In a tight white dress, María Belén Ludueña (39) welcomes ¡HOLA! Argentina in the Palermo Chico department. The look is not casual. Just a few weeks ago, her pregnant belly started “showing,” so she’s excited to flaunt it and share the most anticipated news. “I still can’t believe I’m going to have a child,” says the Sooner or Later presenter, who is now waiting for the birth of her first child with her husband, Buenos Aires Prime Minister Jorge Macri (60), after undergoing artificial insemination. “I’m already 18 weeks pregnant and I’m really enjoying it. The first few months were more difficult because the treatment required me to take a lot of hormones every day and that directly affected my mood. It changed my mood a lot,” she says.
–What was the moment like when you found out?
–One of my doctors, Florencia Nodar, called me just ten minutes before the program started. The first thing I did was cry tears of emotion and call Jorge. “I’m pregnant,” I told him. And from then on I had to continue with the program. I remember wearing a red dress and everyone telling me how pretty and radiant I was. There is something about your appearance, about the way other people perceive you, that cannot be hidden.
–Have you always wanted to become a mother?
–Actually, it was a bigger dream. In any case, I always took every precaution and froze eggs at 36.
–You were farsighted.
-(Series). In reality, it happened to me that my friends did it because many of them had almost no ovarian reserves. It is something that is now being recommended again. I had just gotten married, and although I wasn’t thinking about becoming a mother at the time, I felt that egg freezing gave me a little more time.
–When did you start your search?
-Last year. Jorge was the key because he saw that I was approaching the subject very calmly and started to push me a bit. (Series). He said to me, “Let’s do it.” It wasn’t “I’m going with you,” but he was completely involved.
–Parenting was a project for both of us.
– Exactly, that’s how he understands it. It’s very good to have a partner who, when I’m 60, tells me: “Hey, I want to be a father too.” I listened excitedly to him talking to friends about wanting to have a child and I couldn’t believe it.
–Was it difficult for you to make the decision to create this space for motherhood?
–No, I had no doubts… Maybe a few fears. I started therapy because I wanted to prepare for the moment of motherhood, make the decision and give it space. At some point I had to prepare. I remember my psychologist once signed a certificate for me and told me, “You’re ready to become a mother”… A way of also saying, “Well, enough of the excuses. Let’s get started.”
–And now you’re nervous?
-NO. But I know that what is coming is strong. When I think about it, I realize that everything I did to get here was worth it, every step I took, every study I did, every injection, every frustration along the way… I found meaning in all of this when I saw the baby’s first ultrasound. I was very excited. Not to mention, in the same transfer you see the embryo making its way through a sieve. I remember them playing music for me while Jorge held my hand. And I also took the Virgin of Lourdes with me. When I came out I said to him, “I think I’m going to get pregnant and it’s a boy.” Very rare.
– Were there a lot of treatments you had to do?
–And it was a long road. I know there are much more difficult stories, but it took us at least a year. After a few months of searching, I set a limit for myself. If it didn’t happen, I would take some time off before trying again. Treating the body also has its price. Frustration is also painful, your body changes, your emotions remain on the surface.
–Were you afraid you wouldn’t get pregnant?
–No, I always had hope that I would make it, I always knew that one day I would become a mother. I am very Catholic, very committed to the faith. He prayed in every church he visited, especially the Lourdes Grotto in Mar del Plata. When I became pregnant, I thanked the Virgin because I firmly believe that she was also involved in all of this.
–Have you chosen a name?
–Yes, but it is still being discussed. The father isn’t so convinced… Anyway, we already know that in the end it will be the name I say, right? (Series).
– Do you put music on it?
–The truth is that I didn’t do any of this until I could really identify with the pregnancy; I don’t think my brain clicked for the first few months. It was only when the belly came out, when the chips fell on me, that everything became more real. I started talking to the baby. Today I touch my stomach, I play Coldplay songs, I talk to him, when I’m in the shower, if I feel kind of sad or bad about a situation, I tell him about it and say, “Come on, baby.”
–You were excited…
–Yes, it is incredible what I am experiencing. (Series). The other day Jorge said to me: “Have you realized that you already love him without knowing him?” And so it is, I come out of all the ultrasounds crying. The same thing happens to me with all of them. I see it on the screen and think that my baby will be the cutest thing in the world.
– Do you dare to fantasize about this life with your son?
–I imagine myself to be a very supportive mother to my son and he will certainly protect me. I also imagine myself taking care of him a lot, taking him to school, traveling with him and being a good-natured, hard-working mother. A mother who teaches him the importance of making an effort, shows him the path traveled and tells him: “Things cost a lot”, I also want to teach him the values of my family. Luckily I’m with Jorge, who already has experience, which relaxes me a lot because I have a teacher next to me who already has three children, so he understands me.
–What are you discovering in this motherhood?
–I learned to move away from my center, something that is already happening. Although I am in a very good professional phase today, my focus is on the baby. That is the most important thing for me. I think the birth of this baby will bring a lot of joy to our family. I don’t know if I’ll have another child or go through an experience like this again, so I want to enjoy it as much as possible.
About The Author
