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America Ferrera Is Every Exhausted Mom In This Late-Night Pumping Photo

by Alana Romain

If you've ever had to hook yourself up to a double electric breast pump, then you probably know it's not exactly the most enjoyable task on earth. But if you're a breastfeeding mama who can't always be there to feed your baby directly (or even if you just want a break every now and then!), chances are good that pumping is probably a part of your repertoire. One actress who seems to totally understand the struggle, at least, is Superstore star America Ferrera. America Ferrera's late-night pumping photo in her recent Instagram Story is something many breastfeeding moms will find hilariously relatable — yet it's certainly not the first time she's opened up about the decidedly unglamorous task.

The actress — and author of the new book, American Like Me — often uses her Instagram account to speak out about political issues, and, most recently, she has been reaching out to her followers to encourage them to register to vote. But in addition to being an activist (particularly on behalf of women of color), she's also a new mom. Although Ferrera doesn't often post about her son, Sebastian, who was born in May, she does share glimpses of her life as a mother with her fans.

On Tuesday, Ferrera shared a snap of herself pretty much half-asleep during her "last pump of the day," and honestly, it perfectly summed up what it's like to be desperate to go to bed, but stuck still attached to what is basically a human milking machine. While there's nothing particularly terrible about pumping necessarily, it definitely doesn't feel all that enjoyable when you're exhausted. The problem? You also know you'll be dealing with some seriously sore boobs in the morning if you don't just get it over with (ugh).

The funny shot isn't the first time, though, that Ferrera has put her breast pump on display. In August, when the actress was working on recording the audiobook version of American Like Me, she shared a photo of herself in the recording booth, pumping breast milk while also narrating her book. The too-perfect caption? "Multi-tasking. Cause: Mom"

Ferrera's down-to-earth take on motherhood is so refreshing, because, honestly, there is so much about motherhood that doesn't exactly make for the most Instagram-perfect photos (and seeing her readily admit to that is so reassuring). But it's not *just* about pumping: in April, Ferrera also took the opportunity to document her first postpartum fitness class, and even though she's no stranger to working out (Ferrera was actually in training for her third triathlon when she found out she was pregnant with Sebastian, according to Us Weekly), she admitted that she wasn't quite sure how she'd survive taking a hot yoga class only one month out from her son's birth.

In a series of posts in an Instagram Story, Ferrera shared a pre-workout selfie, in which she owned up to being both "excited and somewhat terrified," followed by a series of sweaty "after" photos where she acknowledged that, while it may not have been easy, the experience reminded her to have "a sh*t ton of gratitude for [her] amazing body that just created life."

When you're a new mom, Instagram can sometimes feel downright cruel thanks to all the women who manage to regularly snap photos of their gorgeous, well-groomed children in their organized homes, while somehow looking effortlessly stylish. But of course, that's not at all the reality for most women. And though it might be easy to assume that a celebrity mom like Ferrera might actually have that kind of dreamy, Insta-perfect life, it's so nice to see that she's not even sort of afraid to keep it real.