Beautiful Chaos: On Motherhood, Finding Yourself and Overwhelming Love

by Jessica Urlichs

* Instant Sunday Times Bestseller*

Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood – capturing everything from pregnancy to school age.

Upon becoming a mother, Jessica Urlichs was reminded that the everyday ordinary is extraordinary. As sacred and tender as early motherhood is, it also comes with its struggles. Beautiful Chaos is a collection that chronicles it all – the highs, the lows, the confusion, the loss of identity, the becoming, and the brutal but beautiful ways our children hold mirrors up to us. This collection inspires vulnerability and will be a cathartic, healing read for anyone who needs it.

These poems will remind you of a time gone by or ground you in the current moment. Either way, they will make you feel seen and comforted amidst the beautiful chaos that is motherhood.

Genres: Poetry, Parenting, Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help, Audiobook

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

Jessica is an author and poet who lives in New, Zealand with her husband and three young children.

Jessica Urlichs started her journey on Instagram (@jessurlichs) before becoming a published author.
Jessica has written three poetry books on early motherhood in her collection, and now a Sunday Times Bestseller 'Beautiful Chaos' an anthology with Penguin Books, plus International no #1 bestseller 'You Hung The Moon' with Hachette NZ.
Jessica has also written a variety of children's books to help our young ones navigate their emotions and realise their superpowers.

Her books continue to grace the homes of thousands around the world and have proven to make a very popular gift for mothers at all stages of their journey, resonating mostly on early motherhood, with her most popular poem of all time, 'All I See Is You'.

Jessica's books have sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.

Find more from Jessica at www.jessicaurlichs.com

Reviews

[Mady S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica manages to capture so many intense and beautiful and confusing feelings of motherhood. It’s everything I’ve felt and thought and I imagine many moms would resonate with her words.

[Lucy Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first review, and only because this book is so incredibly deserving. An absolute masterpiece on motherhood. It sang to my heart.

[Elies Van Noten · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 has been one of the most intense, challenging, and beautiful years of my life.

I am grateful for my healthy daughter who is discovering more and more of the world around her. It is a privilege to witness and be part of this journey.

Also a year in which reading became a challenge, with fatigue and the demands of motherhood often taking center stage. Yet, reading also kept me grounded and connected to myself.

This book, filled with poetry about motherhood, the beautiful and the raw, touched me deeply. It was a book I returned to from time to time, sometimes moving me to tears. Reading this book has inspired me to explore more poetry, a genre that feels relatively unfamiliar for me. Perhaps exploring more poetry will be a reading goal for 2025?

Even more exciting, the most beautiful prospect for 2025 is sharing my love for reading with my daughter and passing it on to her.

Last book of 2024. Looking forward to 2025. Happy New Year, here’s to another year full of good reads!

[Laura Urwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first review I think I've ever written but I couldn't not write it. I generally struggle with poetry but I read this from cover to cover. I cried happy and sad tears simultaneously and loved it.
I suspect I am in the perfect place in my life to read this collection which will probably affect my perception of it- I have a 6 month and a nearly 3 year old. The poems gave me words for some things I couldn't articulate and reminded me to try to live in the moment.
I will now get this as part of new baby presents as a gift for their mum. I've already given away a copy and I only got it 3 days ago! Loved it.

[Marieke Runherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supermooi! Extra mooi in m'n weirde hormonale emotionele en zweverige fase de eerste maanden post partum haha maar daarna nog steeds heel mooi

[Natalie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the book that every single mother needs to read. I want to gift it to everyone I know. Beautifully relatable. I was crying in the first few pages! Devour it all at once or snack on the poetry a little at a time. Loved it!

[Lilac Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cathartic emotional devastation in the best way! I felt very seen by this and as a mum of a toddler and baby reading this freshly post partum was very impactful. I bought several copies and gave it to my friends with young kids and will be go to baby shower gift forever.

Recommend you read with a little baby sleeping in your arms or late at night when youre alone and can just feel all the feelings with nobody to interrupt you.

As a part partum mama with her 2nd baby, I recommend these ones for this special stage of life:
One to two
Dear second child
The first year (again) - from her other collection called They Bloom Because of You

Post partum poems to put things in perspective. You think you haven't dont anything all day but you DID! You are your baby's whole world.
All I see is you
Dear mama
Mother's skin
I love you

Top favorite poems:
I'll come to you when you call
You'll always be my baby
Dear second child
And a little, I let go
Dear husband (the future can wait)

Favorite poems:
All I See is You
Dear Mama
My world
From one mom to a mother
I was told
I love you
Thank you
Just you wait and see
Hand me downs
Blink and you'll miss it
A letter to my first born
One to two
Just to let you know
Never just
I do not know everything
Just a minute
My after all
My resume
The ways I will know you

[Kali Solomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, raw, and honest take on motherhood. This was a rollercoaster of a read for me, in the best way. I laughed at the specific funny challenges of raising children, and cried as the author hit directly on the hard parts for me.

It's impossible to remove my lense of being a mom without my own Mother, and many of the poems felt like a note being passed to me from those I miss most. My two favorite works from this book are towards the end: "If You were a Love Note" and "When I Leave This Place".

[Mallory Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems absolutely wrecked me. They were beautiful and I want them printed around my house.

I love when motherhood can be written about in a way that makes me feel gratitude while also acknowledging the hard that goes with it.

[Marissa Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves infinity stars. As a mother, this broke my heart and mended it all at once.

[Kylie Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried so much.
Also I am eight weeks postpartum.

[Kate Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful 💛💛 a must-have for all new Mums

[Jet Beebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

10000/10. Brought me to tears so many times

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent two hours sobbing through this book. One of these poems came up on Instagram one morning when I was up before the sun with baby and it had me instantly crying; I knew I had to buy the book that same day.

These are such beautiful poems that made me both so happy and so sad for the future, for past me, for current me in the trenches just trying to survive. I never knew motherhood would be like this, and it’s so perfectly reflected in this book. I’ll come back to it again and again.

[Abbie Luck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning, raw and beautiful depiction of motherhood. It's like the author has pulled the words out of my head, the nostalgia out of my heart and the love out of my entire being. I loved every second. I've underlined and annotated the hell out of this book. Referencing each of my son's for different poems that remind me of them. One day I hope they can read my scribbled on copy and feel the love pouring out of the pages.

[Macy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One night, I was rocking my son to sleep and when I felt his head get heavy, I opened Instagram to scroll while I held him in the dark a little longer. The sound was off, but I came across a suggested post and it was Jessica Urlichs reading “I love you, and I miss me” with subtitles. The poem so perfectly captured my feelings that all I could do was cry. I ordered her book the next day and enjoyed reading it all. It’s truly a treasure. I have absolutely loved motherhood and there have been times that were challenging - times when I missed parts of my old self, when I missed the spontaneity that was possible with my partner, and times when I could really just relax without a real care in the world. Jessica captures it all and it was just very validating. I’m leaving a list of my favorites so that when I reread this book, I can look back and see if the same ones still impact me as strongly, or if my favorites will change with the different seasons of motherhood.

- [ ] Dear Mama pg 28
- [ ] That first smile pg 61
- [ ] Thank you pg 68
- [ ] Blink and you’ll miss it pg 99
- [ ] I’m your safe place pg 104
- [ ] The every mum pg 108
- [ ] Some things I know pg 117
- [ ] Dear husband pg 160
- [ ] May he always know pg 187
- [ ] May she always know pg 190
- [ ] I love you, and I miss me pg 207

[Alexandra Whittaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by a good friend after the birth of my 2nd child. HOLY COW reading this postpartum resulted in a LOT of crying. I am not someone who highlights in books, but every time I picked this book up I'd be scrambling to find the highlighter. There are just so many amazing lines within each poem.

This book became almost like a daily devotional I would read a poem or two each morning and I felt like there was always something I could take with me for the day. These poems are so beautiful that I would tear up (okay sometimes I would full on ugly cry) because there is so much truth and wonderful reminders about how to find the beauty in this season of life.

"It wasn't I that made the mother but motherhood that made me"

"she'll look back once the fog has cleared and realize those days were filled with magic"

"she doesn't need to be the perfect mother and the moment she believes there's such a thing is the moment she believes she is failing"

I think this book will forever live on my nightstand ❤️

[Miz · Rating 5 out of 5]

record. read. send it on.

I'm embarrassed to say that this book took me a long time to read. Not because it's long, but because every page caught in my throat. I want to buy it for every baby shower (but it might scare some people!). Being a mum is big, raw, and tender, and we are all doing our very best.

My hope is that this book keeps finding its way into the arms of someone who needs it, right when they need it the most. If that's you, keep it for as long as you need - when you're ready, write a note, and send it on. xx

[Amy Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess finds the words I can’t seem to find. She captures the deepest feelings in your soul and puts it on a page. I cried on a work trip reading this in my hotel room. Motherhood is the most incredible journey and I feel so lucky to be on it. And also to be friends with awesome mommas who I get to experience it with!! (Love you chicas!!)

[Bryleigh Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect summary of how motherhood feels, reading Jess’s words made me feel seen, heard and a lot less alone in the newborn/fourth trimester haze and helped to pull me out of the trenches. This will be my gift to any friends when they get pregnant in the future.

[Elizabeth M · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems beautifully capture motherhood in all its ups and downs, and makes one feel like they’re not alone in their feelings.

“It’s a privilege being someone’s everything, but it’s also incredibly hard.”

“If time were made of colour, you’d be my golden hour.” 💛

[Jessa Vetrano (jess.reads.lit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book of 2026 and what a way to start the year! 🥹 love love love! Poetry isn’t usually my thing but motherhood is a wild ride and these poems seemed to fit in so nicely with that, emotional but absolutely amazing!!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wenn die Tage lang sind und die Nächte noch länger, sind es diese Gedichte die einem das Gefühl geben nicht allein zu sein und verstanden zu werden. Those days are bittersweet ❤️‍🩹
Absolute Empfehlung für alle Mamis❣️

[Nikki Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of the best books on my shelf. I will gift it to every mom I know. This book shattered me in the absolute best way. I have never felt more understood as a mother. I cried a lot reading this. It was therapeutic. It has given me incredible perspective as a newer mother. 100 stars ⭐️

[Julie Hadsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book comforted and validated me so much, especially in the early days of postpartum. I know I will be revisiting it over the years 💛

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps because I was newly postpartum when I read her other books, but they resonated with me and felt like an honest reflection of motherhood. Apart from the odd (mostly prose) piece, this work felt contrived, stereotyped and designed to be the overlay for an Instagram reel.

[Danika LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! Une de mes lectures préférées. Je conseille ces petits poèmes à toutes les mamans qui vivent l'aventure de la maternité. Ce livre est un vrai baume sur le coeur.

[Emma Tamborella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every mom should read this

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never cried so much reading a book!! Amazing work, love every single poems but some resonated more of course depending on the season of motherhood you are in. The last one broke my heart though 💔

[Thuy Anh D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

To find beauty in the chaos and the mundane, an ode to motherhood and finding extraordinary in the ordinary, a beautiful collection of poems, if I could , I would lend this book to all the mothers around me.