MY PREGNANCY JOURNAL: MONTH 9

Finally, we are close to the end of the race. This month came with joy and nervousness. Joy because I was going to see and hold this beautiful human growing inside of me and nervousness because do I even know how to take care of a baby? I mean, I was still clueless about so many things.

My due date was getting closer, and I found myself panicking. I had this extra energy I can’t explain. I would clean the house and cook without stress. My husband would tell me to go and rest, but no o the energy was high. The one thing I hated about the third trimester was that you would urinate every minute. I hated when I had to get up in the middle of the night to pee.

I looked forward to carrying my bundle of joy, the movements had reduced, but I could still feel my baby. My due date was April 8, but the doctors wanted to work with April 6. I was due for surgery on April 6, but our baby had other plans. I started having contractions on April 4, and I thought it was normal stomach pain.

I tried using the restroom, but nothing came out; by the middle of the night, it became intense and closer. I had it for about 1-hour interval; by 6 am, it was about 30 minutes. I had to wake my husband up at this time because I was in severe pain, it felt like menstrual cramps, but it was intense.

I called my friend Damilola and explained how I felt, and she shouted, “you are in labour; go to the hospital”. I called my midwife, who told me to pack my bags and start coming. I was in labour, but I was scared, so you mean I will be a mommy today.

We got to the hospital around 7:30. My midwife had called my gynaecologist to tell him that I was in labour, so we met him at the hospital waiting for me. He checked the baby’s heartbeat and told me they would start getting me prepped for surgery.

I’ve read a lot about CS, but I was still scared. I kept praying under my breath, and mind you; I was still in intense labour pain. The gynae told me he couldn’t give me any medication for the pain because it could affect the baby.

They took me to my ward, and the theatre nurse came in to get me prepped up. I was moved into the theatre, and the anesthesiologist gave me a spinal epidural to numb the pain for the surgery. The surgery started, and the anesthesiologist, God bless his heart, was so lovely. He kept telling me different stories to distract me and keep me calm.

At 9:40 am on April 5, our miracle baby Reyna Oluwafifehanmi Enierioluwa made her way into the world. She was so pretty and perfect, I was so weak, but all I wanted to do was cry. When the nurse brought her to me, I was filled with many emotions. This little girl is mine. I just co-created with God, and it’s so beautiful. Her birth was a testimony. She came like a warrior and brought smiles to our faces.

After they took my baby away and tried to stitch me up, they realized my blood pressure was dropping, and I couldn’t breathe normally, so the anesthesiologist put me on oxygen. I had also lost a lot of blood, so they had to give me two pants of blood.

I knew God had promised that He was with me, so I knew I would not die on that operation table, the doctors did their best, and my blood pressure started returning to normal.

After the surgery, the doctor explained that my baby and I making it alive was a miracle. That was the day I understood what God meant when He told me to call her “Oluwafifehanmi, and he gave my husband, the name “EniEri”.

Oluwafifehanmi means God has shown me love; that theatre experience showed me that God loves me; at that point, when I was struggling to breathe, I didn’t even know what was going on, but God loves me. Enieri means the one of testimony, and this child is a testimony because God preserved her.

I was in the hospital for about five days because the doctors discovered I had a bladder wound when they were stitching me up, and they needed it to heal. I can tell you for free that God is faithful, and when He gives you a word, it will surely come to pass. I felt every inch of pain, but when I look at that child, I am reminded that indeed God loves me.

Thank you for showing up every day to read this journal. It means a lot to me. Thank you for sharing and your beautiful comments. I started this journal because I was bored, but I’m so glad I did because these memories are what I will cherish. I hope I made you laugh and made you realize that pregnancy is indeed a beautiful journey.

Dear pregnant woman, please take it easy on yourself. Your journey is not everybody’s own. You are different, so block out the noise and pick your strength in God. There is no award for suffer head, so take it easy and enjoy this phase. Please, if you need someone to talk to, I am just a message away. I promise to make you laugh.

To every TTC woman, momma, you are strong, and you are not a failure. God will come through for you, and you will testify.

It’s been a beautiful journey with you. Thank you!

I love you!

Onome.