This prompt "An Unforgettable Event" has brought a rush of memories and nostalgia. It was when I gave birth to my daughter.
After I was done with university, I wondered what I’d do with my life; there were no jobs and NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) was going to take a bit of time before it got to my set. Staying at home and doing nothing, wasn’t something I wanted , so I thought of learning a skill.
Growing up I have always loved braiding people's hair, I knew some basics like washing and conditioning hair properly, weaving cornrows and finishing the ends of braids with extensions. That was my cue to learn braiding as a skill, since I had a passion for it, I also wanted to learn so I could take care of my children's hair in the future.
I was almost done learning, when I was called to serve my fatherland and in the process of it all, my coursemate got engaged. Wedding bells rang, I was her bridesmaid. It was a massive wedding, shortly after, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.
It was then I began wondering what it would be like to have a child of my own, I had always feared giving birth because of the unpleasant stories I’d heard surrounding child bearing, women losing their lives in the process, the pain of sometimes losing a baby after nine months of carrying them, etc.
How does it feel to produce a human being from your belly? I asked my coursemate, as I held her baby in my arms. She talked about how great it felt and shared so many other things she experienced, before and after her baby’s birth—she sounded so happy. And for the first time, I thought there was nothing to really be scared of.
Months later, I was done with NYSC, I got a job and then met my husband. After a modest wedding, I took in the same month we got married, and became due exactly nine months later. But I had to give birth through caesarean section—my fears returned, I was scared! The doctor said I could lose my life if I gave birth through normal delivery, so that was a no-go area.
I had my husband and family around who gave me the strength and courage to undergo the operation.
Two hours after the operation, I opened my eyes and saw my mom holding my baby in her hands. She handed my baby over to me and as I held my daughter, she was asleep and healthy, I began crying. I was overwhelmed with joy, from holding her for the first time, to watching her take her very first step, to hearing her call me Mummy, will forever be strings of unforgettable events in my life.
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Thank you for reading🙏
