Where were you during your wife’s labour?

By Olaronke Jaiyeola

CHILD bearing is one of the most difficult aspects of womanhood which cannot be joked with. While many men played the supportive role, others just trivialise what their poor wives passed through each time they went into the labour room. Questions are constantly raised on whether men actually know the kind of pains their wives went through during child birth.

Mrs. Ayanwu, a middle aged woman and mother of three even recalled the love and care her hubby showered on her when she was about to deliver Ada, their first child. She added that if not for the presence and support of her better half, she would have died in the process because of nervousness.

Many homes and relationships have actually been strengthened because of the attitudes of husbands during this crucial stage of their lives.

ST Relationships caught up with some men who shared their experiences when their wives went into labour.

Mr. Popoola: It happened few years ago, I was in a state of anxiety; my heart was palpating as I had a heartfelt prayer that she should survive the process. Sighting blood coming from her brought fear into me and that alone made me have a greater respect for womanhood. My concern was her survival and I only looked and carried them (the twins she delivered) after my wife fully recovered. Remembering what she passed through that day makes me feel every woman should only give birth to just one child.

Mr. Bukola Oguntola: I have three children, two males and one female. My experience when my wife was to deliver our first born was a bad one because we had him when Nigeria was boiling with crisis. My wife went into labour about three days to her expected date of delivery and we ran to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
On getting there, she couldn’t deliver on the first and second day. It was on the third day when she could not deliver by herself that the doctors, who had been seeing me day and night at the hospital complex, advised that we opt for caeserian section and that I shouldn’t waste time, as the medical doctors and nurses would be proceeding on strike that day.

I consented to the operation and immediately they finished the operation on my wife, which was successful, the strike started and it was June 5, a week preceeding the usual June 12 strike.

Mr. Akin Ayodele: It was a great experience because my wife started labour around 2:00 a.m. and that left me panicking, because it was our first child. I had no choice but to call on my mother who she lived nearby. Both of us took her to the hospital. We had lots of experience on our way to the hospital, for instance, security men at each post kept asking us different questions before letting us through the post.

During the period of labour, I was at the hospital corridor pacing to and fro, praying for safe delivery.All through her pregnancy, I prayed to God to give us a boy as a first child, but the whole story wanted to change, as there were some elderly women on the corridor with me who told me it was a girl delivery that takes so long. To me, that means my wife was going to deliver a baby girl.

On hearing that, I became furious to the extent that I had to leave the corridor and continued to pray, confessing it was going to be a male child. I took that position for two hours and at around 9:00 a.m, nurses announced that my wife had delivered. Eagerly, I asked of the sex of the baby, and when I was told it was a bouncing baby boy, I shouted to the amazement of the earlier mentioned elderly women. Ah! It was a great experience.

Mr. Olagbemiro: I never knew it was going to be as tasking as it was that day. I was privileged to enter the labour ward with her and as labour progressed, she pulled my clothes, asking me to massage her back. As she cried and screamed, I did not know when I joined, as tears rolled down my cheeks. When told to push, I unconsciously pushed along with her until our baby boy was brought to life. The baby refused to cry and they needed to give him oxygen. They started battling with the cylinder which refused to open. I inquired what they needed to turn it on and was told they needed spanner. Immediately, like a mad man, I rushed to my car booth to get my spanners but on getting back to the room, my baby and wife were in good state of health.

Mr. Michael Obiwunmi: I was not at home when my wife went into labour, it was a neighbour that called me. When I got home, the scene I met was so shocking because I found my wife rolling on the floor as she held her tummy at the same time. Simultaneously, she held her back, groaning in pain. I was so confused that I did not know what to do or where to start from.

Then, in my confused state, I rushed down the street, waving a cab and a bike at the same time. It was the neighbour who insisted that I should take a cab. So, we both took the cab home, put my wife inside and it was on the way that the woman reminded me that I did not carry along the baby’s stuff. I alighted from the cab and asked them to go ahead to the hospital while I took a bike home to carry the baby’s stuff. When I got to the hospital, the nurses were mocking me because of the way I carried the bag with one hand and other stuff with the other. I didn’t give a damn, for all my concern was my wife’s safe delivery. To God’s glory, I was called about five minutes later that my wife had delivered a bouncing baby girl.

Mr. Akinpelu: I can never forget that day, it was on the 31st of December. We were in church that night for the cross-over service when she started groaning. I told her to relax a bit since we were almost through with the service. She tried to, but when she could no longer control herself, she started shouting, and the welfare president of the church came to her rescue and together with another woman, took her to the hospital at Idi. I was so scared but kept on praying because we were about entering into a new year and wouldn’t want any bad news. I went home to get the baby things and thank God, she gave birth in good time.

Mr. Popoola: I was at the office when they called me that my wife was in labour and was on her way to the hospital. I quickly rounded off my work to see her. On getting to the hospital, the doctor told me to be praying because she was losing blood. I was so scared that I started crying after some time.

The people there wondered why I cried like a baby, but they didn’t understand until the doctor later came to tell me that my wife had delivered a baby boy. I was so happy and the doctor laughed at me for crying.

Mr. Tunde Oladele : I was confused that day, it was our first child and we were the only ones at home. I noticed she was restless and aggressive, but when I asked her what was wrong , she only shunned me. Later, she told me she was about to deliver. Initially, I went blank but later took her to the hospital. She was given immediate attention when we got to the hospital and the nurse came back after an hour to tell me she had delivered a baby girl.

Alhaji Y. Adisa : When she wanted to deliver, I was just normal because I already have three wives and seven children. So, I did not even know how they all delivered because I am a very busy man. I just get informed.