From Anti-Breeder to Motherhood at Age 44 | Lucy Smith

From Anti-Breeder to Motherhood at Age 44 | Lucy Smith

From Whose Body Is It by Isabella Malbin

May 14, 2026 · 48 min

About this episode

Lucy Smith shares her journey from rejecting motherhood to embracing it at age 44, reflecting on societal narratives and personal transformation.

Unlock exclusive content and support the Whose Body Is It Podcast 1:1 Guidance with Isabella Malbin Growing up in England immersed in second-wave feminism, and later climate crisis narratives, overpopulation fears, and media portrayals of birth as traumatic and dangerous, Lucy absorbed the idea that motherhood was a low-status path — something she would never want for herself. Underneath those stories was something even deeper: a dislike of herself, compounded by years on hormonal birth control and cultural messaging framing female reproduction as punishment rather than power. Lucy reflects on never holding a baby until she was 24, living for decades disconnected from her body, and how stories about motherhood shaped her identity long before she ever questioned them. I share why, despite growing up in a similar cultural soup in New York City I always knew I wanted to be a mother. Lucy also opens up about the unexpected transformation that happened in her 40s after two decades on hormonal birth control. Through our coaching work together, we discovered that Lucy subconsciously feared that wanting even more happiness through motherhood might somehow threaten the incredible…

People in this episode

Host: Isabella Malbin

Guest: Lucy Smith

Topics covered

  • motherhood
  • feminism
  • personal transformation
  • reproductive health
  • identity
  • hormonal birth control

Keywords

  • motherhood
  • feminism
  • hormonal birth control
  • identity
  • personal growth
  • reproductive health
  • overpopulation
  • fertility
  • self-discovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Whose Body Is It Podcast

Places: England, New York City

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