Beyoncé Talks Pampered Preparations for Baby Blue—Plus, How Did She Lose That Baby Weight?!

Superstar new mama opens up about her prebirth plan for her daughter; says she's "never felt more powerful" than she did giving birth

We should've known that Beyoncé's birthing plan would be a little more glamorous than that of your average mama-to-be.

The superstar mother of darling daughter Blue Ivy has opened up about how she prepared for the birth of her baby (hint: kinda like preparing to walk the red carpet), how she felt after welcoming her and Jay-Z's "miracle" into the world, and the question on every mother's tabloid's mind: Just how did she get her postbaby bod into such taut shape so quickly?

First things first: Bey made sure that before she stepped foot in the hospital, she not only felt her best, but looked it, too.

"I did have a fresh eyebrow wax," the newly named Most Beautiful Woman told People. "I got my nails done, I got my feet done, had my hair done, and I had my little lip gloss."

Of course, all that fell by the wayside once she got down to the business of birth.

"I didn't feel that I looked beautiful during birth, but who does? After being pumped with all those fluids and gaining so much weight...I barely recognized myself. But after many hours of labor, I could care less about anything but my child. I didn't care how I looked."

As for how she felt, however...

"I felt more powerful than I've ever felt in my life," the 30-year-old told the mag. "I felt connected to my body. I felt like I knew my purpose in the world."

Meanwhile, as for her enviable physique, Beyoncé admitted to gaining about 50 pounds during her pregnancy, but says she's now, nearly four months after Blue's arrival, just "three to four pounds" away from her prebaby weight. And there's no secret as to how—just good old-fashioned hard work.

"I lost most of my weight from breast-feeding and I encourage women to do it; It's just so good for the baby and good for yourself," she said, noting that she breast-fed Blue for 10 weeks.

From there, she went the old-fashioned route, counting calories and working out "three to four times a week." That, and "staying away from anything delicious."

Still, if her body's not quite as hard as it was before, it's a small price she's only too happy to pay.

"Your body produces the hormones that make your body soft," she said. "It's just magical. It makes me so proud to be a  woman because it's just unexplainable what happens to your body—it's incredible."