There is a complicated relationship between womanhood and motherhood. History is full of women without children—some who chose childless lives, others who wanted children but never had them, and still others who are somewhere in between. Modern women considering how and if children fit into their lives are products of their political, ecological, and cultural moment. But they are not alone.We hear from Peggy O'Donnell Heffington about her book “Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother.”