Because of my age and place in life, I have a lot of friends that are either pregnant or have little ones at home. Something very tough is for a twenty or thirty something with a nice shapely body to say, "Yes, I am ready to gain 30+ pounds and temporarily wreck havoc on my body to give birth to a child." First time mothers just are not fully aware of the time commitment and responsibility that comes with a little one and the fact that your body is going to be called upon at all hours of the day and night. The greatest lesson I have learned, as of late, is that you must be strong to conquer this next phase in life, motherhood.

In my early twenties, I had never felt more beautiful, more shapely, and more strong. I was running marathons, competing in triathlons, getting into heavy lifting with CrossFit, and really enjoying my (infrequent) yoga practices ... and my body showed it. My husband is almost four years older than me. Shortly after we got married, he wanted babies. I was NOT ready to give up my freedom to come and go as I please, or my svelte little fitness body.

Ever since I gave birth to our son, Eli, I feel that I Have had a second birth into this new life called motherhood. Not the motherhood where you are just crawling through the muck wondering when it is going to get better... I make the choice every day for it to be the best NOW in some small way. I have my bad days... days where I eat too much, where I miss a workout, where I am so mad that my son is awake and not letting me get in my workout, where my clothes feel too tight, where I wish I still had my perky boobies, and where I hate my cesarean scar. I have those days. We all have those days. But I refuse to drown in those feelings. My life is hard, but I am a blessed woman ... with a beautiful son, an incredible husband and a family that makes my life possible. I will never be photographed as a swim suit model and that is OKAY WITH ME. But, I can promise you that I will be on the beach in a two piece playing with my son this summer. I work hard for that baby and for the strong body that birthed him and lovingly cares for him daily.

These days I am joyfully in the business of helping the women in my life understand how beautiful and strong they are during and post-pregnancy. There is nothing more beautiful than a glowing mother with a big round belly and a growing, perfect baby inside. There were days, post-pregnancy, when I missed terribly that round belly. This weekend, I photographed one of my best friends that is due in three weeks. She was feeling really down about her body and worried about what is to come afterwards... Like all of us, she needed a little confidence boost that she is beyond beautiful and that her best days are to come. Mothers possess a new beauty that cannot be bought or created by a plastic surgeon. A beauty and love that radiates from her eyes unlike anything else.

I think that the lesson here is that it takes 9 months to grow that precious child and maybe 12 months longer to nurse, if you choose to do so. On what planet should you have your pre-baby body back three months Later? It has taken me 18 months to really feel confident in my skin again and that is OKAY. However, I have worked hard to get here. It takes hard work, mamas, but you can certainly get there. I think that my single best piece of advice is for you to practice gratitude daily, for the strong able body that you have and for your beautiful child. Gratitude can help you overcome the negative feelings (that I promise, will come) from getting in the way.

To you mothers to be... I know you feel like a human balloon, but just like the helium goes into a balloon, over time it will deflate... So, enjoy floating for a little while.

-IV

This too, is temporary.