Mariska Hargitay Once Shared Why She Tried to Treat Everyone Like They Were Pregnant
Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay’s life changed when she became pregnant, so much so she briefly considered leaving the show. But the way she was treated while she was pregnant made her want to change how she approached others as well.
Mariska Hargitay felt valued when she became pregnant
Hargitay couldn’t have been more excited when she discovered she was expecting. She and her husband, Peter Hermann, gave birth to a son they named August in 2006. She hadn’t experienced any of the physical signs of being pregnant just yet. But she couldn’t wait for the journey towards childbirth.
“Nobody wanted to be pregnant more than me,” Hargitay once told Self (via People). “From the minute I found out, I was wearing full-on maternity pants. My stomach was totally flat, mind you, but I was just so excited.”
When Hargitay’s pregnancy started to reveal itself, however, she noticed that even complete strangers went out of their way to make sure she was comfortable. Which left her with an unforgettable impression.
“When I was pregnant, I was so huge and people on the bus would get up for me. That made me feel so precious and valued and valuable. I try to treat everyone like they’re pregnant,” she once said in an interview with USA Today.
It’s not just her, however, but she tries to pass down the same values to her children.
“When we’re on the street and someone drops something, I pick it up. If you stop for one second and do something, everyone is happy,” she said. “You pay it forward and it comes back to you twelve-fold.”
Mariska Hargitay was overwhelmed by her lack of energy after becoming pregnant
Pregnancy was an entirely new experience for Hargitay which required her to become reacquainted with her body again. For instance, she was feeling less energetic than she typically did when she was fit. Additionally, the Emmy winner also had to get used to the constant cravings that came with being pregnant.
“I was overwhelmed by my lack of energy. All I could do to survive was to eat,” she said.
“First time pregnant, you’re like, I gotta eat more! I have to make sure he has enough of every single food group! I did get into eating too much. This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn’t mobile. Next time, I want to keep myself as strong as possible, so everything will go easier for me,” Hargitay added.
But the challenges that came with pregnancy didn’t discourage Hargitay from ever having another child. In fact, she looked forward to experiencing the process all over again someday.
“After getting pregnant I felt so different about my body. I felt like it was a sanctuary, like August’s house. It was like, somebody lives there now—I’ve got to keep it nice and strong and healthy for him. And so now I’m thinking that someone else is going to live there someday soon, so I’ve got to get it ready. It’s very exciting,” she said.
Mariska Hargitay knew she’d be having more kids, although she wasn’t sure she’d be pregnant again
Hargitay and her son August both wanted to add more additions to the family. Eventually, they would. She and husband Peter Hermann would adopt a son and a daughter a couple of years after giving birth to August. Before her two other kids came into her life, Hargitay felt it might’ve been unlikely that she’d become pregnant again. However, she had faith that she’d find a way to expand her family eventually.
“August wanted siblings, and Peter and I both envisioned this big family because we both come from that. Plus, we just had so much love to give,” she said in an interview with the Joyful Heart Foundation. “I was really letting the chips fall as they might, because I do think so much is up to God. I always said, ‘I don’t know how this is going to end up. I don’t know if I’m going to get pregnant and have twins. I don’t know if somebody’s going to leave a baby on my doorstep. But I really did think that down the line, Peter and I would adopt a child. That was always part of the plan.”
