A Call to Make "The Mom Bod" as Cool as "The Dad Bod"

I've recently come across several stories about how much ladies love a man who has "the Dad Bod." Which, according to this article on The Odyssey, means a guy with "a nice balance between a beer gut and working out."

My understanding of this phenomenon is that when ladies see a guy with a dad bod, they get the impression that he doesn't count the calories in his beer and isn't afraid to eat a whole pizza every once in a while, which helps the ladies feel more secure about their own bodies (and pizza binges). Also, the ladies prefer a semi-soft man to snuggle over a rock solid one. 

If you need help with visualization, this Buzzfeed post has some good examples of men with dad bods.

I'm totally down with the Dad Bod. In fact I was married to a man with a serious Dad Bod before it was even cool (which kind of makes me a trailblazer, right?). Now, I'm proposing that "the Mom Bod" be the next body trend we all jump on.

In case you aren't sure whether you or someone you know has "the Mom Bod," here are 5 things to look for  when spotting a Mom Bod:

1. Tilted Posture

Do you know how many things a mom has to carry? A diaper bag/giant purse, a kid or two (or more), the toys that the kid (or two or more) wanted to bring and lost interest in three seconds into whatever activity you are doing, drinks and snacks for everyone, etc. All of this carrying results in a body resembling the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or at the very least an inch or two difference in the height of your shoulders.

2. More Hair in More Places

Now you have small human beings whose hair needs attending to, so your hair (in all the familiar and unfamiliar places it may be) takes a back seat. Also, you know, hormones. So. Many. Hormones.

3. Saggage

Carrying a living being inside your body for almost a year tends to stretch your skin out a bit. Even as your body tries to return to its pre-baby size, there is still some (for lack of a better/real word) . . . saggage. If you are trying to determine whether someone has a mom bod, check for saggage in these high-saggage areas: the lower abdomen, one or both breasts, the sides of the lower back (affectionately known as love handles), and the behind (why do you think the butt on mom jeans goes on for miles? It's to contain the saggage).

4. Two black eyes

Actually, upon closer inspection, there are just dark circles coloring the bags under your eyes as a result of lack of proper sleep. This symptom is particularly strong in moms with babies or toddlers, but seems to be present, at least occasionally, in moms of older children. 

5. Mouth parentheses

Speaking of lack of sleep, you'll notice that no mom bod is complete without the curved lines on either side of your mouth from constant yawning. But, don't worry, there is a matching set of laugh lines at your eyes, so at least you coordinate.

I hope all women who are lucky enough to have a Mom Bod are out there flaunting it! Happy Mother's Day!