United Kingdom, March 28 -- Olivia Culpo has realised just how much she has "needed" her mother since becoming pregnant herself.

The 32-year-old model has announced she and her husband Christian McCaffrey - who married in June 2024 - are expecting their first baby together and now she has admitted that she has developed a newfound "respect" for her own mom Susan.

She told People: "I feel like I have a lot of respect for my mom and one thing that I realised through this experience of becoming a mom is actually how much I've needed my mom, which I didn't anticipate.

"She's just been so helpful to me, especially in the beginning of my pregnancy. That was really tough. It's just kind of an interesting thing, and I'm just so grateful to her...