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In Sickness and in Health: Susan Keter’s Inspiring Story through Marriage and Motherhood

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Susan's children -Sarah and Steve

Hello friends, we all love encouraging stories and today, I share the story of Susan Catherine Keter, who has an amazing testimony of her marriage and her motherhood journey. Read her story below.

How I Met my Husband

“My campus roommate was also my best friend (she and I are still friends). While we were in second year, I accompanied her to her rural home because she was getting engaged. Her fiancé was accompanied by his best friend. The ceremony was successful and in an interesting turn of events, a relationship developed between me and the best friend of my roommate’s fiancé.

Susan with her daughter Sarah. Photo courtesy: Daily Nation

As a second year university student, I was still young and marriage or a relationship was not among my priorities. As for my husband, he says that he had been praying for a wife for a while and when our paths crossed, he knew that his prayers had been answered. Now that a guy who was serious had come my way, I started praying to know God’s will.

Our Weddings

It was an interesting journey for the four of us. We would occasionally plan outings together. Both gentlemen were working while my best friend and I were students. We started planning the double weddings when we were in our final year of campus.

The two weddings took place the same month, two weeks apart. This was six months after our graduation. Each couple participated in the other one’s wedding as bridesmaid and groomsman. We are family friends till now, almost 30 years later.

Sammy and Susan Keter

Parenting Challenges

Life is not a straight line. Both our families experienced challenges with parenting. My family’s challenge revolved around the health of our children, which in turn affected my health. The tribulations we went through in the form of illnesses (the children and myself battled poor health), led to a very trying time for us and almost put us up to our necks in debt (read more). God is rich in mercy and we all regained our health.

Unexpected Surgery

In 1999, I went through a very rough year that left me on treatment for high blood pressure and later, depression. My two-year old son got critically ill at a time when his father was away in some remote place with no communication.  When my son’s condition got really critical, I was assisted by a neighbor to take him to hospital. He ended up undergoing major surgery. His father had no clue about what was going on.

My husband arrived a few days later to find a sick little boy who was being given blood through one arm and water through the other, while a tube through his nose was sucking out waste from his gastrointestinal track. Daddy almost collapsed when he saw his little man in that state.

My Son Today…

My mind wanders to the recent happenings in rugby in Kenya and mainly the finals for the Kenya cup and the Eric Shirley Shield. I followed both games sitting on the edge of my seat. Why? KCB Rugby club was a finalist in both matches. And KCB won both finals!

Why is that important to me? Because my son is now a KCB player and he played in that game. He has also represented Kenya in the Under 19 and Under 20 Africa cup in 2016 and 2017. I am thankful for God’s amazing grace.

Steve (with ball), a KCB Rugby player. Photo: Courtesy.

Another Son Undergoes Surgery

Some things are difficult to narrate but at the time when my son was unwell and undergoing surgery, I was about two months pregnant. I delivered his younger brother in November the same year (1999).

By a turn of fate, the baby was born with defects to the gastrointestinal track and needed immediate surgery. The doctors gave me this news while baby and I were still in the ward, before we were discharged.

Again, there was no time to consult my husband (mobile phones were not widely in use those days) yet the surgery had to be performed urgently. The surgery was performed when my newborn was just five days old. This was yet another extremely difficult period for me.

Fast forward to now…

This younger son has grown up and is now a rugby player too! He is in the young team of Impala Saracens.

The True Meaning of ‘In Sickness and in Health’

My husband nursed me when my health failed, going out of his way to help me recover. I took time off work to raise our children and was a housewife for 12 years, a period when I raised three young men and three young ladies.

My husband pushed me out of my comfort zone after raising the children. He would spend hours during his free time helping me to polish up my skills. He also got me professionally trained and I was able to rebuild my career, the years as a housewife notwithstanding. Read more about that journey here.

By God’s amazing grace we celebrated 28 years in marriage on 7th April 2018. Our first born is 27 years while our last born is 15 years old. We have one son-in-law –the blessing of an extra son that God brought into our family.” –END

And that’s Susan’s story. I found it to be very inspiring and encouraging, and I hope it has had the same effect on you. You can read more about her on www.susancatherineketer.com Do you have story that you would like to share too, that you believe will encourage other women and moms? You can write to me on maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here.

Follow Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER 

Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) in Kenya -Mercy Kilili’s Story

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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2

Many moms who have had caesarean sections, usually wonder if it’s possible, or even safe, to try out a vaginal birth after that. Whenever I’m asked that question, I usually refer the ladies to a skilled healthcare provider who has all the knowledge and expertise to give the best answer. I believe that every woman’s body is different; that every woman has a different experience for every birth, and there’s no definite answer to that question. So, I reiterate – a qualified medic is the person who can offer you the best answer.

Also Read: Is It Possible that my Daughter is Having Sex?

Having said that, I do know that there are some women who have attempted VBACs. And today, I’ll share the experience of one such mom -Mercy Kilili. This is HER story, as told in her own words. Read on…

Mercy with her husband.

“I became a mom for the first time in February 2014 through the birth of my son Davis. He was born through an emergency caesarian section.

It had been a pretty smooth pregnancy. I remember on that day, I went to work as usual, but something inside me felt different. I tried to act all fine until in the afternoon when I saw the mucous plug. The emotions that ran through my mind were that of excitement, relief, anxiety and fear, all at once.

I quickly called hubby and informed him that baby was coming. I was a confident mum-to-be: I had already trained with a doula on how to handle labour pains and delivery.

So I walked to a supermarket and bought all the household stuff I felt hubby would need while I was in hospital. I then took a matatu and headed home to prepare supper so that it could be ready by the time hubby came from work. My plan was to ensure everything was perfect at home before going to deliver.

As the labor pains got closer together, I applied the breathing techniques I had been taught. We then headed to the hospital at midnight. Despite the anxiety, I had in mind my perfect birth plan: check in to the hospital, lie on the delivery bed, push three times and voila! Baby would pop out screaming. Then I would hold him close to my heart and quiet him with some lullaby. Need I say I already knew which lullaby to sing to him?

But of course, that’s not exactly how it happened.

First, they took my vitals then did the dreaded two-finger insert! But why on earth do they have to push in their fingers to see how much someone has opened up? I couldn’t believe it. What if they accidentally put their fingers in my urethra? What if they dug their fingers into the baby’s eyes? I hated that experience, totally.

What if I Don’t Make it out Alive?

But luckily, I had a great nurse who helped me relax. It turned out that I had only opened 4cm, and the labour progressed painfully slow. At some point past midnight, the doctor inserted a long needle to burst the amniotic sac to fasten labour. This was traumatic! As a new mum, lots of things go through your mind when someone decides to insert a long needle into your uterus. The green fluid that came out confirmed that baby was in distress and a fast decision needed to be made. A caesarian section it was!

I reluctantly and fearfully signed the dotted line in the yellow form as I was rushed to theatre. What if I died on the operating table? Would my baby make it? Who would take care of him? What about the father, would he remarry, and who? You see, in all my research, I did not imagine that anything could go against my birth plan. The fear of going under the knife is so real!

Continue Reading Next Page

Is it Possible that my Daughter is Having Sex?

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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14

*Be sure to read the comments from fellow readers in the comments section down below.

So, last week over coffee and croissant, we were bonding with three of my friends. During our hearty conversations, one of the moms told us about how she’s been dealing with boyfriend issues –courtesy of her daughter.

Her daughter, let’s call her Sabrina, is 20 years old and is a campus student here in Nairobi. While she was a ‘day scholar’ in her first year, Sabrina earlier this year told her mom that the school work load had become too much, and so it would be best if she rented a small house near campus to enable her study harder and complete her assignments on time because she was wasting too much time in traffic every morning and evening.

Her mother saw the sense in this and obliged.

Aside from academics, Sabrina has an active social life too. Turns out that she recently broke up with her boyfriend of one year –a young man familiar to her mom since he comes from the same neighborhood.

Averting Danger

Now, this lad is completely distraught about the break up. So anguished is he that last weekend, he showed up at my friend’s doorstep crying, begging, and asking her to plead his case to Sabrina. He desperately wants Sabrina to reconsider her decision to end the relationship. Imagine that.

Apparently, Sabrina broke off the relationship two weeks ago, but the lad is yet to come to terms with that. He cannot fathom life without her and is willing to do anything to have her back. He says he is ‘going mad’ without her love.

My friend’s worry is what this young man is capable of doing, because he just doesn’t seem to be dealing with the break up well. He appears to be completely distressed. Meanwhile, Sabrina’s mother has cautioned her against meeting him alone. Just in case he does something. If they must meet, then it should be in a very public place, and she must be accompanied by at least three friends.

Were they Having Sex?

But there’s something else that is deeply worrying my friend. She suspects that their relationship may have been close enough to have involved sex, but she’s not sure. In fact, she doesn’t want to think about it.

You see, Sabrina has never given her mother any reason to believe that she’s not a virgin.

She’s been a good girl, well-disciplined with a relatively ‘innocent’ look and the ‘waiting till marriage type’ and all. But the behaviour of the young lad seems to be telling her otherwise. The extent to which he is distraught about the breakup means that they were most likely sexually involved.

“Every time I think my dear daughter could possibly be having sex, I start getting a panic attack as butterflies begin running amok in my stomach,” she told us.

So we asked her if she’s ever discussed sex with Sabrina. She looked down, before responding.

“Surely, would Sabrina really be having sex? Is she aware she could get pregnant, seeing how I have struggled to educate her? Would she do that to me? Do you think she would seriously be having sex?” she asked us.

Not exactly the answer to our question, but we continued listening.

“Sabrina is an ambitious young girl who is so focused on becoming an Economist. She’ll stop at nothing to achieve her dreams. But I know very well what can happen to those dreams if she falls pregnant,” she went on.

Our Children are Sexually Active

As I listened to her, I empathized with her. We all know that many young people, including those in campus, are having sex. In fact, a lot of it; perhaps even more than their parents are. But we always tend to think that it’s other people’s’ children who are having it, and not our sweet innocent children.

But our sweet innocent children are part of the statistics. Statistics that show that 15% of women age 20-29 years had their first sexual intercourse by 15 years, 50% by age 18 and 71% by 20 years (KDHS 2014).

Many parents of today have the ‘sex’ talk with their children early enough – in their pre-teens when they are talking about menstruation, wet dreams and other bodily changes. During that talk, they give age-appropriate information about sexuality.

But what happens when your child is above 18 years? When they are a child no more but an adult? When they join college? When they are old enough to actually be having sex and may even be having it?

How does that conversation with them go? Do you ask them if they are protecting themselves? Do you ask them why they are not waiting till marriage? Do you ask them what would happen if they got pregnant? Or if their girlfriend got pregnant? Do you ask them if they have one partner at least? Do you ask them what would happen if they got an STI? What they would do if they were HIV positive?

Or is it none of your business?

Pray, how do you broach the subject with an older child, especially if you suspect they are likely to start having sex or if they are already having it?

That is the dilemma my friend is in right now. She knows it’s time to have that conversation with Sabrina, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to have it because she can’t imagine that her daughter could be sexually active.

“It will just break my heart if I know, so I would rather just not. But will that be doing Sabrina any good if I, her mother, can’t have a candid conversation with her?” she wonders.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this issue. She will read your comments too. You can share them in the comments section below. You can also follow the #FormNiGani conversation online.

Also Read: These are the Steps I’m Taking to Secure my Future: Lucy Wanjiku Njenga

Also Watch: How Kenyan Men Discuss Family Planning Matters with their Wives

“This is One of the Most Terrifying Experiences I’ve Ever Had as a Makeup Artist” -Rose Ntong’ondu  

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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1

Hi friends hope your week is good. So, on the blog today, I feature Rose Ntong’ondu, a wife and mother of two is a well-established professional makeup artist and trainer under the brand name ‘Makeup by Rose’. She uses both her Make up by Rose and Urembo Club outfits as empowerment tools for women through mentoring upcoming makeup artists, offering advice, training and facilitation networking opportunities.

Today, Rose has a word of caution for all upcoming makeup artists (also known as MUAs). I also believe the rest of us can benefit from her experience. She talks about what happened to her one time in her line of work. Read and share with your friends who are makeup artists or other ladies who seem interested in pursuing this line -including our daughters, nieces, cousins, neighbors etc.

“From my 11 years’ experience as a makeup artist, I have learned a few things that have kept me alive and might keep you alive while still pursuing your dreams of makeup artistry.

Rose is one of Kenya’s leading MUAs.

A makeup artist can either operate from a physical location (few do that) or run a mobile business where you go on location where the clients need you, or both. Most makeup artists are women (easy target)!

About three years ago, a client called me and needed their makeup done in the Eastlands area. We agreed on the time and since she was a first-time client, we were to meet at a certain stage (bus stop) where we were to proceed to her house. She needed her makeup done and a bit of personal makeup training. I run a business, so I couldn’t say no. I was a bit scared because I wasn’t familiar with that particular area, but thought ‘ooh well, ni biashara!

I took a cab from my house and just when were a few minutes away, she called and said she had given me the wrong location. She proceeded to give me a different location and apologized for it. I started to get a bit worried.

The cab driver was also very concerned and asked: “Madam are you sure that’s a client or are they setting up a trap for you?”

I had no answer.

I had my pink makeup case with me (which tends to attract a lot of attention). It made me even more concerned. I said a prayer and asked God to keep me safe. But I needed money so I decided to proceed, because, what if I was wrong and just being paranoid?

The cab driver, seeing my worry told me:

“Madam, I will drop you then give you 10 minutes as you meet with your client. If you see anything fishy, run for your life – I will be here waiting for you.”

I was so happy and felt safer.

On reaching the stage, I alighted and tried calling the ‘client’. She didn’t answer.

I scanned my eyes around to see if anyone around that area would answer their phone. Fortunately, I had not told my ‘client’ what I would be wearing. So I went to a mama nguo nearby and tried calling from there while somewhat ‘hiding in the clothes’.

I don’t know why I kept trying, yet I had this unsettling feeling, but I guess I badly needed the money.

After a few minutes, I saw a woman emerge, accompanied by three men. She didn’t look ‘make up like’ if that makes sense. I called the number again, but this time didn’t place it on my ear -as I had been advised by my cab driver. She answered but couldn’t tell it was me calling. I watched the four of them trying to figure out where I was.

She must have known what I looked like because she pointed at me and they started hurriedly starting walking towards me. I almost peed on myself. Something just didn’t feel right.

I looked around and saw the cab driver was still there, waiting for me, thankfully. He too had been observing. He figured it out.

I ran to meet with him as he drove to where I was. I jumped in and we drove away. I have never been so terrified in my life! Looking back, the four individuals had vanished, we couldn’t tell where they had gone.

That incident remains one of the most terrifying events of my career! I cannot tell you what their intention with me was, but I can tell you they didn’t need makeup for sure.

This is what I Learned from my Experience:

  • For first time clients, don’t go alone. Tag along a companion (preferably a male friend who can help in case of trouble)
  • If It doesn’t feel right, it’s not right. Cancel that client.
  • If need be, take a cab and ask them to wait for you, but please, if it’s not a repeat client that you have a history with, don’t go to their house. Rent space if you must, even if it’s just for one hour to work on that client.
  • Always let someone know where you went and keep them on speed dial. If you are doing a client’s makeup in a public location, make sure it’s open and safe enough. Also have someone there with you. I always have an assistant to avoid losing products or personal items (products being stolen), depending on the job.
  • If anything goes wrong, scream your lungs out!!!!
  • If you don’t feel comfortable, drop that job!

Please please stay safe. I pray that God protects you all. Always say a prayer before going to any client.”-END

And that’s Rose’s story. Quite interesting. Sometimes we always have strong instincts about something and most of the time, they are never wrong. Have you ever had strong instincts about something that ended up saving you big time? Do you have something to comment on Rose’s story? Do you have additional tips that you’d like to share? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, please do so in the comments section below.

Also, if you have an experience that you would like to share with other women, you can email me on maryanne@mummytales.com and I’ll be in touch with you.

Thanks for reading.

You may also be inspired by Irene’s story below:

How George, a Matatu Driver Helped a Pregnant Woman Deliver her Baby

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0

Hi friends, did you hear about the Route 44 Githurai matatu driver who helped one of his passengers deliver her baby? I watched him narrate his blow-by-blow account of that experience to Waihiga Mwaura on Citizen TV, and at some point my heart was racing so fast until I had to pause for a minute to catch my breath. Wuueeeehh! Let’s keep telling more of such stories; stories that encourage us, lift our spirits and give us hope.

“What Happened to My Daughter’s Grave?” -Vivian Gaiko’s Story

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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0

Four years ago, Vivian Gaiko delivered her first-born daughter Princess Amani via caesarean section. Two weeks later, she returned to the doctor for the recommended post-natal checkup. But while there, the unexpected happened.

Vivian had gone for the appointment together with her newborn daughter, and when the nurse happened to examine Princess Amani, she informed Vivian that the baby was not well. The events that followed this announcement by the nurse will perhaps remain some of Vivian’s ever darkest moments in her life.

Amani was to die just a few days later.

You can read Vivian’s full story here: “My Daughter Died Suddenly at Two Weeks Old. I Attempted Suicide Twice after That” –Vivian Gaiko’s Story

Princess Amani was buried in a cemetery in Nairobi. Today, Vivian talks about how she one day gathered enough courage to visit her daughter’s resting place. But things didn’t turn out as expected. This is what happened, in her words:

“17 months ago I went to the cemetery to place flowers on my daughter Amani’s grave. But the grave didn’t exist anymore. Yes, it wasn’t there! I couldn’t find it.

So I asked one of the workers I found where a grave site for a baby buried in 2014 was.

“Madam hiyo huwezi pata. 2014 ni kitambo sana!” he responded as he continued removing some rocks.

“Kama hukuzika side ya private ama kukorogea (na cement) hiyo huwezi ipata,” he added.

I can’t even explain how I found myself sitting on that red soil. I was heavily pregnant then (30 weeks) with my second child. I was crushed. Seeing my state and how distressed I was, the guy helped me up and took me to some area with scanty grass to sit down.

All this was too much for me to bear. I couldn’t have come all the way… in vain. I threw away the beautiful flowers I had carried, cried, sobbed and tried to put myself together. Then I went back home.

My baby had been buried in the temporary section in the cemetery, something I had never wanted. (click on this link to read Vivian’s blog post about this). It reads in part:

…When I found the grave missing is when I felt robbed. We were literally robbed of the opportunity to decide our baby’s final resting place, I felt robbed of that space I can go pour my grief without being judged, my sacred space. I was angry, I was broken, I was confused, I felt cheated and I even hated the people who organized that burial…”.

Today, 17 months since that episode, I went back to the cemetery. This time to support a family that lost their two-week old baby who had died. While there, memories came flashing through my mind and I just couldn’t hold it together. I felt broken for this family and broken for myself too.

My baby was somewhere there but I couldn’t visit the place she was resting, because it didn’t exist anymore.

My daughter would have turned 4 years old just last week -on 2nd April 2018.

I know you’re probably asking… why is Vivian sharing what she’s going through? Why, yet she’s always been put together and has been able to handle her loss?

Well, I’m sharing so that you get an understanding that grief is real, and it’s overwhelming. I’m sharing so that you know that child loss grief is lifelong.

Amani was only 16 days old when she died. Today, when she would have been 4 years old, I keep wondering how she would have looked like, her smile, us twinning in our #wakanda outfits…

Whoever said time heals all wounds… it’s really not ALL wounds… some have permanent scars, like the loss of a child.

The hole in my heart gets bigger by the day. It was only 16 days, it’s now 4 years and I know there’s a time it will be a hole of an 18 year old, a 30 year old, a 50 year old… Surely how does time even heal such a wound that gets larger by the day? (that’s rhetoric)

I’m sharing my experience so that that parent who has suffered the loss of a child and is concealing their grief because they think they are over-reacting and should be over it, or because those around them think they should snap out of it and move on..

…I want them to know that as it were, grief in itself is exhausting and hiding it is even more draining. I want to tell them to just go through the grief as it comes with its roller coaster of emotions (by the way grief is a normal reaction to loss).

I’d also like to tell them that when they seem stuck, they can always seek help, for their well-being. When you’re honest with how you feel, you will find love and support and it becomes a manageable journey.

Also Read: “I Lost my Baby at 37 Weeks Pregnant. This is What Happened” -June Mbithe Muli’s Story 

To all those who have friends who have lost a child, when you see a grieving parent struggling to keep it together, just extend a hug and show some love and support.

Today, I have shared my story because I was just tired of concealing it.”-END

And that’s Vivian’s story. Quite touching. Following her experience, Vivian started a support group for parents who have lost a child. It’s called Empower Mama Foundation, which you can find here. This month, on Saturday 21 April 2018, Empower Mama Foundation will be conducting a child loss awareness workshop in Nakuru town. See flyer below for more details. Please share this link with a friend or relative who you know would really benefit from such a support group.

If you’d like to get in touch with Vivian, you can do so through the contacts below:

Email: vivian@empowermama.org

Website: www.empowermama.org

Facebook: Empower Mama Foundation

Twitter: @EmpowerMama

Mummy Tales is a blog dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of maternal and newborn health, as well as various issues surrounding motherhood and women. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Follow Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER 

“What my Experience has Been Like Raising a Child with Autism” -Esther Mung’ui

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Esther with her two sons.

Esther Mung’ui, 36, is a mother of two boys. Her eldest son, Ian, is aged 14 years and is autistic. Today, on World Autism Awareness day, I share Esther’s journey raising a child within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

For starters, she talks about the moment she began realizing that there was something amiss with her son.

“I vividly remember the time Ian was about 18 months old, when he couldn’t stand on his own despite my encouragement for him to do so. By that age, most children are already walking on their own, but my Ian wasn’t.

When I spoke to my friends about it, they advised me not to worry too much, that boys usually achieve their milestones later than girls. So I took it easy, knowing that it was just a matter of time before he would walk on his own.

But I waited, and waited, and waited.

Finally, just after his second birthday, Ian took his first step. It was a joyful moment for all of us because we had waited for it for so long!

But aside from this delay, there were other things that were causing me sleepless nights.

While other two year-olds were able to utter a few words, possibly even put together a short sentence, Ian was yet to say anything. He was yet to speak a single word.

In addition, I also noticed that Ian would never look anyone in the eye when being spoken to, which I found to be very unusual.

But that was not all.

As he grew, I noticed that he was never able to keep still. He would be constantly on the move, staying in one place for no more than two seconds. He was too hyperactive. This, compounded by the fact that he would express himself ‘differently’. How so?

When angered, Ian would throw tantrums, bite, throw things around, or bang his head repeatedly against the wall. Sadly, he would sustain injuries in the process.

Also See: How to Teach a Special Needs Child to Dress Themselves

I took him to hospital where he was eventually diagnosed as being autistic.

Raising Ian has been a journey and a half indeed –one filled with lots of challenges. There have been countless outpatient hospital visits, hospitalizations, huge financial bills, rejection by schools as they cannot handle an autistic child, my attempts at homeschooling him, and many more.

But there have been joys too.

Ian has a passion for music, and interestingly, he is able to sing effortlessly. All my son needs to do is keenly listen to a song –just once -and he will grasp all the words of the song. All. Of. Them. He will then sing word for word and in the exact same tune! Watch him sing in the video below.

 

Ian is 14 years old and in class seven. Some of the milestones and achievements that he achieves make me so proud of him. He is becoming more and more independent by the day. For example, he is now able to go to school alone in the morning and return home on his own in the evening, even though the school is a distance away.

His communication skills have also improved a lot, and he is no longer echolaic (one who constantly repeats what someone else says). He can now respond to some conversation. He can also structure a brief three-word sentence to express himself, something that he wasn’t able to do before. For example, he can say “ona huyu anaharibu”. Hearing him say such words is actually a miracle.

Ian still has various challenges, but I am grateful for how far he has come and I remain optimistic about him generally.”

The center that Esther and her friend established, that caters for children with special needs.

Four years ago, based on her experiences raising her autistic child, more so in regards to his education, Esther decided to partner with a special needs teacher to start a school for special needs children. Eslyne Educational Center located in Utawala estate, Embakasi in Nairobi was started four years ago. It is a learning center that is open to all children with special needs, including autistic children.

Running the school has given Esther a new lease of life, knowing that she is helping parents deal with some of the challenges that she herself faced.

“As a first-time-mom with a special needs child, I had very little information, and I struggled to navigate my way around. By setting up the Centre, we hope to assist as many other parents, so that their journey can not be as challenging,” Esther concludes.

Also See: Tips for Managing Behaviour in Special Needs Children

Eslyne Educational Center contacts: Eslyneschools@gmail.com or +254752375170

And that’s Esther’s story. If you are a mom or know of a woman who has started an initiative based on her own personal experiences, you can write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com You may also read the stories of these other moms who are giving back to society, based on their own personal experiences. Let’s encourage and inspire each other in this motherhood journey 🙂

Maryanne Kariuki of A&J Initiative

Maryanne Kariuki who delivered her twins prematurely at six months.

Shamim Okolloh, Alumni of Kaimosi Girls

Shamim Okolloh who, while studying in the US, at one point ran short of funds to pursue her studies.

Samona Wangui, who Suffered from Post-Partum Depression

Samona, who at one point slapped her five-month old son. She didn’t know she had post-partum depression.

Mummy Tales is an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Mummy Tales is the top Women & Girl Empowerment blog in Kenya (BAKE 2017 awards) and 2016 top Women & Girl Empowerment blog (African Blogger Awards). Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here.

Follow Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER 

*Some of the photos I used are for this article I originally published in The Star.

Ciru Muriuki: My Endometriosis Journey

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Long ago, women never openly shared their experiences about their periods; whatever you went through, you went through it alone – or with your doctor if you were lucky. So if you had a problem, such as having extremely painful menses, you most likely didn’t know it was a problem and if you did, you didn’t know where to get help.

But today, we are having more conversations about periods -the goods, the bads and the in-between. These conversations are letting us know about the suffering that many women go through during ‘that time of the month’, and how we can help such women -our daughters, our sisters, our friends, colleagues, nieces, aunts, cousins….

 

Ciru Muriuki, a Kenyan journalist, is a woman who is openly talking about her menstruation experiences, and more so, how it has been decades of excruciating pain for her whenever her period comes by. She has a condition known as endometriosis. Watch her share her experiences in this video.

Also read Elsie Wandera’s story here: Severe Pain has been my Normal for 20 Years 

If you know of a woman who also undergoes severe pain during her periods -to the extent that she misses work or doesn’t attend school, then let her know about a support group called Endometriosis Foundation of Kenya, which can be reached on email: endometriosis254@gmail.com or +254770 659689.

Mummy Tales is an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Mummy Tales is the top Women & Girl Empowerment blog in Kenya (BAKE 2017 awards) and 2016 top Women & Girl Empowerment blog (African Blogger Awards). Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here.

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8 Things to do When Planning a Friend’s Baby Shower

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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So, I think I grew old. Why? Because I stopped attending baby showers. Or let me comfort myself and say that my friends grew old because they stopped having babies 🙂

Seriously though, there’s a time my Saturdays were filled back-back with baby showers. Sometimes two or three in just one day. But now? They all fizzled out. Baby showers no more. Right now what me and most of my pals are dealing with is Matiang’i issues 😮

Anyway, today’s post is about baby showers, and we have a guest writer –Patricia Cidi Malika who previously wrote this post based on her own personal experience: “How I Reignited the Passion in our Marriage”

Patricia with her husband.

Today, Patricia shares her thoughts about baby showers. Read on…

“I just love the sound of that: BABY SHOWER. It has a nice ring to it. It puts a smile on my face. I love all things babies and baby showers. I remember mine like it was yesterday. Hubby and a few of my friends planned a surprise baby shower. The cake was tasty, the décor lit up our little apartment; the snacks were delicious (considering the pregnancy appetite) and the little clothes were beautiful. My little princess, who is a year old, is yet to wear some of them.

A braid spray that adds a rich shine to your braids

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Posted by Mummy Tales: Raising a Family in Africa on Sunday, November 3, 2019

I guess the most beautiful thing about the baby shower is the thought behind it. The fact that some people love you and your little one to the point of welcoming him/her with such beautiful gifts. It is a mother’s joy to know that people love her baby even before he/she arrives into the world.

As an Events Planner and mum, I realized that there are some little things that can make a Baby Shower really meaningful. Here is a list you can incorporate when planning a friend’s baby shower:

1.

Involve the husband (if he’s available). He probably knows her tastes and preferences very well. Make sure he knows that it’s meant to be a surprise.

2. 

Invest in a few customized baby gear e.g. customized baby blankets and hats.

3. 

Consider the little things that no one thinks about: Coconut oil for mum and also for baby massage, breast pump, and maternity pads for mum.

4. 

Consider getting the mum-to-be foods that will boost milk production e.g. oats, drinking chocolate/cocoa, njahi, ndengu (green grams) etc. This will go a long way in helping her feed baby.

5.

Encourage her and reassure her as she prepares for the birth processes. We all know how scary labor can be especially for first time mums.

6.

Encourage dad too. He will have a lot of adjusting to do (the sleepless nights, intimacy downtime, baby cries and sometimes moody mum).

7.

During the baby shower, talk about some important issues like how to bath a baby, baby massage, taking baby out for sunshine, navel care for a new born and issues like recovery for mum and post natal depression(how to recognize it and where to get help).

8.

Lastly, get some tasty treats, a cake and the usual baby shower gifts, depending on your budget.”

Some bitings offered in a baby shower I once attended.

So those are Patricia’s tips, which I hope you have found helpful. Share them with a friend as they may be of help to them as well.

You may also like to see Martha’s story below:

Otherwise thanks for reading and blessings to you!

How the Hairitage Chronicles 4.0 Went Down – Natural Hair in Kenya

By
Maryanne W. Waweru
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Finally! I have a new video out! Yaaay! I feel so achieved yaani! 🙂 It’s about the natural hair event that happened last Saturday in Nairobi. There were lots of beautiful women in colorful, stylish outfits and such lovely hair. And then there was a dance competition for the ladies, and there’s one lady who was dancing so well I’m sure you’ll identify her in the video. Tag a friend who you’ll spot in the video. So without further ado, enjoy my highlights from the event.

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