Book Promotion: “100 Faces of Motherhood”

100 Faces of Motherhood is an honest book about everything I did not expect when I became a mother.

Anger. Despair. Worry. Sadness. These are not emotions we usually associate with motherhood, are they?

We are constantly told that motherhood is the most beautiful thing in the world—the feeling of true love, fulfillment, and life’s ultimate purpose. And indeed, there is so much love, beauty, and joy in it.

Yet the idealized image of the blissful, always-smiling mother has its darker side, especially during the first months of caring for a baby. Exhaustion, insecurity, loss of identity, overwhelm, guilt, loneliness… Many mothers experience these feelings in silence, afraid they will be labeled bad mothers or ungrateful if they speak openly about their struggles. But—they are not alone.

In 100 Faces of Motherhood, Ivana Štulić offers help, support, and comfort to anyone who has ever felt inadequate in the role of a parent or wondered whether something was wrong with them. Drawing both on her professional expertise as a Master of Applied Positive Psychology and on her personal experience as a mother, she speaks openly about the realities of early motherhood. The book also addresses the topic of childhood illness—a profound challenge that, unfortunately, does not spare all parents.

Through her own unembellished story and numerous testimonies from other mothers, the author shows that alongside love and beauty, motherhood can be deeply demanding. And she sends a powerful message to all mothers: you are not alone, there is hope that things will become easier, and there is a path through (early) motherhood that includes personal growth and healing.