I had to quit my job…
Clarence and Pauline Amuhoyi are the proud parents of six month old baby Tawny. Pauline tells us about their experiences as new parents…
In as much as the pregnancy was planned for, when I found out I was pregnant, I was very excited yet scared and anxious all at the same time. She was born on February 14, 2010, which makes her my Valentine baby. She weighed 3-5kgs and when my due date drew closer, I started walking all over the place with my bag ready in preparation for her birth, but the labour never came.
The beginning
The first month of my pregnancy was very difficult.
I had to receive weekly injections to avoid having a miscarriage. This was because I had a miscarriage before and the drugs they were injecting me with were assisting the baby to attach to the placenta. I also suffered from night sickness instead of morning sickness. I would vomit a lot during the night after I came home from an eleven hour shift. I was alone most of the nights because Clarence would work night shifts. I also had a hard time tolerating rice and stew during this time.
I loved eating fries and chili as well as sausage choma. I did not like people buying it for me so I used to walk long distances every day to get them. I also loved shopping for baby’s items without knowing the sex of the baby because it was exciting. We wanted to be surprised when the baby was born.
The challenges
During my third trimester, I could not walk because the baby was heavy. I was put on bed rest and I therefore had to quit my job. The baby also took a long time to turn and I was therefore prepared to have a C-section.
When Tawny was born, we were discharged after three days only to be back to the hospital. Her eyes got yellow and she developed a fever, so we rushed her back to hospital. She was tested and found to have Jaundice and a bacterial infection, and had to be admitted.
I also had to breastfeed her with one breast and express the other after I developed cracks on one nipple. We were not told that there was a special cream we were meant to buy from the hospital for me to apply on my breasts during the pregnancy to avoid cracks.
With Clarence working out of the country, I find it difficult being both mother and father to Tawny. It is hard to make decisions without him, especially medical decisions and I find that I have to do some things without necessarily consulting him due to their urgency.
First weeks
During the first few weeks, baby Tawny slept during the day and was wide awake at night. This was really hard on me as I found it difficult sleeping during the day when she was asleep, and had to be awake when she was even though she did not cry. I found myself dosing off from time to time while carrying her at night because she used to breastfeed a lot.
Favourites
My favourite times have been the milestones she has gone through so far – being able to make the mouth bubble and also sitting. Now she rolls around, makes sounds and has started laughing.
Fears
I am afraid of going back to work as finding a reliable house help out there is very difficult. I need someone to take care of Tawny like she is her own baby.
Finally, my wishes for Tawny are that she grows to be God fearing, to get the best that I can give her, and to have an open relationship with me like I had with my mother.
END: BL37/34