Mariah Carey Goes Naked, Bares Pregnant Belly on Magazine Cover

Mariah Carey is about to pop, as evidenced by the new cover of Life&Style, which features the glowing, naked and pregnant Carey in her final trimester with twins. She's having a boy and a girl, in case you hadn't heard, and she proudly shows off her double baby bump. The twins will be Carey's first and second child.

Carey poses like a mermaid, with her hands and cascade of signature curls covering her bare breasts, while her belly bulges with life.

"I was feeling very vulnerable about taking pictures at all right now, but then I didn't want to miss this opportunity to document this once-in-a-lifetime experience," the pop diva says. "My ultimate goal was to share this incredibly personal moment with my true fans."

The twins were even active participants in the shoot! "The babies were kicking almost the entire time; it was unbelievable," Carey says. "Especially the girl -- clearly she's a diva in training!” The pink bundle of joy is certainly taking after mom, and before she's even born, no less.

The shoot almost didn't happen, since Carey had a contractions scare the day before. It turned out to be a false alarm and the twins didn't arrive early, but Carey remained in the hospital overnight and was released the day of the shoot, which started at 1:30AM! Carey's a trooper for partaking in a photo shoot this deep into a double pregnancy.

Carey's multi-talented husband Nick Cannon has fallen in love with his wife all over again, as she carries their children. "I thought I couldn't love Mariah more," he says. "But I have a whole new appreciation and admiration for her."

While her hubby is more enamored of her as she prepares to give birth, Carey's appreciation has deepened for a whole other sect of women: Mothers in general. She declares, "Now I have so much respect for mothers everywhere, especially those who've had difficult pregnancies or given birth to multiples. We need to have Mother's Day once a week!"

The issue of Life & Style, featuring more photos of Mariah Carey and her baby bump, will hit stands Friday.