For those of you who may not know, when a women becomes pregnant, often her sense of smell will increase. I can only speculate as to what causes this increase in our olfactory system, however, as it happens speculation is a hobby of mine.
My theory, which is without research, evidence, or testing, is that the heightened sense of smell is an attribute meant to promote the health and safety of the pregnant woman and hence the unborn fetus. Here's what I'm thinking: when humans used to roam as hunter/gatherers an increased sense of smell could inform a pregnant woman of a nearby predator, yet also alert her of food to gather that she may not have otherwise found. This makes sense to me, but really causation doesn't matter. If you were one of the lucky (or perhaps tortured?) ones privy to my missives from my two months living in India, you already know I had a good sense of smell prior to pregnancy and can probably imagine how well I am coping.
It's hard to describe how sensitive my nose is these days. Its not that I am smelling things I have never smelled before, but rather I smell things much more acutely than I used to. For example, when I stepped out my back door onto the patio this morning, I was accosted with smells that have always been there, but which I wouldn't usually smell individually or as distinctly as I do now. First I smelled the sweetness of freshly cut grass (John mowed 2 day ago) and the dirt under the lawn as moisture evaporated from last night's sprinklers. I smelled the rich scent of wood from the fence where the sun was beginning to bake it, the spicy smell of roses encircling our yard, coffee from a neighbor's house, and the citrus scent of lemon mint growing as a weed next to our home. Where all these things would once have blended together to become one, insignificant smell, barely recognized and quickly dismissed, I am now thoroughly aware of and experience them each individually. Oh, and how could I forget the scent of excrement from the neighbor's chihuahua as I describe my morning smell experience?
Yes, as you can imagine there are many, many things in this world that are not pleasant to smell. Although, contrary to my experience in India, not all scents in my current environment torment me. Take for example a trip for groceries or to the farmer's market. Before I even enter the produce and fruit stalls, the smells of the ripe fruits surround me - an experience like breathing honey. The scents are so strong I can almost see their perfume in the air, coloring the atmosphere. Several times, I have stopped in the middle of foot traffic, sniffing around like a bloodhound searching for the exact stall from which the scent of strawberries (or whatever) is located.
You can imagine the looks I get - even from John whose patient expression is a mix of concern over my peculiar behavior and amused curiosity about what the heck I am doing now. Before pregnancy, I ate fruit because I knew it was good for me, not because I particularly enjoyed it. The savory flavors of vegetables have always been my preference, and overall I would not have considered myself as having a sweet tooth. So now when I bring home creamy cantaloupes, tangy berries or piquant pineapples, John and even I am surprised. When John asks about my fruity purchases, I simply shrug and say... "Baby likes them."
No comments:
Post a Comment