Nakyonyi Cate’s Story

Sisters Nakyonyi Cate (right) and Nakabuya Jovia

My name is Nakyonyi Catherine and I am an alumni student of Buiga Sunrise School. I am 24 years old and also a preschool teacher at Buiga Sunrise School. My baby girl is named Najjuma Soliana Skylar Kirabo. She was born on 31st of January 2025 with the help of midwife Harriet, from Gentle Hearts, and my sister Jovia, who is a midwife student and also an alumni student of Buiga Sunrise School.

This is the delivery story of my baby girl.

It all started with false labor pain on 27th of January 2025. I called my sister Jovia first to ask her about labor pain and how it starts. She asked me whether I had seen some signs but I had not got any. She asked me to go to the hospital so they could check on me and tell me what to do next because she was still at school and far away. My husband took me to the hospital where they confirmed it that it was false labor pain. I went back home and waited because they told me that my labor was expected any time, any day.

Due to the fact that my sister had told me all the signs that show labor, I saw the first sign on January 29th, but it was little and I had no pain. I called my sister immediately and she asked me to organize everything that she told me that was needed for labor. Good enough I had everything ready and organized. I waited until evening, but still I had no labor pain, so I decided to go and visit my mom. When I reached my mom's place, she first told me to go see midwife Harriet to check on me and we see what might be the problem. So I went with her to midwife Harriet. She checked me and told me to be ready - that any time the labor pain would start because the baby was already in the position.

That evening I went back to my house and waited. At around midnight I started feeling the pain but I just ignored it because it was not much. I thought it might be false labor, as people always say that labor pain is very strong.

Through my pregnancy journey, I always woke up very early in the morning to go and visit the bathroom. When I woke up that morning, the sign came out and it all went down my legs. I woke up my husband and showed him everything on me. He went and brought the car to take me to the hospital. As he was leaving, I called my sister and told her and she said that I was going to give birth. She told me to go to the hospital, as she was expecting to be coming back home on the same day - the 30th of January.

When we reached the hospital, the midwife checked on me and said that I was going to give birth but the cervix was still closed. When they confirmed that I was going to give birth and the pain I was having were real labor, I had mixed emotions ; super excited that I was going to carry my baby girl but also thinking what if I don't get out of that labor room.

The nurse asked us to go back home and to come back to the hospital later. She told me to move around the house and if I wanted to sit, I sit on a bucket. So that's what I did. My sister Jovia kept on calling me each hour that passed, checking on me. She asked me to be strong and listen to whatever the midwife told me. Each hour that passed the pain kept on doubling.

I went back to the hospital in the afternoon and still they told me that the cervix was closed. I started panicking, and when they checked on my pressure it was increasing. They asked me to stay calm and not think about anything.

I went back home and waited as they instructed me. In the evening I went back to the hospital and still the cervix was closed, and my pressure was going higher. The midwife told us to wait for some time and see how everything would be and if nothing changed they would refer me for C-section. Good enough my sister had reached the hospital by that time and my mother in law was also around. My mother in law and my sister decided to take me back home and talk about it. They were worried and could not allow them to take me for C-section as it is very risky.

On reaching home, they called my husband too and we sat and started sharing ideas. My husband had worked with midwife Harriet at Sunrise and knew that she was very good at deliveries, so he said we should call and ask her if she could help.

My sister called and asked Harriet to take me and check on me. My husband drove us there, and upon reaching the place, Harriet was waiting for us. When she checked on me, she told me that the cervix was open by 2 cm and told us that I might give birth in the morning. My mom also came and was asked to go back home because she was so worried I might die. That's why we kept everything from her and I was with my sister.

I stayed with midwife Harriet and my sister through the night. Midwife Harriet kept on checking on me and teaching my sister some things about labor that she didn't yet know as a midwife student.

At 6 am they started organizing everything and told me that my baby was ready to come out When I heard that statement I was super excited and ready to push my baby and my sister told me "you can do it sister!” Finally at 6:12am I heard the first cry of my sunshine and felt so much happiness. When they placed her on my chest, I felt my heart skipping a beat and the bond we shared was so strong.

Allow me to take this opportunity to thank midwife Harriet, and my sister Jovia, for helping me have a normal and safe delivery. May the Almighty God bless them abundantly.

Jovia and Cate at her kindergarten graduation

Cate at Buiga Sunrise preschool 2005

Radiant and ready for baby

Cate and baby Soliana February 2025

Cate - teacher at Buiga Sunrise preschool 2025