For the 231st episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes author Ruthie Ackerman, whose new book The Mother Code traces her journey from proudly child-free to embracing motherhood later in life. In this interview, Ackerman opens up about questioning whether to have a baby, unpacking the generational and societal narratives that shaped her resistance to motherhood, and how she ultimately rewrote her story. We also dig into the cultural myths that make motherhood look unappealing, the marvel of science and genetics, Ruthie's fertility journey that culminated in the decision to use a donor egg, her fears about the situations that turned out not to come true, and the benefits of being an older mom. This conversation is a powerful reminder that there’s no single “mother code”—each of us should write our own. For more from today's guest, Ruthie Ackerman: Order The Mother Code on Amazon or Follow Ruthie on Check out Ruthie's website at Get your copy of Girl Gone Wild from ????? or ?????Amazon?????.