Rochelle Pangilinan is now more than three months pregnant with her first child with husband Arthur Solinap.
The couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary on August 8, so they feel this pregnancy came at the right time as they are now more ready to become parents.
Rochelle said finding out she's about to become a mom was a wonderful experience.
“Marami, iba-iba,” she said about the emotions she felt when the results came back positive.
“Pero bukod dun, masaya talaga. Ibang klaseng saya na yung ine-explain ng ibang mommy dati na nakakasama ko, e, ito pala yung saya. Basta, wala siyang katumbas na saya.”
Rochelle exuded an aura of happiness and contentment when PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) caught up with her in a restaurant in Quezon City yesterday, August 27.
Arthur and Rochelle announced her pregnancy on Sunday, August 26, while they were having a vacation in La Union. They've known it for quite some time, and decided not to share it immediately.
She explained, “Well, mas gusto namin ni Art na kami na muna ang nakakaalam at saka yung ibang kaibigan namin.
“And siguro, ano na rin, iwas na rin sa maraming stress.
“Gusto namin na kami na lang muna kaya kagabi lang namin in-announce.”
Did they subscribe to the belief that it's better to announce after the first trimester?
“Hindi, e,” she answered with a laugh.
“Actually, hindi talaga. Hindi talaga kami naniniwala. Mas gusto lang namin na amin na muna bilang first baby namin ito.”
Compared to other women who usually find out they're pregnant via a home pregnancy kit, Rochelle said she had no idea she was pregnant.
It was while undergoing another medical procedure when they found out she was expecting.
She racalled, “ Nagpa-check ako kasi may nararamdaman ako sa right leg ko. Nagpa-MRI ako, 'tapos dun nakita sa resulta na nakalagay sa pinakahuli, sa right leg ko, swollen something.
“Sa rami ng namamaga sa right leg ko, hindi ko na napansin yung pang-lima yata sa reading na pregnant uterus. Ang wino-worry ko lang is, baka hindi na ko makasayaw.
"'Tapos noong tumawag ang doctor, sabi niya sa akin, first, congratulations you’re pregnant. Sabi ko, 'Weh, hindi nga?'
"E, may lakad kami nun sa isang GMA event. Napakapit [si Arthur] sa akin kasi akala niya kung ano, baka operahan.
"'Tapos sinabi ko sa kanya na yun nga, buntis daw ako. Siyempre masaya pero pareho kaming nag-worry na baka maka-affect yung MRI. So, nag-pray kaming dalawa."
Rochelle and Arthur are both prayerful Christians and their favorite phrase is "In God’s Perfect Time."
Despite the initial worry, they believe her pregnancy came at the perfect time.
“Dun kami mangiyak-ngiyak sa prayer namin. Hindi talaga namin ine-expect. Pero in God’s perfect time talaga.”
Rochelle said they went to four different doctors just to make sure it wasn't dangerous to undergo an MRI procedure and everyone said there's no need to worry.
The couple's parents were also overjoyed with the news.
“Actually, magandang regalo talaga ‘to na kaka-wedding anniversary namin. And then, noong sinabi namin sa mga magulang namin, tuwang-tuwa sila. Siyempre, magkakaapo na sila.
“Sa phone lang namin sinabi, napatili sila at kinabahan kami na baka kung ano ang mangyari. 'Tapos noong nagkita-kita kami, kasi every Sunday nagsisimba kami na kami-kami, hinawakan nila ang tiyan ko kahit hindi pa naman halata.”
PREGNANCY CRAVINGS
Rochelle said she didn't have a sensitive first trimester, but she noticed a difference in her food cravings since she became pregnant.
“Mahilig ako sa fruits. Pero dati, mahilig ako sa popcorn. Kahit sa wedding, may popcorn. So, hindi ko siya makain ngayon.”
She added, “Buong buhay ko, hindi ako kumakain ng burger. Kumain ako ng burger, ang sarap!
“Sobrang baligtad ang nangyayari. Yung alak, yung wine, makita ko lang, ayoko. Talagang nasusuka ko. Yung mga gusto ko dati, hindi ko na siya gusto.”
The first-time mom-to-be added that her husband is included among those that she presently doesn't like so much.
“Si Art, hindi ko gusto. Kanina, ginigising niya ko, may taping siya, pagtingin ko, ang pangit. E, dati guwapong-guwapo ko. Sabi niya, 'Bhe, wag ka namang ganyan, ang sakit mong magsalita.'
“Ni amoy niya, ayokong maamoy. Naiinis ako sa noo niya, pero kapag nawala siya, hinahanap ko.
"'Bhe, ano ang ginagawa mo?' Nami-miss ko siya. Gusto ko lang marinig ang boses niya, pero ayoko siyang makita,” she said with a laugh.
Could her aversion to her husband be a sign that she's naglilihi with Arthur?
“Totoo ba yun? E, at least, guwapo,” she said.
Rochelle only had good words for Arthur, who has been taking care of her.
“Extra, extra miles, iba!”
“Gabi-gabi meron akong salabat. Yun ang nakakawala ng morning sickness ko. Every morning, every night meron siyang ganun.
“Minsan ginusto ko ng siopao, Chowking. Sabi niya, masarap sa Kowloon, sabi ko, ayoko. Gusto ko sa Chowking. After ng taping niya, pumunta siya.
“Minsan naman, gusto ko ng lugaw. E, anong oras na yun. Sabi ko, 'Merong lugaw sa Scout area.' E, nasa Fairview siya. Sabi ko, 'Dun ka lang pumunta.' Anong oras na siya nakauwi ng bahay.”
Rochelle explained she wasn't making these cravings up.
“Hindi, hindi talaga. Minsan kapag kinain ko na, nasusuka ko. E, ako nga, sanay ako sa pangat [kahit] pangatlong init, pang-apat na init. Ngayon ayoko na.
“Minsan chips. Pero mas sa fruits. Kahit anong klaseng fruits. Parang yun lang ang hilig ko dati na natirang gusto ko pa rin.”
OKAY TO WORK
Rochelle is included in the prime-time series Onanay which is currently airing on GMA-7.
She said her OB-gynecologist gave her no restrictions and the production team of Onanay also knows about her condition, so there's no problem with her taping until the end of the show.
“Kapit na kapit naman daw si baby. Pero siyempre, wag lang ako yung sobrang takbo. Puwedeng magsayaw, wag lang yung buwis-buhay. Puwedeng mag-gym kasi may mga exercises naman na puwede.
“Happy naman yung mga katrabaho ko.”
She added how it's also perfect timing that her role in Onanay is not a villain.
“First time na hindi ako kontrabida,” she revealed.
“Sa lahat ng teleserye, kontrabida ko. After Daisy Siete ngayon lang ako tumanggap na kaibigan ng bida. So, ang gaan-gaan ng trabaho ko. Siguro, sinadya ng Diyos na ilagay ako sa ganitong role.
“Ang saya lang namin sa set. Tuwang-tuwa ako kay Onay [played by Jo Berry], tuwang-tuwa ako kay Nora Aunor. Lahat, magaan. Ang sarap katrabaho ng lahat.”