ZIMBABWE – A 38-year-old man from Mahatshula North suburb in Bulawayo earned praise from the community after helping his pregnant wife deliver her baby boy at their home recently.
Thomas Tiyatara turned midwife and helped his wife Samukeliso Moyo (21), who had gone into labour on 4 February, deliver the baby after an ambulance failed to arrive on time to their home.
Narrating to B-Metro what transpired on the night, Tiyatara said his wife developed labour pains at around 11 PM and he assisted her to deliver the baby at about 1 AM. He said:
When she woke me up at around 11 pm saying she was feeling ‘a little bit uncomfortable’, I just thought they were normal pains.
I became scared when the labour pains worsened and that is when I called an ambulance. It was pretty surreal.
While waiting for an ambulance to arrive I got her into position using blankets to create a steady surface, like the back seat of a car while making sure she is as comfortable as possible.
While she was writhing in agony the baby started coming out and I panicked when I saw the baby’s head.
I, however, gathered courage and quickly reached over with my hands and caught the baby.
Tayatara said despite the fact that his wife was in pain she instructed him not to pull on the baby’s head or body. He added:
After the baby came, I didn’t cut or pull on the umbilical cord. I just placed it next to the baby until an ambulance arrived.
The ambulance arrived two hours later to provide assistance and the paramedics took my wife and the baby to North End Clinic where they received further medical care.
Her delivery was quick, like 30 to 45 minutes and was followed by “screaming and the familiar cry of the baby”.
The joyful mother, Samukeliso, said when she went into labour with her second child at home, her husband was so scared. She said:
He just handled the whole thing alone. It was, like, the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.
I feel loved and honoured and it was a perfect way to welcome our new baby boy into the world. It was a remarkable moment indeed.
In honour of her husband’s efforts, the couple decided to name the baby Thomas Tiyatara Junior.
The couple is excited that there were no post-natal complications that required medical intervention.
