POLOKWANE – A new baby, new experience, new beginning and a new challenge.
This is how Maphuthi Mothoa, a mother of three boys describes welcoming her third child, Madimetja.
The 37-year-old mother says she was expecting a girl as she already had two boys, but the unexpected happened and she was blessed with another baby boy.
The bundle of joy has been part of the family for seven weeks now, and Maphuthi conceived while she was on holiday in Durban with her husband.
“I craved butternut, rice, stew meat and avocados while I was pregnant,” says Maphuthi.
Baby Madimetja was named after his great-grandfather.
She says her eldest son was not pleased when he heard the news of the pregnancy.
“He asked me lots of questions such as where is the baby going to sleep, who is he going to play with, whose clothes is he going to wear? All those endless questions showed that he was not happy about a new child coming to join the family,” she says.
Maphuthi gave birth via a cesarean, which was her third and adds that the labour pains this time around were unlike the other two pregnancies, where the cesarean section was planned.
Her colleagues planned her baby shower at work, which was beautiful.
Asked what was the scariest moment of her pregnancy, she says it was learning to ignore the misconception that women older than 35 are likely to give birth to physically challenged babies.
“My husband was supportive from the minute he found out I was pregnant. The last trimester was the most challenging because I could not sleep. When the baby finally arrived, his brothers were happy and did not want to leave his side, not even for a second. The bond was strong. This is my first time breast feeding and it is a totally new experience for me, but I feel more connected to him,” she explains.
Maphuti says her two boys took turns to rub her back towards the end of her pregnancy and talked to the baby.
“I don’t feel safe leaving my new baby with anyone. I am so attached to him that leaving him for an hour feels like a long time,” she says.
According to Maphuthi, her three boys are a blessing, her soldiers, her bodyguards and her security. She feels safe with them by her side.
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