Pregnant women make me sick. Literally. So does the smell of freshly applied wallpaper, the Before These Crowded Streets CD from The Dave Matthews Band, lotion from Bath and Body Works, and walking into my ob/gyn's office.

Don't get me wrong...pregnancy is a beautiful, amazing, miraculous process, and I think sharing a child with someone you love is a wonderful gift. But, I was not a glowing, happy, expectant Mother. I was sick. A lot. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I threw up every day for months. Not just the first trimester, but through most of the second as well.

Ordinary odors usually sent me running for the nearest restroom. Luckily, I had some seniority in the office where I was working and I had all sweet smelling lotions, sprays and perfumes banned from the department. Some things, like walking my dog and picking up her poo, were unavoidable. I would try to hold my breath, but would inevitably end up gagging and retching in my neighbor's yards. How attractive is that picture?

But, it wasn't only tummy upset. I was actually sick, sick. I developed some freakish auto-immune disorder that only affected me when I was pregnant. I blew up so big that if someone had tied a string to my foot, they could've entered me in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. All in all, I can't say it was a pleasant experience until my children were actually outside of my body.

So seeing, hearing and smelling things that remind me of that time tend to make me queasy. To all the pregnant women who are at their best and feel so good when they're pregnant, I'm really happy for you. But, don't be offended if instead of stopping to chit-chat with you, I hurry myself along.

Labels: Kids