If Hilary Duff seems to have a new glow about her these days, it could be from the fact that she’s a proud new mama to baby Luca Cruz. Duff and her hubby, Mike Comrie, welcomed their son into the world on March 20. In just the few short weeks of her new role in life, Duff says motherhood has changed the way she looks at things and feels about herself in general.

“Right when I really started to show, I would look in the mirror and wonder whose body that was,” Duff reveals to Parade.com. “But then about a month later, I just felt really proud that I had a body that could do what it was doing. It is incredible what your body can do. You can appreciate all of your imperfections because you have a beautiful baby who came from you and all that you went through.”

Little Luca is the first child born to Duff and Comrie, but the singer-actress notes that baby No. 2 is highly likely because of the easy pregancy she experienced this time. However, don’t look for any more baby bumps for Duff too soon! “A part of me isn’t like those women who love being pregnant,” says Duff. “I love my baby and I miss that feeling of being attached to him when he’s kicking, but I was so ready to not be pregnant. Right now, I’m focused on being the best mom I can be and when I start working again, I’ll see how I juggle everything. But then again, my sister [Haylie Duff] and I are very close so I want Luca to have someone close [to his age] — but not too close!”

So what’s the most surprising thing about motherhood thus far? “The list goes on and on,” gushes Duff. “I felt my heart grew the second I met him. You feel so protective right away. You feel loving and nurturing right away. Everybody always talks about it, about how you don’t know love until you meet your baby, and you really feel that. There are no words. It was a really wonderful surprise. And there is no way to prepare yourself for the sleep deprivation and what comes with it.”

Another pro to motherhood for Duff is the love and bonding with their new baby boy has even helped strengthen her marriage to a certain degree. “It’s helped me appreciate Mike’s role in his life and that we’re doing things with the most love that we can,” says the mother and wife. “He’s really hands on, and I appreciate any little help I can get.”

Read the rest of Duff’s interview with Parade.com by clicking here.

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