Social media paints motherhood as nothing short of a blissful right of passage. You rediscover the meaning of life and understand unconditional love in a whole new way. Life couldn’t be better, and your baby coos sweetly as you and your significant other stare longingly into each other’s eyes, amazed at the miracle(s) you created together.

But let’s get real for a minute. Yes, there is some truth to this idealistic picture, but there is also a large chunk of motherhood that is chaotic, messy, and downright exhausting. We rediscover the meaning of life, and with that, the meaning of privacy, the meaning of sleeping through the night, and the meaning of survival. Along this journey, we encounter countless situations that illicit the phrase: “You know you’re a mom if…”