What do you wish you had known before you had a baby? What would you have done differently? We asked mothers to share the unspoken truths of life after childbirth.

“I wish someone had warned me about the baby blues. Not postpartum depression, but baby blues. Day three after my daughter was born, I cried at everything. I spilled a bottle of water and I cried. When I spoke to my friends about it they were all like, ‘Oh yeah, day three…” —Vicky

“In those first few weeks, sometimes older women, on the street, in the park, at the grocery store will see you with your newborn and say, ‘Cherish this precious time, it goes fast’ and you’ll want to punch them hard in the face. But years later you’re like, ‘Shit, they were right!’ It did go fast—though every day was loooong. I wish I could go back to that sweet newborn head smell and those snuggles and that neediness for a few hours.” —Jenny

“The mother I imagined I would be and the mother I am have never met—and have no plans to.” —Rory

“I remember in between pushes, looking at my husband and saw him yawning—yawning! He said, ‘I don’t have the adrenaline you do,’ and that was the start of the unfairness that would take months to come to terms with.”—Heather

“Cankles. And I looked pregnant for months.” —Claudia

“I remember feeling so upset when I saw a dark brown line shoot down my belly and wondered if it’d ever go away. Of course, a few months after giving birth, it did—and I immediately missed it.” —Heather

“I would never sleep again and that even when I do sleep, it’s not that deep carefree faceplant sleep—it’s annoying one-ear listening type of sleep. —Catherine

“Two things come to mind if I’m being honest: hemorrhoids and the worst constipation after my C-section. My first BM at home was worse than childbirth. Just saying.”  —Stephanie 

“For three weeks after giving birth you will have a seventh graders period—it will surprise you with its volume, you’ll have no idea how to handle it, you’ll stain everything, including sofas, and guess what? Tampons aren’t for you right now so it’s straight up mouse mattress maxi pads that you’ll still bleed through.”—Rory

“When you start breastfeeding, your porn star boob is bigger than the baby’s head.” —Danielle

“You will want to murder your husband every time he says, ‘I’m so tired.’ —Catherine

“Everyone talks about hair falling out but my gingivitis was out of control after the baby was born...thanks hormones!” —Elena

“Your body has nine months to prepare for a baby and a few hours to prepare for postpartum. And after you give birth, your abdomen will look like one giant, saggy boob.” —Danielle 

“I had a C-section and nobody told me the glue from the bandages would be stuck to my skin for weeks like a kid’s sloppy craft project.” —Elena

“Screw everyone who told me I’d lose all the weight while breastfeeding—I GAINED weight breast feeding because I was so damn hungry all the time.” —Clara

“There were not enough honest conversations about how hard this would be. I loved bonding with the baby and taking care of him, but also felt resentful of my husband's freedom and how little this massive change affected his day-to-day life. I was really taken aback that he went right back to work and sleeping and normal life with very few adjustments.” —Claudia

“Within 48 hours, I went from ‘I’ll never let my husband see me pump’ to walking through the house in a pumping bra.” — Catherine

“That I will never sneeze, laugh, jump rope, run for more than two miles again without peeing my pants a little. Or a lot.” —Sophia

“I would gain the new mom 20 that never really went away.” —Catherine

“Breastfeeding or pumping every two to three hours is next level exhaustion. It’s like the worst jetlag you’ve ever had in that first month.” —Danielle

“I found labor exhilarating and relatively easy—thank you, epidural! Postpartum, on the other hand, was a scary and frightening time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”—Maria