Nothing but love for the Duchess, but get real, Royal Family! Having Kate and Prince William standing on those hospital stairs, mere hours after welcoming their third child, has created quite a frenzy on my Facebook feed. All the mamas I know (myself included) seem to be simultaneously applauding and shaking their heads.

Duchess Kate is looking flawless, in a pretty red dress and suede heels. Wanna know what shoes I wore for the last trimester of my first pregnancy and our trip home? Crocs. Because nothing else would fit my swollen feet. With my second delivery, I was happy enough to trade up for flip flops.

Royal family post baby portrait, 7hourspostbirth, 7hourslater
Let's show the Royals what '7 hours' post birth really looks like (Erin Vogt, Townsquare Media)
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THIS is what 7 hours, post baby, really looks like. Puffy. Tired. Thankful. That's me, hooked into an IV in both, joined by my exhausted-yet-proud husband and new dad. And our two, beautiful daughters, two and a half years apart.  Hey, at least my nails were painted for the first!

I get it, the Duke and Duchess are probably trying to beat the paparazzi at their own game. Instead of having a photographer rappelling from the hospital roof, they can call in a 'glam team' and present a first portrait with the new addition.

But in real life, there's so much attention being paid to feeding, resting, bonding and healing, for all involved. That's the hard-working mom, her spouse/partner/support circle and of course that newborn bundle of joy. Not to mention if there was a complication. That's why Serena Williams' post delivery story hits home for so many.

So, let's show off our very un-polished post delivery portraits. Wear that drab hospital gown or robe with pride, since you had 'bigger stuff' to worry about after welcoming your newest additions.

Let's make this a celebration of parenthood and family life, which we all know are far from composed and perfect! Here in New Jersey, we're known for our candor and self confidence.

Submit a family photo through the NJ 101.5 app, which you can download right here.  Let's see if we can encourage others, even out-of-state, to join in. Maybe add a hashtag or two? #7hourslater #PostBabyRealLife

It's funny, the further you get into this parenting thing, the less concerned you become with whether you had makeup on, or whether that birthing playlist you made even got used. It's all about the result, baby.

Proud Jersey Girl Erin Vogt’s first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee.  A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.

Follow her on Twitter and on Facebook as ProudJersey.

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