My Journey from Two Lines to Motherhood

The FINAL episode.

Previously on Pregnancy Shege… 😂

I had survived the first trimester.

I had survived the thirst.

The hunger.

The heartburn.

The glow that turned out to be a trap.

Then my skin declared war.

My soap betrayed me.

My pelvis resigned.

My chest started giving me problems.

And somewhere along the way, I went from thinking:

“Pregnancy isn’t so bad.”

to:

“Okay… so this is actually pregnancy.” 😭

But there was still one major part of the story I hadn’t experienced.

Labour.

And honestly?

I was terrified.

Not necessarily because I thought something bad would happen.

I just had absolutely no idea what to expect.

How would I know it had started?

Would I recognise the contractions?

Would I be screaming?

Would I faint?

Would I behave like the women in Nollywood? 😂

Would I know when it was time to go to the hospital?

Spoiler alert:

I did not know as much as I thought I did.

27 Weeks: Hello, Braxton Hicks 

Disclaimer

This series is based on my personal pregnancy experience and is shared for storytelling, education and entertainment. Every pregnancy is different, and my experience may not be the same as yours. The information shared is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your own pregnancy, symptoms or concerns.

At about 27 weeks, towards the end of my second trimester, I had my first Braxton Hicks contraction.

It was mild.

Very mild, actually.

And because I already knew what Braxton Hicks were, I wasn’t particularly alarmed.

But I still thought:

“Isn’t this a little early?”

Apparently not.

Braxton Hicks can happen before labour and are often irregular, relatively brief and don’t progressively build in the same way established labour contractions do. 

Mine eventually settled after a few days.

And this was around the time I had joined Pregnancy Aware by Sabi Doctor.

Honestly?

Best decision.

One of the things I appreciated most was having a place where I could ask questions, hear from other pregnant women and learn that some of the things I was experiencing weren’t as strange as I thought.

Sabi Doctor’s weekend classes were particularly helpful to me, and I also had somewhere to take my questions and concerns instead of sitting alone wondering:

“Is this normal or am I in trouble?” 😂

So if you’re pregnant and looking for an online pregnancy education/support community, Pregnancy Aware was a valuable part of my own journey.

And yes, I am giving them their flowers because they genuinely helped me feel more informed during my pregnancy.

Of course, an online platform should complement not replace your own antenatal care and healthcare team.

Me and Exercise Finally Had a Conversation

I was advised to do some mild exercise to help with the cramps.

Now, if you’ve been following this series, you already know that me and exercise were like oil and water.

We simply did not mix.

But pregnancy had humbled me enough that I was willing to try.

So I started doing some mild exercises.

Did it magically make everything disappear?

No.

But it did help me become more aware of my body.

I started paying attention to how I moved, what made me uncomfortable and what actually made me feel better.

And honestly, that became one of the biggest lessons of my pregnancy:

You learn your body differently when you are carrying another human being.

Third Trimester: Ah. So This Is Where We Are Going? 

And then I entered my third trimester.

Suddenly, I started experiencing things I hadn’t really dealt with before.

For starters…

I had never had cough or catarrh throughout the pregnancy.

Not once.

Then third trimester came and said:

“Don’t worry. Let me correct that.” 😂

I eventually had a mild bout of catarrh around 35 weeks that lasted a few days and stopped on its own.

I was also much more tired.

More sleepy during the day.

And somehow…

wide awake at night.

My body would be saying:

“Madam, you need rest.”

My brain would say:

“Excellent. Let’s stay awake till 3 a.m.”

Meanwhile, Baby was becoming more active.

Well…

more active by his own standards. 😂

Because my baby was a gentle boy.

I had heard pregnant women describe kicks that would make them stop whatever they were doing and ask:

“WHO IS KICKING ME FROM INSIDE?” 😂

But my boy?

He wasn’t interested in violence.

He was just doing small:

“Mummy, I’m here.”

wiggle

“Okay, carry on.”

My earlier scan had shown a posterior placenta, and because I wasn’t experiencing those dramatic kicks I had heard people describe, I sometimes wondered if my placenta had somehow moved to the front.

Later, another scan showed that the placenta was fundal.

What I eventually understood is that the placenta doesn’t simply “pack its bags” and move around the way we might imagine. Its apparent position can look different as the uterus grows and changes shape, which is one reason later scans may describe its location differently.

And of course, baby’s position and the placenta’s location can affect how movement feels.

So my baby’s gentle movements weren’t necessarily a sign that anything was wrong.

He was just minding his business.

34 Weeks: My Tailbone Had Had Enough 😭

At 34 weeks, my tailbone introduced itself.

And guys…

I do not wish this pain on my enemy.

Sitting hurt.

Standing hurt.

Changing position hurt.

Basically, existing had become a group project.

When I complained at the hospital, I was told it was one of those pregnancy discomforts that can happen as the baby grows and moves lower.

And my mum had her own explanation:

“This boy is on your waist… abi your bumbum.”

😂😂😂

And I was like:

“Of ALL the places this child could position himself, it was my bum?” 😩

I tried massaging the area.

I tried a hot-water bottle.

Nothing seemed to convince my tailbone to cooperate.

Eventually, I reached the stage of acceptance.

I realised:

This pain wasn’t going anywhere until this boy came out.

And unfortunately…

I was right. 🥹

36 Weeks: Okay, This Is Getting REAL 😩

By 36 weeks, my body had entered a completely different mode.

The back pain.

The waist pain.

Getting out of bed becoming a whole operation.

And then came these strange little contractions in my lower back.

They would come suddenly, almost like an electric shock…

ZAP.

Then disappear after a few seconds.

At first, maybe once or twice a day.

So I observed them.

But then I started thinking:

“Wait o… my EDD is still about a month away!”

I knew babies could arrive before or after their estimated due dates, but I wasn’t expecting my body to start rehearsing this early.

I reached out to the doctors and was reassured that these kinds of contractions can occur as pregnancy progresses.

But that was the moment something shifted inside me.

Because suddenly…

the baby wasn’t just some distant future event anymore.

This thing was becoming real.

36 Weeks: And Then Malaria Entered the Chat 😭

At around 36 weeks, I started feeling feverish.

Cold.

Chilly.

Headache.

At first I thought:

“Pregnancy shenanigans again.”

But by the second day, the chills were getting worse.

So I contacted Sabi Doctor. I contacted him frequently mostly because my antenatal hospital was far from home and I needed someone/somewhere I could quickly call if anything comes up.

He advised me to get tested.

I did.

And there it was.

Malaria.

And it was high.

That was one of the moments pregnancy stopped being funny for me.

I knew malaria was common in Nigeria.

I knew pregnant women were advised to take malaria prevention seriously.

But experiencing it while heavily pregnant was different.

I was so weak.

And it made me understand in a very personal way why malaria in pregnancy is not something to casually dismiss.

Pregnant women are at increased risk of serious malaria illness, and malaria can contribute to complications such as anaemia, premature delivery and low birth weight. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important. 

Thankfully, we caught mine and I started treatment immediately.

And looking back, I am grateful I didn’t simply say:

“It’s probably pregnancy.”

Because sometimes, something that looks like another pregnancy symptom is actually something that needs attention.

37 Weeks: Anxiety Joined the Pregnancy Too 😭

By 37 weeks, I had entered the final stretch.

And with it came something I hadn’t expected to feel so strongly:

anxiety.

I am naturally the type of person who gets anxious when I’m about to do something I’ve never done before.

If I’ve never been somewhere before, my brain will create a full documentary about what could happen. 😂

So imagine knowing that you are about to experience something you’ve never experienced in your entire life.

Labour.

I had questions.

What does labour actually feel like?

Will I know when it starts?

Will I know when it’s serious?

What will the labour ward look like?

What will the nurses be like?

Will I be scared?

Will I scream?

Will I behave like the women in movies?

Will I be able to handle it?

And most importantly:

Will I even know when it is time?

My brain had officially opened a 24-hour cinema.

And every night, it played a different labour scenario.

😭😂

38 Weeks: My Bladder Also Wanted Attention 😂

By 38 weeks, the Braxton Hicks had returned.

And this time, they were stronger.

My mum was already with me.

And then there was another development:

I started peeing every 10-20 minutes. 😂

At this point, sleep had become a luxury.

I remember going to the salon around 38 weeks to make my hair because, obviously…

my baby could not meet his mother looking like a homeless person. 😂😂😂

Guys.

I peed about 15 times or more before that hair was finished.

FIFTEEN.

At some point, I was basically doing:

Hair.

Bathroom.

Hair.

Bathroom.

Hair.

Bathroom.

😭

And remember I still had tailbone pain and cramps.

At that point I told myself:

“Madam, whatever is happening, just cooperate. We are almost at the finish line.”

Because there was no point fighting my body anymore.

I just needed to make it to the other side.

38 Weeks + 2 Days: “Is This Boy Still Sleeping?” 😂

At 38 weeks and 2 days, my mum basically looked at me like:

“So you and this baby are still sleeping?” 😂

By then, we’d started going on daily walks.

But sleeping was becoming increasingly difficult.

I could barely lie down comfortably, so sometimes I ended up sitting to sleep.

The Braxton Hicks were stronger but still irregular.

I contacted the doctor again.

He asked how far apart the contractions were and, based on what I was describing, told me there was no need to rush to the hospital yet.

So I stayed home.

I watched.

I waited.

I prayed.

And I managed the pain.

38 Weeks + 4 Days: Surely This Is It? 😭

By 38 weeks and 4 days, it felt like the whole world had relocated to my waist.

The contractions were there.

But still irregular.

From everything I had been taught, I understood that established labour generally involves contractions becoming longer, stronger and more frequent, while irregular tightenings may not yet mean active labour. 

So I thought: “Okay. Not yet.”

Meanwhile, my body was clearly having a different conversation. 😂

38 Weeks + 5 Days: The Night I Finally Said “Okay, Let’s Go.” 🥹

I barely slept that night.

I was awake timing contractions.

The pain had become more intense.

Still irregular.

Still confusing.

But something had changed.

That morning, my husband said:

“Let’s go to the hospital.”

And I said:

“Not yet.” 😂

Because I hadn’t experienced the dramatic pain I had always seen pregnant women describe.

No screaming.

No collapsing.

No:

“AHHHHHHHHHH!”

So I thought:

“Wait. Is this actually labour? Or has Nollywood lied to us our entire lives?” 😂😂😂

That morning, strangely enough, I even felt energetic.

So I decided:

Today, I will finally do squats.

I had been learning about exercises and stretches that can help prepare the body for labour, and I thought:

Let me do something.

Also…

I did not want to give birth in August.

It was already July 27.

And I had mentally informed my baby:

“Sir, we are not entering next month.” 😂

So after my morning walk, I did squats for the first time.

I took my bath.

I dressed up.

And before I continued with my day, I spoke to my baby.

Basically:

“My dear, it is time o. Everybody is waiting. It was never our plan to enter August, so why are you still lounging in there?”

😂😂😂

That night, I did another round of squats before bed.

And then…

I couldn’t sleep.

The Longest Night 😩

The contractions were becoming more painful.

I couldn’t lie down.

So I sat in the living room.

Awake.

Watching the clock. Timing contractions.

Waiting.

Still wondering:

“Is this actually it?”

Eventually, around 3 a.m., this was now 38 weeks & 6days … I woke my mum.

I told her:

“I don’t think we should stay back anymore. We need to go in. If they check me and say it’s not time, we’ll come back.”

She agreed.

I woke my husband and told him the same thing.

We decided we’d get ready at 5 a.m.

And then, before leaving the house…

I went to the bathroom.

When I finished, I noticed blood stains.

At that point, there was no more debate.

My bags had already been packed for weeks.

We got ready.

And headed to the hospital.

“Madam, You’re Already 6cm.” 😳

We got to the hospital around 7 a.m.

I explained what I had been experiencing.

They checked me.

And then came the words I was absolutely not expecting:

I was already 6 cm dilated.

And they could feel my baby’s head.

😳

SIX.

CENTIMETRES.

Meanwhile, I was at home thinking:

“Maybe it’s still Braxton Hicks.”

😭😭😭

That was the moment I realised just how different every pregnancy and every woman’s experience can be.

I had spent days waiting for the kind of pain I’d seen other women describe.

I was waiting for contractions to become perfectly regular.

I was waiting for the movie version of labour.

Meanwhile…

my baby was already making his way out.

I had been experiencing labour without it looking exactly like the labour I had imagined.

And that taught me something I will never forget:

Never use another woman’s pregnancy or labour experience as the measuring stick for your own.

Your body may communicate differently.

Your labour may begin differently.

Your pain may feel different.

Your timeline may be different.

Learn the signs, stay in touch with your healthcare team, and let your own body and medical assessment guide you.

The Nigerian Federal Hospital Experience 😂😭

I was admitted immediately.

But I didn’t actually enter the labour room until around 11:30 a.m.

Paperwork.

This.

That.

One thing.

Another thing.

You know…

Federal hospital things. 😂😭

And while all of this was happening, I was still walking around.

Actually exercising 😂

If somebody had seen me walking around that morning without knowing what was happening, they might never have guessed that:

Madam was already 6 cm dilated and booked for delivery.

My mum kept telling me to rest.

But rest where?

My mind was running at 1000 km/hour.

I was thinking about everything.

The baby.

The labour.

What would happen next.

Whether I could do it.

Whether everything would be okay.

I couldn’t even sit comfortably.

So I kept moving.

Then I Entered the Labour Room.

And honestly…

all I can say is: GOD IS FAITHFUL.

Because whatever I had imagined labour would feel like…

I was not prepared 😂😭

The pain was out of this world.

And I now understand why women who have given birth say: “You can’t explain it to someone who hasn’t experienced it.”

Because you really can’t.

There are things you can read.

Things you can watch.

Things people can tell you.

But some experiences only make complete sense when you live them.

And throughout it all…

I had one song in my mouth:

“Yahweh Sabaoth” by Nathaniel Bassey.

That song became my prayer.

My focus.

My reminder.

God was there.

And I was not alone.

I was surrounded by kind midwives and nurses who helped me tremendously.

Because it was my first time, so many things were new to me.

But having people around me who knew what they were doing, who guided me and helped me through those moments, made a huge difference.

And then…

after everything…

after all the waiting…

all the questions…

all the fear…

all the pain…

all the prayers…

2:44 p.m.

🥹❤️

My boy arrived.

At 2:44 p.m.

My son.

My miracle.

My birthday prayer.

The baby I once thought I had lost.

The little life I had prayed for.

The baby whose name was revealed to me four years before I ever knew what this pregnancy would look like.

Zimchikachim.

And the moment they placed him in my arms…

Something happened.

The weight lifted.

The fear lifted.

The pain suddenly felt like something I had passed through.

And what I felt most strongly was:

PEACE.

Not just relief.

Not just happiness.

Peace.

For me, it was supernatural.

I looked at this baby and remembered why I had given him that name.

Zimchikachim.

God has done it for me.

And truly…

there is none like Him. All I could say was thank you Jesus with tears in my eyes.

Pregnancy Shege… Ended in Praise. 🤍

When I look back at this entire journey now, I realise that pregnancy was never just a story about symptoms.

It was a story about God’s faithfulness.

It started with a birthday prayer.

Then came a faint line.

Then bleeding.

Then disappointment.

Then another positive test.

Then confusion.

Then scans.

Then questions.

Then thirst.

Heartburn.

Acne.

Itching.

Pain.

Sleepless nights.

Anxiety.

Malaria.

Braxton Hicks.

Tailbone pain.

Contractions.

And finally…

my baby in my arms.

There were so many moments when I didn’t know what was happening.

So many times I asked questions.

So many times I worried.

So many times I wondered if my body was doing what it was supposed to do.

But through every stage…

God held me.

He preserved me.

He strengthened me.

He gave me wisdom to ask questions.

He surrounded me with people who helped me.

He kept my baby.

And He brought us safely to the other side.

What Pregnancy Taught Me 🤍

1. Every pregnancy is different.

This one became one of my biggest lessons.

Don’t assume your pregnancy has to look like your sister’s, your friend’s, your mother’s or the woman you watched online.

Symptoms vary.

Pain varies.

Movement varies.

Labour varies.

Even the way labour begins can vary.

My own experience taught me that firsthand.

2. Listen to your body, but don’t let fear control you.

There is a difference between paying attention to your body and panicking about every little thing.

I learned to ask questions.

I learned to observe patterns.

I learned when to seek medical advice.

And I learned that sometimes reassurance is exactly what you need.

3. Don’t dismiss everything as “pregnancy.”

This one became particularly important after malaria.

Fever, chills, headaches and weakness can have causes other than pregnancy.

Pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas need to take symptoms seriously and seek appropriate testing and treatment. 

4. Learn the signs of labour, but remember that your experience may not look textbook.

Braxton Hicks and early labour can be confusing.

Established labour generally becomes progressively stronger, longer and more frequent, but the exact experience differs between women. 

So learn what to look out for and, when you’re unsure, call your healthcare provider or maternity unit.

5. Don’t let social media become your antenatal clinic. 😂

Pregnancy content can be helpful.

Pregnancy communities can be helpful.

Apps can be helpful.

ChatGPT can be helpful (letter to self 😌😂)

But none of them should replace your actual healthcare provider.

Use information to become more informed-not to diagnose yourself.

6. And finally… don’t underestimate prayer.

This one is personal.

Because for me, prayer wasn’t just something I did at the beginning.

It followed me through the entire journey.

From:

“God, please give me this birthday gift.”

to:

“God, please keep this baby.”

to:

“God, please help me through this.”

and finally:

“Thank You.”

Pregnancy Myth or Fact? 

“If you don’t have the dramatic labour pain you see in movies, you’re not really in labour.”

MYTH. 😂

Please, let Nollywood rest.

Labour doesn’t have one universal script.

Contractions generally become stronger, longer and more frequent as labour progresses, but individual experiences can differ significantly. 

My own experience taught me this in the most dramatic way:

I was waiting for the movie scene…

while my cervix was already doing actual work. 😭😂

The Final Takeaway 🤍

If you are pregnant and reading this…

Maybe you’re in your first trimester wondering whether everything is okay.

Maybe you’re in your second trimester wondering why your body has suddenly changed.

Maybe you’re in your third trimester wondering when this baby will finally decide to come.

Maybe you’re terrified of labour.

Maybe you’re anxious because you’ve never done this before.

Maybe you’re scrolling through pregnancy stories and comparing your experience to everybody else’s.

Please remember:

Your journey is your journey.

Learn.

Ask questions.

Attend your antenatal appointments.

Pay attention to your body.

Seek medical care when something doesn’t feel right.

Take the help that’s available to you.

Rest when you need to.

Pray if that is where you find strength.

And take it one day at a time.

Because sometimes, while you’re busy wondering how you’re going to get through the next week…

God is already preparing you for the testimony waiting at the end of it.

And Then… I Became a Mother.

🥹🤍

I started this journey asking God for a birthday gift.

I thought I had lost it.

I wondered if my prayer had gone unanswered.

But God had another story.

He preserved the gift.

He carried me through every strange symptom, every uncomfortable night, every painful day, every anxious thought, every doctor’s visit, every question and every unknown.

And when the journey finally ended…

it ended in praise.

At 2:44 p.m., my son arrived.

And as I held him in my arms, I understood something I had known long before I ever became pregnant:

There is truly none like God.

He held me when I was afraid.

He strengthened me when I was weak.

He preserved my baby.

He brought us through.

And He gave me the name Zimchikachim four years before I ever knew the story that name would eventually tell.

God showed up.

God made a name for Himself.

And what began with two lines…

ended with a baby in my arms.

My pregnancy Shege ended in praise. 🥹❤️

To God be all the glory.

THE END. 🤍

By the way here’s the IG link to Pregnancy Aware & Sabi doctor for those who might be interested : Pregnancy Aware & Sabi Doctor

Missed the previous episodes? Start here Pregnancy Shege Ep1: The Gift I Thought I Lost