Man supports wife during delivery

AFTER witnessing and supporting his wife during labour and delivering their baby on New Year’s Day, a first-time father has expressed his appreciation of the struggles women encounter during child-birth.
Steven Mathews was beside his wife Veronica Oala throughout the whole process supporting her alongside staff in the delivery room at the Paradise Private Hospital in Port Moresby in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“I witnessed the struggle and the pain a mother goes through and I wish all the fathers could be do the same,” he said.
He was also full of praise for the midwives at the hospital describing them as people with special skills who brought lives into the world.
He was even more grateful for the assistance the staff provided to his wife Veronica who is speech-impaired (mute).
Midwife Sr Helen Mokrom said although Veronica could not speak, she cooperated and did everything as instructed which enabled the safe delivery of their baby.
Mokrom agreed with Mathews saying they allowed fathers to witness deliveries to understand the process of child birth as well as the importance of family planning.
The couple were blessed with a healthy baby girl who arrived at 5am weighing 3.4kg. They named her Christine Vosivai.
Not only are they proud first-time parents but are even more joyous that Christine will be initiated into the chieftaincy system in Bougainville where her father comes from.
Steven, who is originally from Manus but was adopted by Bougainvilleans told The National that Christine was named after a chief in his area (matrimonial society) and would be granted that title.
Her mother Veronica is from Baruni Village in the National Capital District.
The hospital recorded three births of which two were normal deliveries and one caesarean.
Eveyln and Owen Galama from Central also celebrated the birth of their son, Rapila who was born at 7.15am weighing 3.5kg.