Why does my body feel different after having children and how do I reconnect with it?

Your body didn't betray you—it did something extraordinary, and now it's asking for a different kind of attention. The disconnect many women feel isn't just physical; it's that we're often running on empty, moving so fast we can't feel ourselves anymore. I see this pattern constantly: mothers who are present for everyone except their own bodies. Reconnecting isn't about 'getting your body back.' It's about meeting the body you have now with genuine presence. Start small. Maybe it's five minutes where you're not doing *for* anyone—just noticing how your skin feels, how your breath moves, where you hold tension. This isn't vanity or self-indulgence. When you're embodied, grounded in your own physical reality, you're actually more available to your children, your work, your life. Your body has earned attention through what it's carried. The reconnection begins when you stop apologizing for the changes and start appreciating what remains. What would it feel like to touch your own arm the way you'd comfort a child—with genuine tenderness?