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A mother is the biological or social Female Parent of a Child or Offspring , while the Male parent is the Father . The Maternal Bond describes the feelings the mother has for her (or another's) child.

In the case of a Mammal such as a Human , the mother Gestates her child (called first an Embryo , then a Fetus ) in the Womb from Conception until the fetus is sufficiently well-developed to be born. The mother then goes into labour and gives Birth . Once the child is born, the mother's Breast s produce Milk to feed the child.

In non-sexual organisms, "mother" can sometimes be used to mean "parent"; in the case of single-celled organisms that reproduce by fission, the mother is a cell that divides to produce "daughters".

Mothers typically have a very important role in raising children, and the title mother can be given to a woman other than a biological parent who fills this role. This is most commonly either an Adoptive parent or a Stepmother (the wife of a child's Father ). The term can also refer to a person with stereotypical traits of a mother.

Mothers are celebrated yearly, on Mother's Day , in many countries around the world. In many branches of Christianity , the Virgin Mary is also celebrated as the "Mother of God".

"Mum"/"mummy" (British English), "Mom"/"mommy" (American English), "maman" in French, "mama" and "ma" (from italian Mamma) are some familiar or colloquial words for a mother. In many south Asian cultures, the mother is known as "Amma" or "Oma" or "Ammi" (with variations of "Ammi-ji" or "Ammi-jan"). Many times these terms denote affection or a maternal role in a child's life.
In some societies, Single Mother hood, the state of an unmarried mother, has been treated as a serious social issue.

In Romania, mothers are placed below children in the average domestic social heirarchy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • Mary Jacobus , ''First things : the maternal imaginary in literature, art, and psychoanalysis'', New York {Link without Title} : Routlege, 1995

  • Adrienne Rich , ''Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution'', Virago Press 1995




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