Mom and issues around adopting -- warnings and encouragement. Definitely worth reading."

A reader
Walnut Creek, CA United States

"This timely and much-needed book is extremely well-written, filled with substance, information, humor and heart. The women's stories shared in its pages bring alive, in a very personal way, themes and emotions with which any first-time "older" mom - straight or gay - will be able to identify. These stories, coupled with the suggested exercises at the end of each chapter, are good tools for helping the reader better able to understand, articulate and clarify her own experience and feel connected and less alone. The resource guides at the end are filled with good leads. I like that the book speaks to very real difficulties as well as more obvious joys - especially what happens as hormones begin to diminish as we approach menopause with young children in tow. Even though motherhood is as old as the human species, we don't have older generations of women to turn to for guidance in this department. We are breaking new ground here socially and personally. This book offers words of advice, comfort, laughter, beauty and sisterhood, both for women who are already parenting and for those who are thinking about diving into the experience. I think it also might help the friends and/or male partners of hormone-flagging moms gain some compassionate insight. I am enthusiastically suggesting this book to friends, family and my counseling clients. I am grateful that finally there is such a nurturing, down-to-earth and readable book to recommend."

A reader
Santa Fe, NM United States

"Total comfort for any mother who feels alone - you're not! Hot Flashes Warm Bottles is such a refreshing book. I have struggled to balance work and kids for years, all as the energy of youth falls out from under me. I realize now that I have spent too long feeling isolated and inadequate in my conflict. At last, a book of true stories from other moms who are going through exactly what I experience, all framed in a context that unites and clarifies what I thought I was alone in experiencing. Ms. London has done us all a favor by naming the hardships AND celebrating the rewards of motherhood over forty. I recommend this book to any woman thinking about when to start her family. It's filled with insight, humor and truth. "

California

"If you are the older mother of young children, stop whatever you're doing and order this book right now. Nancy London has given us a true gift. Hot Flashes, Warm Bottles will be a companion on your journey, a comforting reminder that the tension between your own changing needs as mature woman and those of your children is part and parcel of coming to motherhood later in life. With humor, great wisdom, and compassion, Nancy London helps older moms understand their unique challenges, gifts and needs. Hot Flashes, Warm Bottles is full of women's voice--laughing, crying and celebrating older motherhood together. The book is easy to read, good for a few minutes when we've closed ourselves in the bathroom praying for just a little peace. This book is full of great practical suggestions for nurturing ourselves as well as the little people in our lives. I couldn't recommend it more highly."

A reader
Santa Cruz, CA USA

"If you are over forty years old and have a young child, this is the book for you. The women in Nancy London’s support groups describe the joys and dilemmas that occur when these two phases of life coincide, and wisely offer advice about how to express and accept conflicting feelings and make changes in their lives. This book illuminates many ways in which women can care for themselves, one another, and their families and children."

Jane Pincus and Judy Norsigian,
Boston Women’s Health Book Collective,
co-authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century

"Hot Flashes Warm Bottles tackles the complicated and emotional subject of older mothers with a delightful warm-hearted approach. The book shows older mothers that they are not alone, that their ambivalent feelings are normal, and that motherhood at an older age can be both tiresome and invigorating. The book is loaded with examples that will bring a smile to the reader. Advice is provided on dealing with yourself, your child and others in the family who may not understand the emotional and physical changes in an older mother. A nice touch is the "Journey Book" suggestions included at the end of each chapter. These are active steps that the older mother can take to capture and understand their feelings while creating memories for the future. Hot Flashes Warm Bottles is highly recommended for those who have become mothers in their 40's or those who are contemplating older motherhood. "

Dr. Kathleen Kain
Scientist, Educator and (older) mother of 3