Page 40 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 22

Health & Healing

and they had to be hospitalized for can actually move to the hospitals
one reason or the other, and they quicker, but there’s still that cultural
were due to give birth, and so they belief in the power of the woman
gave birth in hospital. And, slowly, during childbirth and there’s the
hospitals started taking in pregnant element of “I really just want to
women who were in their childbear- have my own freedom, my own kind
ing phase of life. of way when I am doing this”, that
But we do know, historically, most is accompanied by the fact that “I
women in most societies in the am a woman I’d really like to have
world, women gave birth at home. somebody else assist me and if we
It was recognized as one of the rites go to the hospitals that won’t be it
of passage for the woman and there because they won’t allow Chioma to
were such good vibes around it and come in with me or I’ll just be with
like you’re saying it’s a natural thing. the nurses who I don’t know.”
You’re not sick, so why would you But now looking at it from a 2022
be in hospital this is part of a wom- perspective, there are many women
an’s life, so let’s have it happen in the who have come full circle where
home and celebrate it in the home. natural things, not just birth, but
products and hair and food is really
Yes, because we are, more becoming a trend. And so people
and more, hearing about there are doing lots of research to find
being regulations around it to out what really is this childbirth
the point where giving birth in about and how can I do this with-
the home is now looked upon out a lot of interventions? That
as if it’s backward or rebel- realization that you can actually do
it, if you are well and your baby is
lious. Either you are ignorant well, you can do it safely at home, is
also they are the vulnerable of our or poor and you can’t afford something that a lot of people are
society.” So, the pregnant women, a hospital visit, or you’re just embracing. I must say that because
the children and the elderly were trying to be different. And it I have done these out of hospital
rescued and put in this safe haven doesn’t seem to have taken a births for slightly over 10 years now
that was the hospital. Then, espe- very long time for us to have it’s changed the numbers are gradu-
cially for the pregnant women, there moved from homebirths to ally increasing but there is still that
was the thought of “When are they hospital births and then now “Are you really fine? What’s your
going to have these babies and go to demonizing people who are problem? Why would you choose
back to the society?” And it is said just trying to do it at home. this when you have a hospital like
that is where the thoughts about Are you seeing a greater in- 2 kilometers away even if it was
childbirth in hospital, especially 20 you can call a cab or drive there
induction of labor started. And then crease in people who just want what is it?” There’s still that ques-
once the war was over and people to have their babies in their tion and people look at you like you
went back, there were these women houses? really aren’t serious with your life to
who thought it was actually nice Yes, I can say that. I get caught up choose a homebirth but honestly if
to be in a hospital and of course answering that question, especial- you’re well, baby is well we say the
because the birth of the obstetri- ly in an Afrikan set-up because in safety is balanced.
cians and the midwives had now most countries in Afrika, especially
come with all that, slowly hospitals focusing in Kenya which is where What kind of interventions do
started giving care to women who we are at, a lot of women still give people usually experience in
were pregnant and women who birth at home. And yes, we must hospitals?
were giving birth. That’s one of the credit our governments for trying to Well, you know the truth is, like you
earliest stories we have and it seems make it such that healthcare facilities rightfully said in the comment your
to be the one that features the most. are closer to the people and then the husband made, I always say birth
Of course, there was the element improvement of infrastructure that found itself in the wrong environ-
of women who were really sick makes roads available and people ment. We may not accept that but

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