Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Motherhood is often painted as pure joy, endless patience, and unconditional love.
But what about the moments of frustration? The resentment? The overwhelm? The quiet thought of, “I love my child… but this is really hard.”
In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist Dr. Margo Lowy to talk about maternal ambivalence – the completely normal experience of holding love and difficult emotions at the same time. We unpack the difference between ambivalence and indifference, why so many mothers feel guilt for being human, and how naming these emotions actually strengthens connection rather than weakens it.
If you’ve ever questioned yourself because motherhood didn’t feel magical 100 percent of the time, this conversation will feel like exhaling.
We discuss:
• What maternal ambivalence really means and why it’s misunderstood
• Why loving your child and feeling frustrated can coexist
• The myth of the “perfect, selfless mother”
• How social media fuels unrealistic expectations
• Why naming difficult emotions reduces shame
• The power of community and choosing supportive voices
• How humor and lightness protect us in hard seasons
• Why responding instead of reacting changes everything
• The importance of modeling emotional honesty for our children
To connect with Dr. Margo Lowy follow her on Instagram @drmargolowy, check out all her resources at drmargolowy.com and buy her book: go.shopmy.us/p-65451965 (paid link)
00:00 Why Mothers Have Conflicting Feelings (Intro to Maternal Ambivalence)
02:23 What Is Maternal Ambivalence? Understanding Mixed Emotions in Motherhood
03:32 How Dr. Margo Lowy Began Researching Motherhood’s Hard Truths
06:39 Maternal Ambivalence vs Indifference – A Crucial Parenting Difference
09:33 The Hidden Impact of Suppressing Anger, Guilt, and Frustration as a Mom
11:28 The Myth of the Perfect Mother and Why Mistakes Help You Grow
14:01 The Moment You Realize Your Child Is Their Own Person
17:27 Do Fathers Feel Parental Ambivalence Too?
21:04 Why Parenting Feels Uncertain and Why That’s Normal
23:09 Why Moms Need Support Systems (Not Just Social Media)
26:30 Humor, Flexibility, and Letting Go of Parenting Perfection
30:30 How Self-Compassion Makes You a More Connected Parent
35:39 Trusting Your Parenting Intuition Instead of Outside Pressure
39:33 The “Melting Moments” That Keep Parents Going
43:19 First Step to Handling Maternal Ambivalence: Name the Feeling
46:04 Final Advice for Parents: Compassion, Community, and Real Motherhood
Check out all of the PedsDocTalk Courses for more guidance, tips, and support during parenthood. Visit pedsdoctalk.com/courses
Sign up for the PedsDocTalk newsletter to stay updated on the latest news on all things child health and parenting! Here is the link: pedsdoctalk.com/newsletter
SUBSCRIBE to PedsDocTalkTV to stay up to date! youtube.com/@pedsdoctalk
Listen to The PedsDocTalk Podcast available on all Podcast apps.
Many more resources at pedsdoctalk.com
Shop Dr. Mona's favorite products: shopmy.us/shop/pedsdoctalk?tab=collections (paid link)
FOLLOW ME:
Instagram: instagram.com/pedsdoctalk
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@pedsdoctalk
Facebook: facebook.com/pedsdoctalk
Keywords: doctor, pediatrician, maternal ambivalence, motherhood guilt, normalizing difficult, emotions in motherhood, mom burnout and overwhelm, motherhood mental health, imperfect parenting, mom shame and comparison, emotional honesty in parenting
Motherhood is often painted as pure joy, endless patience, and unconditional love.
But what about the moments of frustration? The resentment? The overwhelm? The quiet thought of, “I love my child… but this is really hard.”
In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist Dr. Margo Lowy to talk about maternal ambivalence – the completely normal experience of holding love and difficult emotions at the same time. We unpack the difference between ambivalence and indifference, why so many mothers feel guilt for being human, and how naming these emotions actually strengthens connection rather than weakens it.
If you’ve ever questioned yourself because motherhood didn’t feel magical 100 percent of the time, this conversation will feel like exhaling.
We discuss:
• What maternal ambivalence really means and why it’s misunderstood
• Why loving your child and feeling frustrated can coexist
• The myth of the “perfect, selfless mother”
• How social media fuels unrealistic expectations
• Why naming difficult emotions reduces shame
• The power of community and choosing supportive voices
• How humor and lightness protect us in hard seasons
• Why responding instead of reacting changes everything
• The importance of modeling emotional honesty for our children
To connect with Dr. Margo Lowy follow her on Instagram @drmargolowy, check out all her resources at drmargolowy.com and buy her book: go.shopmy.us/p-65451965 (paid link)
00:00 Why Mothers Have Conflicting Feelings (Intro to Maternal Ambivalence)
02:23 What Is Maternal Ambivalence? Understanding Mixed Emotions in Motherhood
03:32 How Dr. Margo Lowy Began Researching Motherhood’s Hard Truths
06:39 Maternal Ambivalence vs Indifference – A Crucial Parenting Difference
09:33 The Hidden Impact of Suppressing Anger, Guilt, and Frustration as a Mom
11:28 The Myth of the Perfect Mother and Why Mistakes Help You Grow
14:01 The Moment You Realize Your Child Is Their Own Person
17:27 Do Fathers Feel Parental Ambivalence Too?
21:04 Why Parenting Feels Uncertain and Why That’s Normal
23:09 Why Moms Need Support Systems (Not Just Social Media)
26:30 Humor, Flexibility, and Letting Go of Parenting Perfection
30:30 How Self-Compassion Makes You a More Connected Parent
35:39 Trusting Your Parenting Intuition Instead of Outside Pressure
39:33 The “Melting Moments” That Keep Parents Going
43:19 First Step to Handling Maternal Ambivalence: Name the Feeling
46:04 Final Advice for Parents: Compassion, Community, and Real Motherhood
Check out all of the PedsDocTalk Courses for more guidance, tips, and support during parenthood. Visit pedsdoctalk.com/courses
Sign up for the PedsDocTalk newsletter to stay updated on the latest news on all things child health and parenting! Here is the link: pedsdoctalk.com/newsletter
SUBSCRIBE to PedsDocTalkTV to stay up to date! youtube.com/@pedsdoctalk
Listen to The PedsDocTalk Podcast available on all Podcast apps.
Many more resources at pedsdoctalk.com
Shop Dr. Mona's favorite products: shopmy.us/shop/pedsdoctalk?tab=collections (paid link)
FOLLOW ME:
Instagram: instagram.com/pedsdoctalk
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@pedsdoctalk
Facebook: facebook.com/pedsdoctalk
Keywords: doctor, pediatrician, maternal ambivalence, motherhood guilt, normalizing difficult, emotions in motherhood, mom burnout and overwhelm, motherhood mental health, imperfect parenting, mom shame and comparison, emotional honesty in parenting
