I already had a very attuned sense of smell before and it never really bothered me until I was pregnant. Considering everything I had witnessed and been told about pregnancy, I never thought a change in smell would be my worst symptom.

Being at home was a lucky draw: opening the fridge – GAG - going into the pantry – GAG AGAIN. Worst of all? Sleeping next to my partner. I went to bed quite early one night and woke up gagging in the dark. Surely one of our neighbourhood cats had snuck in and left a gift behind for us to find because the smell was unbearable! If not, I thought, my partner had emptied out the contents of our dustbin into the bed in his sleep. I mean, what else could it be?

I turned towards my partner to ask if he could smell it too and that’s when I found it. He was the smell. From that night on I spent the rest of my pregnancy holding my breath and hoping for the best when I was around him.

So take heed dear mama, your nose won’t only grow but it will betray you.

- By mama Denise from Johannesburg -

Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to prevent a heightened sense of smell [boooo], but there are some things you can do to help cope with those overpowering odours. Tap the below link to learn more.

 Tips for Coping with the Bionic Sense