Over the years, I have heard some “guys” says things like, “there is nothing like postpartum depression; women of these generation are just using those terms to lie and avoid their responsibility as a woman,” and “Women are just using pregnancy to claim tiredness, meanwhile they are just being lazy, because our mothers used to go to the farm, pound yams, chop firewood, etc with pregnancy and nothing happened to them. The women of this generation are just lazy, and they are using pregnancy to cover up.”
I have also seen tweets on social media where some “guys” have talked down on the struggles women pass through during and after pregnancy, making it seem like they just come up with these things, acting insensitive to the woman body system. Hearing and reading things like these said about women at that time of their lives just makes me wonder what kind of husband they will turn out to be in the future. It is just unfortunate that so much is expected of women, and most times, little or no regard is given to them.
One of the things that are not talked about enough in our society, especially among the middle class and lower class is the struggle a woman goes through either before, during, or after the birth of a baby.
According to the dictionary, postpartum refers to the period after childbirth which occurs mostly during the first six to eight weeks after delivery, or until a woman’s body returns to her original state before pregnancy. While the common/popular one is postpartum depression, research has shown that there are other disorders a woman experiences after the birth of her child, like postpartum blues, postpartum psychosis, and postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder. When women face these disorders, it doesn’t make them less strong or “woman enough” or special. In fact, in times like that, men, especially their spouses are advised to be sensitive, responsible, caring, and emotionally and physically available, as it is the only way to help her overcome that stage or get through it without losing her mind or life.
For Ruth, she experienced the rarest and most uncommon of all; postpartum preeclampsia.
Postpartum preeclampsia is a rare but serious condition that occurs after childbirth when a woman has high blood pressure and extra protein in their urine, and severe headache. It can lead to life-threatening complications if left untreated.
After Ruth had her first baby in September last year, she began to experience a dangerously high rise in her blood pressure and intense, banging headache. Someone who isn’t familiar with this kind of postpartum disorder will think it is just the normal headache, but then it doesn’t stop or subside. If it is not well controlled, it can lead to untimely death. Some women survive it, but most are not fortunate to pull through. Ruth went through these after the birth of her baby for months, and it was the scariest moments of her life because of the dangers that come with this type of postpartum.
When she began to notice these unusual signs, she was immediately placed under medications and she took a lot of rest, which go hand in hand. She spent most of her days after childbirth resting and sleeping as much as possible. Ruth was lucky enough to have the full support of her mother and husband during that trying period of her life. She would breastfeed her baby in the early hours of the day, and retire to resting while her mother looked after and fed her baby at night, giving her enough room to rest. Her husband watched her while she slept most times to check for anything that is unusual with her so that they don’t miss any signs. When Ruth’s mum left, her husband took on the full responsibility of looking after her and the baby, cooking and doing the chores. That enabled Ruth to get enough sleep and rest, which were what was required for her to get better. Thankfully, those medications and weeks of taking enough rest and sleep paid off, as Ruth is better now and enjoying the life of motherhood.
Women, especially those who are pregnant, should pay close attention to their health to ensure that they don’t miss any of these signs, because it could lead to permanent disorder or death, as the case may be. Also, and more importantly, they should be surrounded by a husband/partner who is emotionally sensitive and available, as well as caring family members to help them through tough stages like this. Go for regular checkups, know your body system, get enough rest, eat well, prioritize self-care, and be around people who genuinely love and care for you.
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Ruth husband is every woman’s dream man…postpartum depression is real.I wish all men can understand this….#kudos 👏 #favourite story teller💓😊
Girl, I wish it too.
preganancy isn’t a child play, you are creating life . I pray every woman experience it with good health and sound mind and with a good partner.
A very valid prayer💯
…….. with enough money to care the the child
sensitive and caring men have a special place in heaven.
They certainly do!
More men like him
Oh yes!
Women are truly not meant to go through this journey alone. It’s irritating to see the mindset of some ‘males’ in this regard.
The way some of them think is worrisome🤦🏼♀️
when you hear some men speak on X it’s Crazy
Really crazy🤦🏼♀️
beautiful peice
Thank you.
In all one does, Marry a kind Spouse. Because at the end of the day, it won’t be about the dates and all, will your Spouse be kind enough to wake up at midnight and help you through? Or the inconvenience that comes with it
A kind partner💯
This is a powerful and eye opening article about the struggles women face during and after pregnancy, particularly postpartum disorder.
Thank you for this beautiful piece
Thank you for reading❤️
Pregnancy can be a challenging journey for women, marked by
And it really hurts when a woman has to go through all these without a good man/society that respects women.
Some men knows all these things but will just want to be wicked.
It’s the list on number 5 for me😂😂. Thank you!
Pregnancy and different complications, may God continue to help our women.
Kudos for this article, it’s so enlightening.. well-done, our favestoryteller
Thank you for reading❤️
I love that you made your research about post parting disorders and not just telling us a story❤️
Favorite story teller for a reason. Well done, reading this was worth it😊
Thank you so much!
Things we keep seeing and experiencing are stuff as regarding relationship and marriage
Love me a caring and kind man 🥰
They’re always the best💯
Every woman deserves a loving and caring partner.Pregnant women should be surrounded with people who encourages and supports them.Pregnancy and nursing a child isn’t a child’s play.
Thank you for this beautiful piece!
Everything you have just said📌