Carol Salamba: I Kept the Faith, and I’m Proud to be a Mom Today

After trying for a baby for many years in vain, 2012 ended on a good note for Carol Salamba. Today, this new mom shares her story with Mummy Tales.

“2012 was the most fantastic year for me.  Fantastic is an understatement – ‘blessed’ sums it up.

Earlier on in the year, specifically in February, I discovered I was pregnant and I remember thinking that it wasn’t real.  I did 4 pregnancy tests on different days and at different times of the day just to make sure it was real. All tests were positive. I was so excited!

Sharing the news with my hubby was even more exciting because we had been trying to get pregnant since we came back home (from the US) in December 2010, so this was a nice surprise.  But this joy was clouded by the overwhelming fear that the pregnancy might not last since I had suffered a few miscarriages in the past.  But my hubby and I kept the faith, plus support from our friends with whom I had shared the news and who kept me in their prayers encouraged me a lot.

I remember crossing the 3 month mark and thinking, oh my this is so real – I’m gonna be a mom!  That first trimester was not as easy as the morning or should I say all-day sickness was very serious, but I made it.  Around the same time I also got invited to a job interview and I remember thinking to myself;  who would hire a pregnant woman especially that now companies send prospective employees for medical tests? But surprisingly enough, I got the job and I thought – WOW – God is really smiling down on me and my family.

The second trimester was wonderful, I felt great, the little one was growing well and we also got to find out that we were gonna have a boy.  The joys of waiting for a baby, thinking of names and shopping for him was simply amazing.  The ultrasound moments were divine, looking at him playing and listening to the heartbeat was surreal because as much as I never lost hope that I would have a baby, the thought of never being a mom does cross your mind from time to time.

The baby shower came and we had a blast, and that is when I realised that the reality of being a mommy was close.  I went all out, took photos of my pregnancy, went for a baby moon with my husband – as all my friends had emphasized the importance of this time out with hubby.

On 12 October 2012 I left work and went for my last check up at 38weeks, only to be informed that my little one had not grown and I was low on amniotic fluid. The decision was made to go for an emergency c-section immediately.  So I rushed home to pick up the hospital bag and a few of my things and rushed to hospital.  My hubby at the time had traveled and I remember thinking, I’m in this alone.  I called him and he organized himself to get back to Nairobi asap.  In the meantime, I was getting admitted and preparations were being done to send me in for surgery.  I called my mom and she prayed for me and encouraged me because I was getting anxious and scared and praying that my little one would be okay.  I said my prayers and we went in.  At 8:16pm, it was a Friday, I remember hearing my son cry as he was pulled out of my tummy and I thought that was the best cry I’d ever heard.  The nurses brought him to me and he was the most amazing, most beautiful baby ever in the world – even in my drowsiness I still thought he was the cutest boy ever…

The lovely baby boy.

The first 4 weeks were tough adjusting to my new life as a mom, but all went well.  He is now 3 months old and has brought us joy that I never thought existed and we are able to love love this person unconditionally with every fibre of our being.  He has a killer smile that melts my heart and having him in our lives, and caring for him has given us the best satisfaction in life.  I now pray more than ever especially for him and also for other women who go through issues and complications while trying to have a baby because I would love for them to enjoy the same joy that we experience.

Watching him grow is wonderful, he is now smiling so much and laughing and we are enjoying every bit of it.  Can’t wait for him to call me “mama”.“

Mother and son sharing their first Christmas together

Thanks Carol for sharing your story. Your baby boy is so beautiful .