We planned to buy the baby essentials month by month. For people surviving hand to mouth, it was a struggle.
I got pregnant with my second born just about the same time my husband lost his job. We were struggling to make ends meet and life was so hard for us. We both resorted to vending — my husband was selling bread and I was selling vegetables.
We managed to raise funds for the registration fees for antenatal care when my pregnancy was at four months, and we planned to buy the baby essentials monthly for the remaining five months. This seemed like a very easy plan to implement, but for people surviving hand to mouth it was a struggle.
We could not get anything in the sixth month. In the seventh month we bought a dish for bathing the baby and a bucket. In the eighth month we decided to buy a tracksuit, hat and socks. Then the ninth month came, we raised money for transport to the clinic, and that was it.
Our baby came and we only had one set of clothing. Ladies from our church ended up raising money to buy baby essentials and giving me pre-loved clothes, so my child could have something to put on.
