The raw, messy, beautiful postpartum shift — straight from @themadisonrae.

There’s a lot you expect when you’re expecting — sleepless nights, diaper runs and that one friend who swears coconut oil fixes everything.

But what no one really talks about is what happens to you.

Suddenly, it’s just you, your body and this brand-new version of yourself staring back in the mirror. That? That’s postpartum (allegedly). And while it’s raw, it’s also powerful. Because it’s not just the birth of your baby — it’s the beginning of you, too.

Since we’re 26 and childless, we turned to Madison Rae, Tribeca-based mom of three, beloved fashion and wellness creator, and pro at finding beauty in the chaos, for her honest take on what this season really feels like.

She opens up about the physical, emotional and spiritual shift that comes with becoming a mom … the stuff you don’t hear at the baby shower.

She’s lived it: the identity shift, the deep love, the wild hormones, the boobs that will never be the same — and she’s here to remind you that it’s OK to feel everything.

It’s OK to miss your old life and love your new one. It’s OK to ask for help. And it’s more than OK to make space for you in the middle of it all.

Postpartum isn’t something to fear — it’s something to honor. A sacred, messy, beautiful in-between that deserves just as much reverence as baby Bear.

Here’s what Madison wishes someone had told her. Let this be your permission slip to slow down, trust your gut and believe that yes, you’ll feel like yourself again. Only this time? A million times better (according to sources). 

1. When you give birth to your baby, you’re also giving birth to a new version of yourself. The first year is hard — it’s full of highs and lows. You’re meeting and learning about this tiny human you just grew for nine months while also trying to understand who you’ve become. Motherhood is the ultimate metamorphosis — the greatest transformation of a woman. I promise, you will know and love yourself again.

2. You can be so happy and grateful to be a mom, and still miss your old life at the same time. Two things can be true. The exhaustion, the hormones, the body that doesn’t feel like your own, the anxiety — they can all exist alongside the deepest love and joy for your baby. Feel all the feels. This too shall pass.

3. For me, going from 0 to 1 felt harder than going from 2 to 3. Everyone’s experience is different, but my world was completely rocked with my first. I remember feeling so much anxiety during my second pregnancy, convinced it would be the same. But it wasn’t. The experience and confidence you gain as a mom changes everything the second time around. And the third time? Even better. Just because your first experience was hard doesn’t mean every one after will be.

4. Boobs. Oh, the boobs. They will never be the same, and that’s just one of the many sacrifices of being a woman. If you’re reading this and haven’t had a baby yet ... take a picture of those cutie boobs! I plan to do something after I’m done nursing in the spring, stay tuned.

5. EMBRACE the newborn bubble. It took me three babies to finally get it right. It’s so easy to rush back — to dinners, jeans and feeling like your old self. But this time, I followed the “5 rule”: five days in the bed, five days on the bed, five days near the bed. I had fifteen glorious days in the bedroom with my baby, binge-watching Love Island UK and nursing as much as possible. It’s such a fleeting, sacred little window of time. Don’t rush it. Soak it all in.

6.“This too shall pass.” My motherhood mantra. The exhaustion, the closet that doesn’t fit, the baby who refuses to nap, the constant second-guessing if you’re doing anything right, the leaking boobs — all of it. It’s so easy for each phase to feel like your forever, but I promise the hard moments won’t last forever.

7. You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you take anything from this, please take that. It’s not just okay — it’s necessary to do things for you. Fill your cup. Do what makes you happy. Ask for help. Hire help. Let your partner help. It looks different for everyone, but the truth is the same! Yes, you’re a mom, but you’re also just a girl. It’s okay and important to have an identity outside of motherhood, to build something that’s yours. A happy mom is the best kind of mom.

8. I leave you with this: Trust your mom intuition, always. You know what’s best. People love to give advice and opinions when it comes to mothering — take what resonates and leave the rest. You’re embarking on your greatest metamorphosis yet. Motherhood will change everything, and somehow make you more you than ever.