She was neither an Ajebo nor Ajepako, she was just an Ajesomething.This is a sure way to describe Bimpe,a lady who just got married 9months ago and 9months pregnant. She and her husband must have done the hummn hummn immediately after the wedding reception! Bimpe 's mum was so happy,she wanted to see her grandchild so quick.She has been giving Bimpe different concoction to take in addition to a regular medical check up. Bimpe has been told already about her small pelvis, and her baby would probably be an Opa mefa o to fila. She was therefore informed for a probable Caesarean section due to suspected macrosomia(bigbaby) but her mother calmed her down. 'Kini mi yi ni mo fi bi e,iwo na ma bi tie lagbara olorun (I had you per vagina,so shall you have yours),Baba daddy wa ,Olorun Babalola,olorun baba CAC oke irorun parish'. She reassured her that she would have a normal delivery per vagina. When mother says No,who can say yes? Not even any daddy with constituted authority! Bimpe is not going to have a CS done,gbam!
Fasting went over fasting,concortion meeting concortions,so many kegs of water full of sodium chloride from a 'powerful' pastor. Bimpe had salt water already prayed on every 48 hours per oral. No CS se! When she got to the end of third trimester,the dosage of the Salt water was increased and changed to a 24hourly thing.Ante-natal clinic was discontinued by her mother. She was doing fine.
A few weeks later; Gengengengen!
'Ye my back,my stomach ,aahash',she screamed as she was being taken to the hospital.She was admitted,her vital signs were taken,Too bad,her baby is now presenting with Yansh (breech presentation).These are the kind of babies that grow up to oppress guys with their 'uku',I wished this was true!As the nurse came close to take her with a foetoscope to check the fetal heart rate,she shouted ,'Nurse please take this thing off me,I have pain,ha mogbe! The doctor educated on the need for a Section due to increased Fetal heart rate and cephalopelvic disproportion,coupled with the breech presentation.The mother said it was 'ogun esu' ,as she started jerking.She started skeboshing and firing prayers on the walk way.
Bimpe was a primipara (First time being pregnant),apart from menstrual pain which she seldomly experience,no pain has ever been as much as she is experiencing in the labor room.
'Ye,ah,Jesu,mo ku,mogbe ,Ayo ,Ayo o',Bimpe cried,calling her husband's name .She promised not be pregnant again to avoid the labor pain. The poor Bimpe's husband was not around to see how his woman was yelling in pain. He was only used to Bimpe yelling 'Ayo' when she is moaning on that soft bed,not on a couch.
After so much lectures from the health team,so much pain on Bimpe and perceived distress from the foetus ,they agreed on going for a Caesarean section with one-corner mind.
Dikakadikaka,the consent was being sought and form signed, theatre was set. Within 45 minutes,the surgical operation was done,the baby had a deprived oxygen though but necessary treatments were given. It came out successful.
If I were God,I would have been confused on whose prayer to answer,the mother's prayer for a vaginal delivery or the doctor's prayer for a successful surgical operation!
We are moving forward. We are gradually passing the stage of getting scared to have a Caesarean section.
Those days ,when you tell someone you have a child from a C-section,it’s as if you have come to their throne of mercy. They will shower with sympathy.
‘’Ha,o ma se o,epele,eyah,hmmn,oga ,’’.Even if the child is already a teen,they will still give that pity look and shake their heads 5 times per minute. Do they think children born through C-section will dwell in the theatre forever ? Or maybe live by the knife of the surgeon?
Some feel that C-section weakens bond between mother and child. There’s no known proof of ‘’electrovalency’’ of vagina delivery. In Nigeria,likely factors affecting emotional bonding of a mother to her baby at first few hours of the baby’s life is the sex of the baby,position of the baby in the family (Apart from the health status of the mother and baby).Just negodu having 6 girls already and the new born is also a female😀. At an hour,the bond becomes van Der Waal. 🤣.
It’s better for some women to have a Caesarean section when relaxed than to suffer the stress of awaiting a vaginal delivery.
Calling Pastors,Imams and taking concoction has been the usual intervention. Pray,but then do the needful . C-section is not a curse. It’s a surgical intervention to a problem.
Things are changing. There is a patient choice C-Section now (elective CS) where women render to Caesar things that are Caesar’s. Here,you just decide to have a C-section done. I bet some mothers-in-law may feel you are possessed if you suggest this in the village. Tufia! Not my grandson!
Things are changing.Even testimonies of normal delivery over a C-section is no longer a big deal in church. People prefer to hear testimonies that you got a visa to run out of Nigeria.
Caesarean section is not a curse. Let it be done when necessary. Don’t risk your lives for superstitious beliefs.
Graphic designer : Oluwafemi Akinyomi
Story by : kikelomo sowore