"But I am a good mom" - The social construction of motherhood through health-care conversations

Examining the impact of health information seeking among informal, interper sonal networks, this article focuses specifically on the extent to which th ese conversations serve to identify role boundaries, specifically that of m otherhood. Drawing on Goffman's work on region and regional behaviors, this ethnographic analysis of women in a moms and tots play group reveals bound aries between the public and private presentation of self: The regions of f ront stage, backstage, and "back"-backstage are used here to discuss how ta lk regarding health issues, and particularly inappropriate or taboo talk de fines and exemplifies the role of the "good" mother The implications for th e accessibility of information are discussed in light of the cultural contr adictions women face in fulfilling this role.