I know you have your hands and lap full, so this won’t take long, but there are a few things I think you need to hear.

Maybe you’re just coming down out of that birth high with a very fresh babe, or maybe you’ve just reached the point when the meals from friends and family have stopped and your spouse heads out the door to work every morning.

You’re beginning to feel the full weight of that 7 or 8- pound baby in your arms. Maybe it’s heavier than you expected?

You can have all the support in the world, but at the end of the day, you’re the mama. I know that can feel equal parts privileged and overwhelming.

That’s okay.

If you feel unprepared for the days ahead -- around the clock feedings, nightly wake-ups, and the supreme honor of guiding little hearts -- that’s okay.

If you’re mourning some loss of the old you or your old life....that’s okay.

If you’re too busy studying your son or daughter to remember the clothes in the washer….that’s okay.

If your Lactation Consultant is now your most frequently dialed number….that’s okay.

If you’re unsure how to navigate the whole baby-shopping cart-infant carrier situation at Target….that’s okay.

If you daydream about naps and sleeping through the night….that’s okay.

If you’re juggling the needs of older kids with your newborn and feeling like there just isn’t enough of you to go around….that’s okay. (Really, it will be okay.)

If it’s difficult to hand your baby over to others to love on....that’s okay.

If you enjoy handing your baby off for others to love on..also okay.

If you find yourself obsessively reading reviews on things like strollers and diaper bags….that’s okay.

If your postpartum body makes you cringe right now….that’s okay.

If you hear the sound of your breast pump in your dreams….that’s okay. (And also hilarious.)

It really is okay.

These very thoughts are the ones that initiate you into the mom club. These are the things that unify us and will be playground topics of conversation for you and the other moms while you watch your littles run wild.

One day other things will occupy your thoughts and you’ll find a comfortable groove with this new baby of yours.

Until then, rest assured that this strange postpartum life is part of the process. You’re becoming a mama: the most beautiful, radical transformation there is.

*This post is not specific to women suffering from postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety. If you think you might be dealing with PPD/PPA, it’s crucial that you talk to your health care provider today.