Moms and Dads

Katrina Calugay-Alvaera: A Love Letter To Motherhood’s Body

by Kevyn Gohu
March 28, 2025

Love, Momma’s Atty. Katrina Calugay-Alvaera shares her story of accepting her postpartum body

Motherhood transforms a woman—inside and out. Some changes are worn like battle scars: stretch marks tracing the journey, deep shadows under sleepless eyes, and a closet filled with clothes that no longer fit. In just nine months, a woman must say goodbye to who she once was and embrace the mother she is becoming—sometimes without a moment to grieve in between. So when Atty. Katrina Calugay-Alvaera found herself in that situation, she created what she calls a “love letter” to Filipino moms struggling with their postpartum bodies: Love, Momma.

“During postpartum, we don’t just deal with the overwhelming changes but the guilt too in trying to find something for ourselves,” Atty. Katrina reveals. “So, to all dear moms out there, it’s very normal to feel guilty. But remember, when you do care for yourselves: you’re empowered to care for others too.”

Self-care is preached often, but rarely does any mom hear the answers to the biggest questions: how does one begin, and where do they even start?

Love, Momma PH's Atty. Katrina Calugay-Alvaera shares her story of accepting her postpartum body — Photo from the_workingmomma

When appearances can be everything

To begin filling her metaphorical “empty cup,” Atty. Katrina turned to her reflection. It might seem superficial to some, but postpartum changes aren’t just about weight gain from lifestyle choices—many are deeply hormonal, beyond a mother’s control. “It started when I was trying to chase my first son, Pancho. He had so much energy and I couldn’t keep up with him,” she admitted. “It felt so limiting…”

Appearances play quite a role, especially in Atty. Katrina’s work as a public attorney in family court. Childbirth had left her feeling “big,” lowering her self-esteem and her willingness to meet people. But she had to start somewhere. So, she started with her appearance in the mirror. While changing bits of her lifestyle would show on her body in the long run, shapewear would ultimately serve as the start for short-term results. But like all beauty pursuits, it came with a price. “Most of the ones available weren’t really ones I would consider affordable. Plus, they weren’t tailored for Asian women,” she revealed.

Empowering moms the very moment they do become mothers

Thus, her passion project — Love, Momma — would become more than just shapewear for some. It would become the starting point for many Filipino moms who wish to reclaim their self-confidence. The shapewear had become such a hit with both moms and the medical community that some moms would order it before their due dates and eventually earn its way to becoming the first-ever FDA-approved shapewear. Other moms would have theirs delivered straight to the hospital where they were staying. Even OB-GYNs had been recommending her shapewear to their patients. But the secret to its success wasn’t just in its function but the fabric.

“We use Lycra which is elastic and the same fabric companies would use for compression socks,” she explains. “It’s also pretty easy to maintain. Moms like us already have so much to think about so, we made sure the shapewear was something we could easily machine wash and tumble dry.”

She adds, “But don’t worry, we wash the shapewear even before sending it out. Just in case you need it right away!”

The start of self-acceptance is never easy

Despite various ways to engage in self-care, starting the journey can be frustrating and hard. Especially in postpartum, everything can feel like it has an agenda against you. But Atty. Katrina offers one way to start: being intentional even in the little things. Clothes that don’t fit? It’s time to get some new ones! Want coffee? Listen to the mood—will it be milky or black for today?

“Sometimes, being intentional with even the little things can help,” she explains. “It’s also good to talk to your husband and kids about those things. Tell them about those little ‘intentional’ moments so that they know how important it is for you to have them. And most of all, delegate! Because for me, Pancho and Eli deserve a happy me and not a tired one.”

She knows that it’s easier said than done. As a mom and primary parent, it’s hard to fight against the thoughts that insist that everything must be done in that one way only and that spoiling oneself is not mother-like. However, Atty. Katrina draws the wisdom to fight those thoughts from her husband’s words. Those bad feelings are a “phase,” she recalls.

“When you see it as a phase, you then realize you have two choices: it’s either you fight or accept it,” she elaborates. “So in this case, I just chose to accept it. Being big, no longer having clothes that fit me, knowing that this is what I have to work with when I appear in front of the court – it’s also managing the expectations. The same concept applies when you delegate: the moment you do, you’re accepting that things may not look as exactly as you want them to.”

Every woman’s body is a story

As she slowly embraced her body, the acceptance trickled down to her parenting. While one-year-old Ely is still too young to notice, four-year-old Pancho has already started asking questions about bodies. Like any other child, he approaches the concept with child-like wonder and enjoys how “squishy” and “jiggly” her body is. However, Atty. Katrina’s acceptance of her body allows her to come up with an explanation for her curious toddler.

“I want both my boys to know that every woman’s body tells a story,” she explains. “Right now, I’m still using simple terms like, ‘My tummy is jiggly because you and Ely were once inside it.’ When he points out the lines or the stretch marks, I tell him those were the lines or proof that he was nurtured inside me.”

As an owner of the shapewear brand Love, Momma PH and a boy mom, Atty. Katrina takes it upon herself to embed in her boys that a woman’s body does not reflect her capabilities or her worth. While they practice having no labels at home, how does she keep her boys mindful when the typical Filipino greeting involves pointing out one’s weight instead of “Kamusta ka?” It starts when they’re young, she reveals. The way her sons see “big” or “taba” proves that the stigma is something learned. Not predisposed.

“Being big to my boys right now means you’re a giant,” she laughs. “And if you’re a giant, you can do a lot of things. You’re a superhero. Batman, Superman – you can be whatever you want to be when you’re a giant. You could even be your favorite Transformer!”

Take pride in your conscious choices, no matter how small they seem

While every mom will have their own, unique journey of accepting their bodies and their new lives, they all have the same starting point: choice. Every little choice counts; a little nugget of wisdom that Atty. Katrina emphasizes on. These little choices, even if it’s just locking oneself in the bathroom for five minutes, reading a book, or online window shopping make-up, are something to be proud of.

“Those choices, no matter how small, are very precious for a mom,” she explains. “Eventually, they’ll grow and the guilt will be easier to deal with. Even if we go out for two hours to get our hair colored or something like that. All those little choices will eventually build up into opportunities.”