Hello! Hello!! Hello!!! It’s another beautiful moment of musings at nighttime. I want to welcome you to PILLOW TALK WITH FLOURISH. Sit back, relax and muse with me.
Have you ever been to a Nigerian wedding? If your answer is yes, please, let us gather here for a selfie (camera clicks). We do know that wedding ceremonies could be intense. Everyone involved wants everything to go well before, during and after the wedding. Hence, many people prepare so hard and pray as well. I am sure you can relate with this in a better way if you have been seriously involved in a sibling’s or friend’s wedding.
Today, we will consider a usual saying (or prayer actually) at this particular occasion. Here is the prayer: won ò ní fi abe gbèbí fún ìyàwó wa o (this bride will not go under the knife for a delivery). Does that prayer ring a bell? Good! I am sorry (and also not sorry) for my thought and prayer on this. I actually modify the prayer! I just pray sincerely from my heart that the couple will enjoy the privilege of parenthood and the wife will deliver her babies safely.
After the wedding, certain family members and in fact, the general public begin to check the wife out. They are expecting to see a gradually bulging tummy. (I think this idea is changing already because a number of couples still want to have each other to themselves before they start to receive the heavenly gifts). Fast forward to the pregnancy journey, the wife is pregnant (hurray!). This period is filled with lots of thoughts, symptoms, hospital visits, advice from senior people, preparation for childbirth and motherhood among others.
Now to the mode of delivery, I have heard a number of comments which I consider funny (and unnecessary). These comments include “nobody has ever had a Caesarean section in our family” or “I have made a covenant with my Creator” or “if you cannot give birth on your own, you are a weakling.” I am sure you know that many lives (mother and/or baby) have been lost to the cold hands of death because of some choices. Here is a question that has always bothered me. “Is the knife a curse?” I guess it’s not! Our amazing physicians encourage vaginal delivery really well. However, there are cases where they would strongly advise against such. What if the baby is big or in a breech presentation or there is placental abruption or failure to progress in labour or other indications (both fatal and maternal) for a vaginal delivery not to occur? Or maybe everything happens and the wife delivers from the birth canal with minimal assistance?
What I have been thinking about is the fact that having a Caesarean section done for a woman- maybe you, your wife, sister, mother, aunt or friend is not a curse. I understand that there might be some misconceptions based on what might have happened before but things are very much better now. I mean, things are really better.
These days, many of the incisions done are cosmetic-friendly (she can still wear that bikini later, trust me). The baby can also be shown to the woman while on the table (and asked to say the baby’s gender). She is placed on the necessary drugs and the wound is dressed. For many of them (which I have seen), by the third day, the wound is healing at a fantastic rate.
The point is whatever method is adopted to keep the mother and baby safe and alive is the best way. If you would ask me, I think the safest way is the best way.
Thank you for staying with me tonight.
I will be honoured to receive your comments and contributions. You can send me a direct message or leave a response here. Let’s rub minds together and influence our environment.
See you on Friday, God willing.
Hasta la vista!
Flourish.