Jamie-Lynn Sigler says motherhood is more "difficult" than she expected.
The former 'Sopranos' star, who has a seven-month-old son, Beau Kyle, loves being a parent but admits it is "exhausting."
The 32-year-old actress told PEOPLE.com: "It's really hard -- it's a test on every level. The amount of love is incredible, but it's difficult.
"You don't get a lot of sleep, it's exhausting, you have to be on 24/7, [and] you've got to breathe through. It's amazing that a little thing can cause that much frustration sometimes.
"(You feel) like you deserve a medal every day. You feel like you should get props when you walk out of the house [and] you're just alive and breathing."
But the 'Guys with Kids' actress tries to spend as much time as possible with her little boy.
She said: "I'm with him every single day, all day so [I'm] watching every little milestone. He's starting to crawl which is fun, and he's really into Mommy, reaching for me and asking for me."
Jamie credits her fiancé Cutter Dykstra for helping her to adapt to her new lifestyle.
She said: "Dad's amazing - he's playing baseball so he's on the road [and] we're doing a little long distance, but he's a really good dad. [He's] really hands on and it's pretty sexy to see a guy with a baby."
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