This article explores the interplay of one woman's decision not to have children with the development of her successful creative career. In her story, we hear how a desire for children may both inspire and impede creative accomplishment. Though creative work may serve, in part, to express procreative wishes, the products of that work are not mere substitutes for babies. Creativity in other domains offers gratifications distinct from—and not lesser than—the pleasures of motherhood. As analysts, we would do well to remember that for many women, adult development can proceed satisfactorily along pathways that do not include motherhood.