by Becky Graham

Created on: October 06, 2009   Last Updated: October 08, 2009

When a baby is born it's like the heavens open up, and there is an imaginary ray of light shining on the most beautiful child ever conceived. If we listened very closely over the wailing cries, we could possibly even hear the choir singing "Hallelujah." However, in that instant, everything changes for a woman, both physically and emotionally. Change is inevitable throughout life, but the metamorphosis that occurs when a woman becomes a mother is by far the most profound.

A "mommy pouch" to replace a formerly taut belly and stretch marks in places that were once considered taboo are the most common, expected, and well-known physical characteristics of a new mom. These are the only changes we are warned about by the been-there-done-that moms that we depend on for truth and honesty through the biggest events of our lives. Nobody warns us about the hormonal changes throughout pregnancy that can lead to blotchy darkened areas of our once even-toned skin, or the over abundance of undesirable hair growth in all the wrong places. New mothers are often clueless to the fact that after breastfeeding multiple times a day for various lengths of time, their breasts may resemble deflated balloons rather than the firm mounds that had once been effortlessly contained by wireless lingerie. It is only when we reluctantly stand in front of a full length mirror completely unclothed that the majority of us come to the realization that sexiness is no longer seeping from our pores. Believe it or not at this point, we really aren't concerned. We have other more important things to worry about these days, such as the big crash we just heard coming from the room where our child is supposed to be napping.

Some changes that accompany motherhood are natural and uncompromising, but others are a result of being overwhelmed and exhausted. Once upon a time we would be consumed for hours reassuring ourselves that not one hair was out of place, our stylish name brand clothing fit like a glove, our makeup had no smudges, and our nails were shaped, painted, and glossy reflecting our insatiable need to be admired by everyone we met. After giving birth, many women no longer care about what complete strangers think of their outward appearances. Glasses replace contacts, because they require less time and effort to achieve the ultimate goal of vision. Ponytails become the everyday hairdo, because curling irons and hairspray fumes have been transformed into household dangers. Fingernails get cut short

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