"Nothing compares to the excitement I felt when I missed a period. I had all the signs: breast tenderness and frequent urination. By Day 27, my period still hadn't arrived. My cycle was typically short, around 25 days. Sure enough, I was pregnant.
I loved every part of being pregnant. At 37, I initially felt old for a first-timer, but that didn't detract from my joy or make me worried in any way. I was so ecstatically, unbelievably happy that I was having my first baby. Because I had helped so many woman through their pregnancies, I thought I would know what to expect at every turn. I looked forward to everything, even the nausea. Until it actually hit at Week 5.
Fortunately, as often happens with women carrying boys, the nausea was short-lived. For three weeks, I ate lemon pops and sniffed peppermint teabags for minor relief. I also had the "bionic nose" pregnant women are famous for. In New York City, there are few places a pregnant woman can walk without feeling an aversion to breathing. It also led to some socially awkward situations. One time, I insisted on sending a steak back in a favorite French restaurant in the East Village, even though none of the friends I was with could smell anything wrong with it."
an excerpt from Labor of Love by Cara Muhlhahn
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