Dear brand new Mama, I want to tell you a few things. I know you're feeling overwhelmed. You had a whole human being come out of your body and it has been a beautiful feeling of falling in love, but it's been a few days or weeks and now you're terrified because you don't know what you're doing, or if you're doing it right. You're always hungry and you're always tired and you're constantly having to put your baby's needs before your own, so you're not getting to take very good care of yourself. Chances are that you don't have a lot of help, but even if you do, nobody really knows how you're feeling and you don't know how to tell them because you think they'll judge you for being weak, or for having a child without knowing how to handle it, or for needing a break. Yeah, I said it. You need a break. Everyone does. I see you, comparing yourself to other women who do it all. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones that work all the way up to their due date, give birth, and go back to work a few weeks later. They pump and breastfeed and still make it to their other kid's soccer games and still throw beautiful BBQ parties in their backyards. I hear you. But please listen to me and understand that everyone has different capacities and different limitations. Your body has been through a lot in the past year. You grew a baby in your womb, nourished it with whatever you consumed, carried that weight for nine months and then went through labor. You spent your nights worrying, wondering about your baby, who he/she will be, what hurdles life will throw at them. You became a mother, and motherhood is hard work. I'm not talking about the physical acts of parenting. I'm talking about the psychological, spiritual and hormonal changes that occur within you that transform you into a mother. We easily ignore these things, but you can't expect to be the same person with the same strengths or weaknesses as you were before you were pregnant or even during your pregnancy as you are now, as a mother. So please, forget comparing yourself with other people - you can't even legitimately compare your present self with your pre-baby self. Mama, take life one day at a time. Know that this week, this month, is also just a phase that will pass as your little person grows and your body heals. Allow yourself to heal, but don't get caught up in the how's and why's of today. You worry about accepting that this is your life now, forever. Yes, yes it is. You have to accept that your life as you knew it is over now. I know people say this in a negative way but it's not a negative thing at all : your life has changed. And you are strong enough to deal with it. It will just take time for you to adjust. And that's normal for everyone. I know it's not easy, but you can either be miserable about it or try to take it in stride. Remember that what feels like forever is really just this one week, this one growth spurt, this one bout of blow-out poopy diapers that your baby will grow out of so fast, you won't be able to remember it two years from now. And you don't want to miss the good parts of it because they're never going to come back. Parenting is a fine balance; holding on to your identity while being a support system for a whole human being by yourself (or with a partner) is not an easy feat. You will find your path as you go along. Believe in you. Nobody just knows how to be a parent one day, Mama. It's unfair for you to expect yourself to be a certain way. Let your body lead you, and let your baby lead you. Take your time. Take deep breaths, and love your baby the best you can. And love yourself the best you can.