I NEVER liked babies and small children. I always avoided them if I could because I’m not patient and I don’t enjoy them. Unlike many girls I didn’t want to hold babies or play with little children, I hated the sound of their crying and I always thought that when I married I wouldn’t have any children.

When I got married and fell pregnant. I expected I would change my ideas immediately and begin loving the idea of a little baby. But instead, I was sick every day, I couldn’t eat anything, I was tired all the time and I hated my husband for making me feel so bad.

My colleagues at work were more excited about it than I was. They would ask me if I wanted a girl or a boy, but I couldn’t even think about it and I really didn’t care.

Eventually, after three months I stopped being sick and began to feel normal again. What a relief that was! Then my doctor told me to feel my stomach and, amazingly, I felt a small, hard ball and for the first time I realised that there was really a baby in there, a separate human being.

Not too long after that, the baby began moving around. I could feel and see it moving and at last I changed my perspective. I realised that this wasn’t a thing inside me, it was alive. How wonderful it is! It truly is a miracle.

Now, of course, I can’t stop thinking about it and wondering whether it is a boy or a girl and whether it will be healthy and happy.

My husband and I watch it move and talk about it and its future, sometimes he feels it kicking around. I can’t believe how I have changed from the early days of my pregnancy. I am not just happy, I love this little creature more than I have ever loved anything before, and it isn’t even born yet.

I have all sorts of plans for our family life and plans for my baby and its future. My husband is just as excited as I am and daily shows me sympathy, kindness, understanding and love.

I usually thank God for giving me all this happiness and pray for the baby to be in good health physically, mentally and spiritually.

I look back on my earlier self and I can hardly understand why it was that I disliked babies and small children so much. Now I enjoy the sound of their playing and love to join in their little games – even their crying doesn’t bother me as I prepare for my own little baby to be born.