mummy tummy

Following her child’s birth
When mama pauses at a mirror
She may be surprised to see
Her belly still looks like a sphere

No one tells a first-time mom
That after her baby is born
For weeks she’ll still look pregnant
And her new tummy she may mourn

Deflating bump, loosened skin
Some acquire deep, indented streaks
Supple stomach replaced with
Stretch marks, making mom feel like a freak

Some others get a mum tum
Through a stretched out belly button
Where there was once a circle
The shape's oblong like Gram’s mutton

There are those who inherit
Expanded hips that stay that way
No matter the baby weight that’s lost
A new upsize is there to stay

Or maybe mama has The Line
That was supposed to fade post-babe
A long and dark vertical strip
Appears when hormones start to change

Why aren’t pregnant women told
That for the remainder of our days
We’ll look a wee bit pregnant
Since we’ll assume it’s just a phase

It sure does not seem likely
There is a mommy that exists
Who has made it out of pregnancy
Without a mum tum from that list

Growing a small human
Obviously takes quite a toll
And to think, I've yet to mention
What happens to the baby hole