"I’ve felt the weight of a growing life inside my body — heavier through each trimester, as this…

"I’ve felt the weight of a growing life inside my body — heavier through each trimester, as this small human gained body mass and limbs. Until one day I was housing a full-size newborn and his entire living quarters, feeling the pressure of gravity on my hips as I waddled to the bathroom … again. (My bladder felt the weight of motherhood, too).

When he was finally on the outside, 7 pounds of pure loveliness, the weight not only redistributed, it seemed to magnify.

I’ve carried a 9-pound baby in a 10-pound car seat, with three packed bags slung over...