How Can You Be in Such Pain from a Period? Elsie Wandera Speaks

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Mar 15, 2016

Elsie Wandera is the Founder of Endometriosis Foundation of Kenya (EFK). I first featured Elsie on this blog in March last year, where she talked about her 20 years of severe period pain, and the initiative she started as a result of her difficult menstruation years.

She said: “The entire school community would know when I was menstruating. I would feel as though the insides of my abdomen were being knotted, tugged at and pulled apart in all directions. It was as though my abdomen was being stabbed by a thousand knives….” Read more of Elsie’s experience here.

But first, what is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where a woman experiences extreme levels of pain during her period. Pain that can sometimes lead to hospitalization. Other symptoms of endometriosis include; heavy periods, pain during or after sex, painful bowel movements and urination, pain in the lower back that could last throughout the menstrual cycle, and difficulty in getting pregnant.

Today, Elsie is our guest writer and she tells us what activity EFK was engaged in recently.

“On Saturday 5 March 2016, the Endometriosis Foundation of Kenya was privileged to host the 1^st Endometriosis Awareness Forum, which was attended by 25 people. We also had the opportunity of hosting Dr. Mutinda Kyama -a scientist who has special interest in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

As I listened to Dr. Kyama’s presentation, even though it was laden with heavy with scientific jargon, all I could see was the endless opportunities for Kenyan women who continue to painfully live with Endometriosis.

“What if, just what if Kenya leads the world in the discovery of a cure for this disease? What if we discovered new and faster methods of diagnosing this condition without using invasive methods? What if… just what if?”

I was so heart broken when I listened to the many stories that fellow women shared on that day and I told myself, “If this is the reason God had me start this organization – to provide a platform for women to come and share their pain and find solutions for it, then it is all worth it.”

A woman speaks the 1st Endometriosis Awareness Forum held on 5 March 2016.

From my own experience and those of other women, social stigma over reproductive health problems, lack of awareness, and the “normalization” of symptoms results in delay of diagnosis until the time the woman’s endometriosis condition is eventually diagnosed and treated. Many girls and women suffer in silence. It is for this reason that the Endometriosis Foundation of Kenya (EFK) continues to raise awareness about the disease in Kenya. This month, we have heightened our awareness activities since the month of March is recognized as Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Endometriosis Awareness Forums aim to raise awareness about this hidden and often unrecognized condition. My hope is that I can engage with key stakeholders to champion the cause, partner with those in the medical field and spread the word in schools and universities, and care for the women who suffer the effects of the disease.

The one thing we can do for the women who are out there is to help them be aware of this condition and also give financial support to those affected by it but yet don’t have medical insurance. These women also need counselling because this condition affects not only their physical but their mental and emotional wellbeing.

If men championed this campaign, I believe the stigma around it would reduce significantly. Periods are normal… that is the way God chose to design a woman to enable her do the most sacred of all things…conceive and bring a child into this world. There is nothing wrong with women who are going through this journey except how we treat them during this delicate period.

Extend these women love…extend them care…#SpreadTheYellow by helping us raise awareness in the month of March so that the world hears the voices of women who are suffering in silence.”

Sharing personal experiences during the endometriosis awareness forum is key to helping more people understand the effects of the condition on a woman's life. — Sharing personal experiences during the endometriosis awareness forum is key to helping more people understand the effects of the condition on a woman’s life.

Elizabeth Mbogo-Mwendwa, Founder and Director of BotanicTreasuresLtd participates in the endometriosis awareness forum on 5 March 2016. The company produces natural health products and supplements, among them moringa oleifera. — Elizabeth Mbogo, Founder and Director of Botanic Treasures Ltd participates in the endometriosis awareness forum on 5 March 2016. The company produces natural health products and supplements through use of among others; the moringa oleifera plant.

Elsie can be reached on: Wandera.Elsie@gmail.com

You can also join the endometriosis community in Kenya on the Facebook page: Endometriosis Foundation of Kenya.

Ps: This blog (Mummy Tales) has been nominated for an award in the 2016 BAKE awards – in the Best Topical Blog category. I will appreciate your support. Kindly click on this link to cast your vote (number 11 .b). Thank you for your time.

Mummy Tales in Bali, Indonesia

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Mar 14, 2016

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In January, I happened to visit the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia. Bali is beautiful. Spectacular. It’s just ‘one of those places’. Bali is one of the most-loved tourist destinations in the world, and rightly so. However, I had visited Bali to cover the International Conference on Family Planning, and whose activities consumed the better part of my seven-day stay there so I unfortunately didn’t get to tour the island at all, much as I would have loved to. That notwithstanding, the little I saw and the experience I got was nothing short of amazing.

I put up at at the Grand Mirage Resort -Thalasso Bali, which is a 5-star beach hotel in the southern part of the island -in the Nusa Dua resort area. It was a good hotel, though it’s family-friendly nature made me really miss my boys and their father, wishing that they were there with me. I wanted to share some photos of the Grand Mirage Resort that I took so that in case you ever happen to visit this beautiful island with your family, it is a place you can consider staying in. By the way if you know of a couple still shopping around for a honeymoon destination, tell them about Bali. They will not be disappointed. Here are some photos.

There were so many of these at the pristine beach, I thought they were so romantic. Good place for a honeymoon for sure.

Dinner by the beach, if you so wished. Too nice.

Grand-Mirage-Resort-118 — The aquamedic pool is made up of 100% pure heated seaweed and seawater, with a water station massage and exercise bar. Activities at the pool help reduce excess cellulite and improve muscle tone, flexibility and circulation through a series of aquatic leg exercises. The aquamedic pool stimulates body circulation to release puffiness and encourage burning excess fat. Below are photos of this aquamedic pool.

I lost count of the number of statutes in Bali -from the hotel to the streets, to just about everywhere. They are countless, literally.

So that was Bali. There is still a post on the streets of Bali that I will do, in a subsequent post.

Meanwhile, remember to cast your vote for my blog in the 2016 Kenyan bloggers award by clicking on this link. My blog is at number 11.b (https://mummytales.com/). Thank you for your time and support.

How I Met Journalist Anne Ngugi, and What She Said on Her Daughter’s 12th Birthday

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Maryanne W. Waweru

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Mar 10, 2016

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I met Anne Ngugi while undertaking my internship at Citizen TV in 2001. We used to call her Njambi.

Do you remember your first days of internship? Well, I remember mine vividly. There I was, fresh from Daystar, small girl, scared. Terrified. I had studied broadcast journalism, but I was a very shy girl and I knew that the camera was not for me. Me I like being behind the scenes, not out there. Despite all the encouragement I got from my parents, I knew that I would never appear on screen –either as a reporter or anchor or onlooker or anything. Me, I’m a writer. I like hiding over here behind. Suffice it to say that after my three-month stint at Citizen TV, followed by another three month stint at KBC, I knew without a doubt that TV was not for me. Nope. Not at all. I was done with broadcast. Print was it. Writing was for me. It is my calling. That is why I’m here today. On this blog. But my dad, even though he is very proud of me today, still hopes that one day I will be on TV reading news. Woiyee daddy. It’s not gonna happen. Sob.

Anyway, back to Njambi. I was a very green reporter, but Njambi would always be willing to help a naïve girl out. Newsrooms are not a joke by the way. There is always a rush, people are busy, no one really has time. But Njambi would find time, and sometimes she’d accompany me to the field and guide me on how to conduct interviews (I remember one time I had to interview the powerful cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott, nie reke ngwire I was sweating profusely in my new second-hand chiffon blouse I’d bought at Mutindwa, till I thought I would drown in my sweat. I was so nervous, dizzy and I was hearing ambulance sirens ringing in my head waaah).

Njambi went on to grace our screens for years reading the Swahili news bulletins on KTN and later K24. She became a mom in 2004, but her first motherhood experience turned out to be not quite what she had expected. Her daughter Angel was born with a birth defect called congenital hydrocephalus. Congenital hydrocephalus is the buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain at birth. The extra fluid increases pressure in the baby’s brain, often leading to brain damage and other mental and physical challenges. The clearest symptom of hydrocephalus is a head that is larger than normal.

In a 2009 interview in The Standard, Njambi said of her experience with her daughter:

“When I held Angel in my arms (when she was a newborn), I refused to acknowledge that she had a problem and kept hoping that the swelling would subside and that she would be normal like any other baby within the shortest time. In the days following, I would massage her head with Vaseline for two hours daily, but her head kept swelling and the veins were protruding. It was then that I realized I needed to seek medical help. Angel had her first operation when she was only three weeks old. Doctors fitted plastic medical gadgets called shunts in her head that went right through to the stomach so that they would direct the flow of fluids. However, four months after the operation, Angel began to experience hot spells, her head was still big and she could not smile as yet. I could see she was very uncomfortable but not knowing what else to do, I only watched her helplessly. It was heartbreaking.”

Njambi has never shied away from speaking about her daughter, and her experience has often been of such encouragement to other parents undergoing the same. So last Sunday, she shared a message on Angel’s 12^th birthday, which I’d like to share with you today:

Njambi's 12 year-old daughter Angel. — Njambi’s 12 year-old daughter Angel.

“Today is a very special day for me. It is Angel’s birthday. 12 years ago, on 6 March 2004, she was born. All interpretations about her condition were made but today, all those interpretations mean nothing because she has stood the test of time. Angel has defied neurosurgeons who attended to her wrong. It is just through God’s grace and healing power in her life. It is a testament that by His blood (JESUS) we are healed. It is because of this reason I remember all those who are caring for children with special needs. This is my word: If my Angel has made it, yours can make it too no matter how bad the situation is. Accept your special child and let God be…. look for support and don’t shy away from walking with your child. Be proud because in this life there women who are pleading and crying to God to even bless their womb with a child, regardless of whatever extent of disability they will have. Happy Birthday Angel. You are truly a star!”

That was her message. If you know of any parent raising a special needs child, then encourage them with Njambi’s message. Share it with them.

Anne is today a mom of four: Angel, John Mark (7 years), and twins Precious and Princess (2 years) Aside from taking care of her family, Anne is in the process of producing her own show -one that will be full of inspiration based on her own experiences as well as those of other people she has met. She also trains and mentors young people with interests in the media. She is also setting up ‘Angel’s Foundation’. Her daughter Angel sings quite well, she tells me! Anne can be reached on: annnjambi@yahoo.com

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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.

Diaspora Mum Ann Wanjiku from Germany: Dressing up My Son

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Maryanne W. Waweru

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Mar 8, 2016

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Last we heard from our regular guest writer Ann Wanjiku -a Kenyan-born mum raising her family in Germany, she was telling us about how she used to dry her newborn with a hair dryer after bathing him, and why she had to stop after just two days of doing so. You can catch up with that post here.

Today, Ann takes us through the process of dressing up her son, when he was a newborn. Here she goes:

“Dressing up my baby was something that I also learnt during my first motherhood days. This I did like layers of an onion. I was advised to start with a short sleeved vest first, then a long sleeved top and then a romper suit for the indoors. When we were going outdoors, I was advised to dress him in a snowsuit since it was during cold winter time.

For bedtime my baby’s dressing included having him in a vest, a pyjama with long sleeves and a section for the feet just like a romper suit. Then I would either swaddled him or place him in a sleeping bag. There was then no need for extra covering.

Sleeping Position for Baby

I was advised to lay the baby on his back while sleeping. The midwife also recommended that baby sleep with us (his parents) in our bedroom for his first year. However, she insisted that he must sleep in his own bed. She also told me that ideally the bedroom temperature should be 17°C.

In my next article, I’ll talk about another aspect of baby care – changing diapers. So look out for that post here on Mummy Tales! You can read the rest of my entries by clicking on this link.

The Story of Baby Amara and ‘The Amara Initiative’

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Mar 3, 2016

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Amara_Initiative (1) — Alice Kibagendi with her late daughter baby Amara Bosibori Kibagendi.

Do you know the story behind the Amara Initiative? It is the story of baby Amara -a very sweet and bubbly baby who choked while being fed by the house girl in March 2012. She was only six months old. Following Amara’s death, her mother -the beautiful Alice Kibagendi set up ‘The Amara Initiative’ with the goal of training as many caregivers as possible on the basics of First Aid, because First Aid on many occasions is the difference between life and death. Read the full story here.

This coming Saturday 5 March 2016, the Amara Initiative will hold a basic First Aid training. I encourage you to have your house girl trained on the same. Even though baby Amara is gone, her legacy lives on through the hundreds of lives she continues to save.

By the way, this blog has been nominated for an award in this year’s Kenyan Blog Awards (BAKE) in the Best Topical Blog category. I will appreciate if you could kindly take a minute and go over to this link, scroll down the page to category number 11 (Best Topical Blog) and vote for option b: https://mummytales.com/

Thank you!

Alice Kibagendi during my interview with her at her home last year. She's such a good host. Served me very delicious food :). — Alice Kibagendi during my interview with her at her home last year. She’s such a good host. Served me very delicious food :).

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“I Made an Artificial Uterus and Wore Pads in a Bid to Help My Wife”, Says India’s ‘Menstruation Man’

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Mar 1, 2016

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Arunachalam-Muruganantham — Arunachalam Muruganantham and his wife Shanti. Photo: Dirk Gilson/Al Jazeera

This story that I have come across on Al Jazeera has absolutely captured my heart. It is the story of one man from India, whose simple loving gesture to his wife – which was rejected, has become the lifeline for thousands of other women. His name is Arunachalam Muruganantham, and when sixteen years ago he realized that his wife was using old rags during her period because she couldn’t afford sanitary pads, he was so shocked that he decided to make sanitary pads for her.

That was easy. He bought a roll of cotton wool and cut it into pieces, the same size as the pads sold in the shops, and then wrapped a thin layer of cotton around it. He then gave it to his wife and asked her to test it. He wasn’t quite prepared for her reaction. She said the pad was useless and she would rather continue using old rags.

Not one to give up too soon, he began experimenting with different materials to make the pads, but unfortunately, he would have to wait a whole month till his wife’s next period. That was too long a wait, and so he decided to take a different approach. He got other women to test his new pad designs. But yet another problem arose. Some of the women who tested his pads were too shy to give him detailed feedback.

Also Read: Lillian Maingi-Barasa -Salon Magazine’s Editor With a Passion for Giving Back

Frustrated, he decided to try something new – literally. He decided to test the sanitary pads himself. He made an artificial uterus using a rubber bladder, filled it with animal blood and fixed it to his hip. A tube led from the artificial uterus to the sanitary pad in his underpants. While walking and cycling, he would keep pressing the bladder, thus stimulating the ‘menstrual flow’.

But within 20 minutes, he would be stinking, and his clothes were blood-stained. Animal blood. Definitely a foul smell. Everyone around him began talking. It was clear to his neighbors that he was either ill or perverted. Perhaps even more heartbreaking is when, tired of the constant gossip, his wife left him and went to live with her mother. She thought that by leaving him, he would come back to his senses. He did not. 20 days after she left, he was issued with a divorce notice.

But Muruganantham didn’t give up. He knew why he was going through all this. During his research, he had learned that only 10 – 20% of all girls and women in India have access to proper menstrual hygiene products. This was no longer just about helping his wife. He wanted to produce affordable pads for low-income girls and women.

It would be two years before he would finally found the right material, and another four years before he developed a way to process it. The result was an easy-to-use machine for producing low-cost sanitary pads. Imported machines cost over US$500,000. Muruganantham’s machine, by contrast, is priced at US$950. Now women’s groups or schools can buy his machine, produce their own sanitary pads and sell the surplus. In this way, his machine has created jobs for women in rural India. He has started a revolution in his own country, selling 1,300 machines to 27 states, and has recently begun exporting them to developing countries all over the world.

Today he is one of India’s most well-known social entrepreneurs and TIME magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.

Several corporations have offered to buy his machine, but he has refused, instead preferring to sell to women’s self-help groups. And yes, he became reunited with his wife again!

What an inspirational story! Lots of lessons to learn for us all.

*This information is sourced from Al Jazeera.

“I Was Excited About Joining my New School. Until they Found out I was HIV Positive” -Elijah Lemayian’s Story

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Feb 28, 2016

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This is the story of 12 year-old Elijah Lemayian who was denied admission in a primary school that he had instantly fallen in love with -on account of his HIV positive status. That this kind of stigma happens in this day and age is saddening. But it does happen, that I am not shocked about. Elijah and his mother Evelyn have access to the media; thousands of other HIV positive children and their parents do not. They have neither the voice nor the confidence to stand up to the institutions that are the schools that discriminate them.

Unfortunately, society still discriminates against individuals such as Elijah and Evelyn. But, who is this society? Aren’t we part of this society? Isn’t society you and I? What are you doing to end this kind of discrimination?

6 Reasons why a New Mum Would need to Express Breast Milk

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Feb 26, 2016

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It is inevitable that most mothers will at some point during their new motherhood journey have to express breast milk – either manually or with a breast pump. Even for those moms who are with their babies 24-7, at some point they may need to express some breast milk. Here are some of the reasons why expressing is necessary for new moms:

1. Premature or Unwell Baby

This is when baby is born prematurely, or when, despite being full-term, baby has a medical condition and has to stay in hospital as they get better. During this time, the mother may need to come in to the hospital (if she has already been discharged) during the day and express milk for baby to consume during the night hours when she is not there. Sometimes even when she is there admitted with baby, she may need to express milk to prevent engorgement, especially if baby is unable to suckle.

2. Trouble with Latching

This is when, hard as both mom and baby try, the latching is just not happening right, leaving both of them very frustrated (this is undoubtedly one of the most agonizing aspects of new motherhood). Her nipples end up being cracked, sore and painful, sometimes even bleeding, and the mere sound of her baby’s cry -indicating hunger, makes her cringe. So she decides to give herself a necessary nursing break to express milk which baby can then feed on.

Iddah Membo-Onyango with her son Ian. She exclusively breastfed her two sons while managing a busy full-time job.

3. Engorged Breasts!

This is when the mother is in the office or somewhere away from baby for a lengthy period of time, and she doesn’t want to suffer the risk of engorged breasts (this is usually very painful) or worse, mastitits. If you are determined to express milk while working, read these tips from career mom Iddah Membo-Onyango on how she made expressing breast milk in the office work for her.

4. Leaking Boobs

This happens when for one reason or another, the new mom’s breasts are already full and leaking -to the point where her clothes become stained. If you are a new mom and don’t have a breast pump nearby, you can just go and hand-express in the washrooms. Unfortunately that milk will have to go to waste. Very painful I know to see that liquid gold go just like that, but it’s better that than having engorged breasts or worse, mastitis.

Joy Wanja Muraya with daughter Shantelle. She juggled exclusive breastfeeding with work and her Masters degree in Public Health where she would take evening classes.

5. You are a Working Mom Determined to Exclusively Breastfeed

For working moms who are determined to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months and have to return to work after their 90-day maternity leave, they can actually start expressing and storing this milk while still on maternity leave. Expressed breast milk can stay in the freezer for up to six months. That way, she can continue expressing milk both at home and in the office so that baby will have good supply when she’s not around. Baby is fed this milk by the house girl or the responsible caregiver in the home. Sterilization is key here, so make sure you train your house girl well on this. Just like Iddah Membo, read Joy Wanja Muraya’s exclusive breastfeeding experience here. Joy is a senior health journalist currently with the Standard Newspaper.

6. Tap Running Dry

If you are breastfeeding, you may need to express milk if you notice your supply is decreasing -especially if you are keen on exclusive breastfeeding. This is because the more you express, the more milk is produced. So when baby is asleep, it would be good for you to express so that you maintain your milk flow.

So is there any other reason I may have left out? Feel free to share in the comments section below.

Read: “Expressing Milk in the Office: What Worked for Me – Iddah Membo-Onyango”

Read: Kenyan Journalist Joy Wanja Muraya: “My Exclusive Breastfeeding Journey”

To all moms who are breastfeeding, remember that it’s all worth it so keep on keeping on. Best wishes.

Pregnant and in a Strict Christian University: Amanda Marie’s Story

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Feb 20, 2016

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Amanda-Marie-Mama-Bear — Amanda Marie. Beautiful!

29 year-old Amanda Marie is mother to 5 year-old daughter Ariyana Zawadi. Amanda fell pregnant while in campus (a strictly Christian campus), and had to keep the pregnancy hidden throughout. Read on…

Maryanne: Tell us a little about yourself.

Amanda: I am a mother to an awesome daughter -my pride and joy. When not at home with Ariyana, I spend my day at work. I am the Operations Manager at a high-end clothing store based in Nairobi. I enjoy my job very much (I love the clothes, the shoes, the bags… especially the bags), and it is a great experience for me. Even though it is a challenging role, it fulfills me and I go home happy each day. And once home, I become even happier as I spend time with my daughter.

Maryanne: Tell us about the time you found out you were pregnant.

Amanda: It was not easy. I was in my final year in campus -a strictly Christian university I must mention. The campus not only upholds the principle of ‘no sex before marriage’, but it is against the campus policy to have a baby before you get married. Yes, campus policy! But I was comforted by the fact that I was dating the most handsome man in the world and I couldn’t hide my joy of having his baby. He was the first person I informed about my pregnancy.

But later, when we sat down and talked about it, I got scared because his parents are pastors. Not only that, but my parents are church elders so you can only imagine the kind of self-pressure we were in. It is perhaps because of this that I successfully managed to hide my pregnancy from my parents for the first five months. Sadly though, during this time, the relationship with my boyfriend became really strained and we split. It was just not working.

So when I realized I was going to do this alone, I finally got the courage and slipped a note into my mother’s purse. In the note, I apologized for getting pregnant before marriage and for not telling her sooner about it. When she returned home from work that evening, I was numb with fear. I was ready for anything. I then dropped the bombshell to my mum -I was pregnant!

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5 Daughters of 5 Generations …

By

Maryanne W. Waweru

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Feb 11, 2016

0

I finally joined Instagram a few days ago (mummy_tales), and though I’m still trying to find my way around that street, there are some pretty interesting photos that I’ve been coming across. The picture above showing five generations of daughters and mothers by Demsy Gtu is one that took my breath away, literally, and hence I’m sharing it here with you.

This is what Demsy wrote on her Instagram page:

First Daughters of 5 Generations .. My Great-Grandmum, my Grandmum, My Mum, Myself & My daughter. We are blessed people, A chosen Generation, A peculiar People.. My Great Grandmum is one woman I admire so much. Ever Since she Lost her husband (My Great-Grand Dad) in the year 1999, who died at the age of 80, My Great grandmum has kept the faith & despite all odds is still alive to enjoy the blessing of seeing her 5th Generation & that happens to be my daughter.. A rare Blessing & privilege denied to many.. It’s been God’s grace & above all his Mercy.. We thank God for bringing us this far.

Isn’t this just beautiful?

photo credit: Instagram @umycutie.

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Mummy Tales

How Can You Be in Such Pain from a Period? Elsie Wandera Speaks

Mummy Tales in Bali, Indonesia

How I Met Journalist Anne Ngugi, and What She Said on Her Daughter’s 12th Birthday

Diaspora Mum Ann Wanjiku from Germany: Dressing up My Son

The Story of Baby Amara and ‘The Amara Initiative’

“I Made an Artificial Uterus and Wore Pads in a Bid to Help My Wife”, Says India’s ‘Menstruation Man’

“I Was Excited About Joining my New School. Until they Found out I was HIV Positive” -Elijah Lemayian’s Story

6 Reasons why a New Mum Would need to Express Breast Milk

Pregnant and in a Strict Christian University: Amanda Marie’s Story

5 Daughters of 5 Generations …

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