CESAREAN BIRTH: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE
The one thing I love best about Nigeria is how our culture shapes us and the mix of religion to it makes it more wonderful, it literally influences every aspect of our lives from how to relate with people especially the elderly to the kind of food we eat and the cloth we wear. Growing up as a child we are ingrained with different beliefs, one thing that I know is hardly ever discussed in a Nigerian home is pregnancy and birth, in short it’s like a taboo
for people to even know you are pregnant till the bump really comes out and when it comes out and you notice its best you don’t come out blatantly and ask about the pregnancy if you are not a close friend or adult.
I grew up with the fear of cesarean birth too; not to exaggerate it’s not fear I just had it in my head that cesarean birth is bad not an option with little or no knowledge about it. I remember some years back my cousin was pregnant and had to deliver through cesarean birth, I was literally panicking for her, and it was like ‘What! C-section why c-section?, what happened?” it was like a great affliction befell her at that point, but she came out fine and good and baby was fine( found out later she had a small pelvis and didn’t have sex throughout her period of pregnancy) now at this point am like no way I must have sex during pregnancy no c-section for me. I got the opportunity to come in contact with more pregnant women and mothers and then I heard the words “I would give birth like the Hebrew woman” to be sincere these very words used to annoy me to my very bones, I was at a point in my life where I was more knowledgeable about c-section and more accepting of it ,I didn’t even mind having one ; so these words didn’t make sense to me. To me c-section was like no stress, no pushing, no pain, no laboring for 18 hours or more so it just seemed like the best option for me.
Fast forward to recent events, I realized that Nigerian women run from c-section a lot and this has cost some of these women their lives and the lives of their babies. once had a client who was advised to have a c-section she literally rejected it on the spot we counseled her and did all the necessary talk but well it didn’t work because she didn’t come back for the c-section. One day she was wheeled in for an emergency c-section and we narrowly saved her life, the baby was far gone. I was quite sad and angry about this case because she eventually had a c-section for a dead baby when she could have had one for a live baby and now she had to deal with grief. From this and other c-section stories have heard I learnt it never really goes well if you are to go for a c-section and you don’t just maybe a few exceptions to the rule because I believe in exceptions , truth be told nobody wants to really subject anyone under the knife c-section is a last resort most times. Right now I have moved from considering a c-section to wanting a vaginal delivery there is nothing like having nature take its course, but not everyone would have a vaginal delivery.
So what is the moral lesson to what have been saying ,I know some are wondering well basically all am trying to say is if you have been advised to have a c-section don’t run away and put your life into the hands of a quack. If you don’t see reasons why you should have one talk to your doctor or midwife they would be glad to explain to you the reason you can’t have a vaginal delivery am sure you would see reason with them.
I definitely wish everyone a safe delivery however way you have it the goal is a healthy mother and healthy baby.
sharing excites me, share your cesarean birth story with me
I totally agree with you. I have encountered a man whose wife gave birth with a c-section. He was stressed due to the fact that relatives were complaining upandan about allowing his wife to have a CS. Instead of just rejoicing about the health of mother and child.
The Nigerian mentality towards some particular things is quite backward.
C-section stories can be quite sad sometimes and it reduces lots of health risks for women and Their babies which many people don’t know.
[…] use drugs or not, who would be present during your delivery, if she wants a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section and a lot of other important details she just might need your help in making a decision that is […]