Some good and not so good moments with babies.
Embarrassing stains on your T-shirt, sniffing someone's bum to check if they have pooped, the first time having sex post-giving birth — as a new mom, your life turns upside-down.
Illustrator Ingebritt ter Veld and Corinne de Vries, who works for Hippe-Birth Cards, a webshop for birth announcements, had babies shortly after one another.
In the series "#ThingsOnlyMomsKnow" Ingebritt and Corinne depict the reality of motherhood—with all the painful, funny, and loving moments not always talked about.
1. Pee-regnant.
Expectant moms plan for the bathroom.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
2. How (not) to sleep.
Learning how to go with the flow.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
3. Cry baby.
Moms can be emotional... and dads too.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
4. The new things that scare you...
Falling in love with the necessary conveniences.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
5. ...and the new things that give you the creeps.
People have the ability to make normal situations feel weird.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
6. Being a new mom can get a little ... disgusting.
The convenience of a pregnancy tests is also peeing on a stick.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
7. And every mom has experienced these postpartum horror stories.
Taking advantage of two bodily functions at one time.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
8. There are many, many memorable firsts.
Walking into a house with babies... yep.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
9. Getting to know your post-baby body is an adventure.
Have a spare shirt ready to go.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
10. Pumping ain't for wimps.
Looking behind the magic of a breast pump.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
11. You become very comfortable with spit-up. Very comfortable.
No need to duck.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
12. Your body, mind, and most importantly, heart, will expand in ways you didn't know possible.
There are going to be changes.
All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.
This story first appeared on Hippe Birth Cards and is reprinted here with permission.
This article originally appeared eight years ago.
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