AceShowbiz - Penelope Cruz has opened up about motherhood for the first time, admitting she changed "immediately" after giving birth to a baby boy earlier in 2011. The "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" actress and her husband Javier Bardem welcomed their first child, a son rumored to be called Leo, in January.

Cruz is relishing her new role as mother, calling it a "beautiful feeling" - and insists parenthood has already had a profound effect on her. She tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "Being a mother changes you immediately. It's hard to explain because it's so deep. But it's the most beautiful feeling I have ever had."

The Oscar-winning star is now scaling back her work commitments to focus on her family, adding, "Working as hard as I did is not for me any more. I was exhausted and had nothing to give. You have to live your life to be able to tell other stories. I'm happy I made that decision. I've always measured the success of my work by the experience I had, not by how many awards I got. I hope it will stay like that for me."