Bountiful. Unconditional. Endless. While there are a thousand words to describe a mother’s love, all seem to deal with the kind they give to their precious children, and none for themselves. This is especially true for new moms, to whom the value of self-care is often lost amid the rush of attending to their newfound calling.
Launched with the mission to help mothers rediscover the love for their body—that it’s OK to choose one’s self without feeling guilty—is inclusive shapewear brand Love, Momma. Designed by a mother for mothers, Love, Momma presents affordable and quality shapewear intended for moms to regain their confidence and be reminded of the wonders of looking good and feeling beautiful.
“Moms are more powerful when they are happy,” said Love, Momma founder Katrina Calugay-Alvaera, who started the brand after giving birth to her son, Pancho. “I understand the feeling of guilt whenever mothers would spend time or buy something for themselves. But I realized that for us to be able to take care of others, we should learn to take care of ourselves first. Love, Momma is about self-care without the feeling of guilt.”
The shapewear brand supports the ideals promoted by the concepts of body positivity and acceptance. The brand also empowers mothers who wish to feel better about their bodies with products that are grounded on three principles.
First is affordability, as Love, Momma offers a cheaper alternative to expensive medical grade waist shapers or girdles. Next is functionality, or ensuring comfort even for those who had undergone abdominal procedures. Finally, relationship, as the brand aims to build strong ties with its community by presenting products they deserve.
One of the signature offerings of Love, Momma is a comfortable and breathable waist-shaper or a postpartum binder. The product is designed not so much as to impose on the contours of the body as to guide it into a figure that makes mothers feel confident and comfortable.
Love, Momma also hopes to build a community founded on support and inclusivity. After all, the brand name represents the affectionate sign-off of its founder to mothers like her. It is also a gentle reminder for new moms to continue to love themselves despite the changes in their roles and bodies.
“Love, Momma is about acknowledging the changes in our body with grace and confidence,” Calugay-Alvaera said. “It is about loving the transition to motherhood without neglecting the person that we should also be looking after, ourselves.”