The Start

Petro Pretorius [23 August 2008] - I saw a client today that was just over 4 months pregnant, she was looking radiant. I am talking glowing...You know one of those women that you look at and you think wow! SHE obviously is having a great pregnancy. Her mother, (this is a family business), said she is most probable having another girl because she looked just as good the first time she was pregnant.

Well let me examine the above statement against my own experience – I felt really bad, (if I was not planning to publish this for general family consumption I would have used a stronger word), I looked worse (read much stronger word), to say the least I was not the poster girl for pregnancy if my experience and perception of being pregnant was what the rest of mankind would base their decision for procreation on then I fear the end would be eminent. Yes I (we) have decided the one female child I (we) have produced is the total sum of what would be forthcoming from my womb, and YES! I did have a girl and shudder to think how I would have looked and felt if it was a boy...

Don't get me wrong Mia is the best thing that has ever happened in our lives and no I don't wish her away, but being pregnant was no teddy bear picnic, it was war! The only thing that kept me sane was '"A rough guide" to Pregnancy and Birth', (the writer and I had a similar pregnancy); she made me feel semi normal. All my friends were saying why are you getting sick (flu, migraine, back ache,...) your child is suppose to keep you from harm, and I was thinking she is sucking me dry (parasite) with all the work stress (parasites) taking its toll and the rest of a 'normal day' just pilling in there to drain the rest of my resources to nothingness. I was miserable and wishing it would just be over.

I have always wanted children when I was small, (six to be precise), but I did not want to get married and was telling my family that this poses a problem; as the stork would not deliver my due unless I get married. My mother always used to smile, most probable at the naivety of her youngest (of four) all delivered via natural birth by the local GP, or alternatively longingly at how much simpler it would have been all round if a big bird delivered your small bundle of joy... 

Let's ponder that: no morning sickness, a euphemism most probable coined by a man who has never been pregnant and does not know that is all day sickness. No swollen feet, yes although you can't see your feet it could cause you much problems, no back-ache... But also no sonar for you to meet your jelly bean on screen, no holding your breath during the 3D- scan, when your child's nose looks like Michael Jackson's (AFTER all his failed plastic surgery), no hearing the heartbeat, and no first movements... No wondering what she is doing in there, no smiling at her hiccups, and WORSE of all, no amazing first glance at her right after birth; (where you thought you could go no further), and seeing a perfect, perfect beautiful baby and knowing that against all odds you have done well...