“My baby”- a personal
experience.
It was past 10 at night when I started feeling the
contractions. I informed the senior wife as I didn’t want to alert my husband
to a false alarm. As it was my first pregnancy, I was nervous and excited.
Our husband however, caught a hint and came to my room
where we were deliberating. He wouldn't take risks he said, so off we went to
our neighbourhood clinic. As was usual, I was taken in for examination. Being
my first experience it was so awful that I can't describe the feeling.
She told me the baby was still far off so, I could
wait or go home. I decided to go home. But around 1a.m, my water broke so I had
to return to the clinic.
My labour wasn't very active, so that by 4pm I had to
be put on a drip to Induce active labour. It continued till the next morning.
The next morning, the doctor examined me a number of times; simultaneously
taking the foetal heart beat. Before the last examination, he told me that if
he found that the baby hadn't progressed significantly, then I would have to
undergo a caesarean section.
After yet another harrowing examination, he explained
to me that I had to undergo a caesarean section immediately. I was shocked but
not utterly. For a long time before then I had thought that a woman could never
undergo a caesarean section if the scan showed that the baby's head was
positioned downwards. This opinion got changed when I was told of a woman's
experience. While she was at home, the baby's head had already started coming
out. But when she got to the clinic, she was unable to push. So she had to be
operated upon.
Knowing this, I was still surprised, but not
completely. I was also disappointed because I wanted to experience the
fascinating process of delivering naturally. Though I was also relieved to know
that the labour pain would soon be over. Then I was happy, that finally the
9months wait was over. I would behold my baby and begin a new life as a mother.
They disinfected my pubic area and shaved it. Then I
was carried to the theatre. I was still experiencing painful contractions even
though I was no longer on a drip.
I was injected in my spine. They told me I would be
awake during the process. This frightened me. I couldn't imagine seeing all
that blood. They reassured me, but I was still afraid.
The first cut was painful, and then the second cut
too. I couldn't bear it so I protested. They bulged and injected me through the
drip. Before long, I had blanked out. In fleeting consciousness, I felt it as I
was being carried and laid on the bed. Then I heard the baby's cry. He made It.
Alhamdulillah! I could move my limbs and mouth. Eventually I could open my eyes
so I motioned for my baby to be brought closer. He had curly black hair. I
asked for his sex and was told he was a boy. When I regained full
consciousness, I was told he had been taken to the Intensive care unit.
A few days
later, a family friend and doctor in the company of my husband, mother and 2
others, gave me the news that I had lost him after delivery, due to some
complications after birth.
Painful! Really painful! But as a Muslim I could not
but absorb the words of comfort drawn from Islamic principle that were uttered
by the sister In Islam who broke the news. I still remember her words of
comfort, forcing its way to my heart. It was likened to the struggle of limbs
with a deep bloody wound struggling from receiving healing from the certain yet
stinging mentholated spirit.
With time my heart yielded, I felt the sting as well
as the pause in my concurrent weeping.
What a memory! Mummy... Mummy I cried as I held on to
her.
Then I shan't forget too, by God's will, those words
of comfort.
Dr Adigun knew the Importance of the words I needed.
So, despite being a woman and mother herself, she didn’t allow herself to be
overcome by emotion.
She encouraged me that I wasn't a failure. But that
rather, I was successful, because when a parent loses their child, the parent
is rewarded with Al-jannah. She also said that that moment was the moment to
declare my faith. I had to accept Allah's decree that supersedes our will. She
explained that I shouldn't wait till much later when I’d exhausted my tears and
grief. She said my submission had to be Immediate. Amidst her words of comfort
came torrents of fresh tears. I couldn't help it. She implored me not to think
of the 9months of pregnancy.
Alhamdulillah, the tears ceased for the moment. I
requested for a meal and soon I ate.
I got back home after a few days. A week after the
surgery, I went back to the clinic to remove only the plaster, my stitches were
not the kind you removed. They also cleaned my wound. Soon I became ill with
malaria and felt faint one day. I went for blood transfusion-a pack. Afterwards
I drank ugwu leaves juice alternated with malt and milk.
A lovely matron and friend of the family came around
frequently. She taught them how to massage my breast without forcing the milk
out. I remember shedding a few tears when I saw my breast milk fall.
Anyway, Alhamdulillah, the full breast soon
subsided as well as the malaria and the ache from the wound. I gradually
regained my health and appetite.
That's my story. Painful Induction; a caesarean
section; no baby.
But you know what? I'm alive plus many a woman with
such experiences have had baby/ies) afterwards and Insha’Allah I'll be rewarded
by Allah.
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