Lesbian couples who choose motherhood: A qualitative study

Twenty lesbian mothers who had planned their families with their partner were interviewed in this qualitative study. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a one hour interview. Data were analyzed by identifying domains, core ideas, and categories. Results indicated that: most participants\u27 cited personal desire as their motivation for becoming parents; the participants\u27 families of origin tended to have a positive reaction to their becoming parents; male role models were involved in the children\u27s lives; the parenting roles tended to be nurturer vs. disciplinarian, and most participants did not perceive a conflict between their lesbian identity and motherhood. Overall, participants reported being satisfied with their new families and would recommend parenting to other lesbian couples. Previous research has not specifically studied the intact lesbian family