Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood

“The most anticipated parenting (and parenting-adjacent) books of spring 2025.” — The Boston Globe Featured on NPR/KERA, MsMagazine.com, WAMC, AM New York, KevinMD.com, New York Family Magazine, The Good Enough Mother, The Tara Hogan Show, and more. “The most anticipated parenting (and parenting-adjacent) books of spring 2025.” —The Boston Globe Featured on NPR/KERA, MsMagazine.com, WAMC, AM New York, KevinMD.com, New York Family Magazine, The Good Enough Mother, The Tara Hogan Show, and more. Maternal Ambivalence reveals the emotional complexity of motherhood that most women feel—but rarely discuss. With compassion and clarity, Dr. Margo Lowy breaks open the taboo around conflicting maternal emotions and shows how they can actually deepen understanding, connection, and self-acceptance. Drawing from clinical cases, cultural stories, and her own decades of mothering, Dr. Lowy offers a liberating perspective: our “darker” feelings are not a failing—they’re part of what makes love real. Readers Will Learn How To: Normalize complex emotions and let go of guilt Understand ambivalence as healthy and part of real-world mothering Use conflicting feelings to strengthen insight and connection Release unrealistic expectations and embrace authentic parenting Transform self-judgment into self-compassion Wise, honest, and deeply validating, Maternal Ambivalence reshapes how we talk about motherhood—and how mothers see themselves.