246

Chukwudi Akasike

A housewife, Mrs. Blessing Etoor, defied doctor’s instruction that she would be delivered of her babies by Caesarean section.

Mrs. Etoor, an indigene of Eleme in Rivers State by marriage, who now has 10 children (six girls and four boys) through multiple births, eventually gave birth to triplets around 1am on Monday at home the natural way without going through the knives.

It was gathered that Mrs. Etoor, who was formerly a hair dresser, was able to push for the first baby to come out before help finally came her way from a local nurse.

Narrating how she was delivered of the remaining two babies, Mrs. Etoor, said her husband was able to bring in somebody that helped her.

She said, “I gave birth to the babies in the house. I was not feeling labour; I was just calling on my husband to give me water to take my bath. I sat back and lay down. Just as I was sleeping, water began to rush out.

“Then I asked my husband to run out and bring somebody to take me to the hospital. But then he should ask his younger brother to come and stay with me. Before the brother came, it was like something was coming out of me.

“I asked my children to help me stay on the ground. I was calling my first daughter, Faith, to help me. Just as I lay down with my back on the ground, I started feeling the baby trying to come out.

“I pushed and the first baby came out. So, I called on my husband to bring somebody in to help me. With the help, I was able to be delivered of the other two babies.”

Mrs. Etoor pointed out that her two elder sisters had given birth to twins, stressing that her family has a history of multiple births.

People have been visiting the one-bedroom apartment of the Etoors on hearing how the woman from Ekiti State shunned doctor’s directive and gave birth to triplets at home.

Her husband, Mr. John Etoor, recalled that he had kicked against the Caesarean section written on her card by the doctor at the General Hospital, Nchia, because none of his wife’s family had the history of undergoing such a method of giving birth.

He added that though he never prayed for multiple births, he had accepted them because they were given to him by God.

Mr. Etoor, however, called for financial support from government and public-spirited individuals, adding that the babies were currently at home while the doctors had, according to him, told him to bring the babies when they are in stable condition.

“It is all the wish of God. God wanted it to happen this way. This is because when we went to the general hospital, what they had written on her card was caesarean section. I told the doctor that it was a lie.

“This is because she had given birth the first time, the second time and the third time and her stomach was not ripped open. Her family members were not delivered by CS. Even in my own family, no one has gone through caesarean section.

“I said she would put to bed in peace in the name of God. Within me, I was feeling strong that my wife would put to bed in peace.

“I told my wife that she would put to bed in peace; no one would cut her stomach open and that I did not like what I saw on her hospital card. She would not take a hospital bed,” John Etoor, who is a subsistent farmer, added.

-Punch