A scientist has crunched the data, and now there’s proof that new mums are superhuman

If I told you that parenting a newborn was a lot of work, that would probably not be new information for you.

Besides the overwhelming responsibility of keeping this vulnerable tiny human alive and safe, there’s the relentless schedule of feeding, changing, washing and a newfound, all-consuming relationship with your old friend, sleep.

Parents of newborns are thrust into a new world where it quickly becomes apparent that life has been changed in a big, big way. We all feel it, but now someone has crunched the data and we have some pretty substantial evidence to show just how nutso things get in that first six months.

Caitlin Hudon is a lead data scientist at OnlineMedEd. She also happens to be a new mum which makes her abundantly qualified to look at the stats. What Caitlin has proven is the validation we all need. Motherhood is h.a.r.d!

The data scientist took the time to chart exactly how it is that a woman’s life changes from before the baby is even born up until  six months post-partum.

The chart analyses sleep, work, time spent caring for the baby, feeding and pumping and even takes an optimistic look at that unicorn new mothers call ‘free time’.

And the results? No surprises here, life gets turned completely upside down. Farewell sleep and free time, hello to a life of almost exclusive dedication to the care and needs of someone else.

Caitlin is also breastfeeding, another lot of data that she took a look at. The first time mum admits that she had “no idea” just how much time would be devoted to that task during the first six months.

None of us do, really. If we’re lucky enough to go from incubator to lactator we’re in for six months of life as a Dairy Cow. Bottle feeding mummas are spending just as much time ensuring their little ones are nourished as needed too.

It’s basically a full time gig in the early days.

Caitlin’s charts prove the obvious, motherhood a newborn is a life-changing, selfless experience.

It also proves something else … things get easier. While it might feel like life will never be the same, eventually sleep and your boobs are yours again. Just look at that data, mumma!

WATCH: Jacinda Ardern reflects on her first six weeks of parenting.