Where do I even begin??!…. I met Ma Lilo Mthembu on Instagram stories that my sister had found, and I fell in love with her, with her compassion and patience for her clients. I had to meet her, I just had to. So, I moved from Durban, back home to Johannesburg to prepare for maternity leave with family and to consult with Ma Mthembu.
I fell in love with her the day I met her – she reminded me of a warm cup of a red latte on a cold Ballito morning. Our consultations were few because I was already advanced in my pregnancy, but she took away the anxiety of being a first-time mom with what seemed like a small baby because I myself am of a tall, slender stature. Fast forward to the week of delivery….
On the Wednesday afternoon, whilst shopping for some baby clothes, I felt warmth down my inner thighs, and I knew the first signs of his arrival were here. My beloved and I found the nearest bathroom and on my underwear, sat a bloody blob of mucous. So, we rushed back home, I cleaned up and called Ma Mthembu to let her know what was happening. Following her advice, I soaked in a warm bath with relaxing salts, and life continued.
It was 01:00am that Friday morning that I started having some unbecoming pains which came in waves. They worsened around 04:00. We called Ma Lilo, who was already at the hospital, and by the time we arrived, after having had a tyre flatten on the highway, I had was numb from the pain. When she assessed me, it was time to push – thank God I did not give birth on the side of the N3 during the changing of the tyre. We had a tiring but beautiful water birth with Ma Lilo right there through it all, encouraging me not to give in to the fatigue and still cracking jokes in the middle of excruciating pain.
We will forever be grateful to Ma Mthembu for her unreserved excellence at what she does and her undeniable love for this work that she is clearly called for.
Ngiyabonga Ma Lilo Mthembu, Mvelase, Qhudeni Mvelase, Owavel’eNyandeni yemikhonto yakwa Mvelase
