Celebrity moms
Feb 06, 2009
Angella Kalule, a presenter with Sanyu FM and Betty Nambooze Bakireke, the Democratic Party spokesperson have been in the spotlight in their fields as achievers.
Angella Kalule, a presenter with Sanyu FM and Betty Nambooze Bakireke, the Democratic Party spokesperson have been in the spotlight in their fields as achievers. Rehemah Aanyu had a chat with them on motherhood
ANGELLA KALULE, PRESENTER SANYU FM,
Were you ready for pregnancy?
We had talked about it with my boyfriend. So when it happened, we embraced it. However, we were poor. I had just started out as a musician. I found it hard especially when I craved for foods like icecream and we could not afford them.
What were your thoughts on pregnancy?
It was something that was going to make me lose one and a half years of my work.
Take us through the first stages
It took me a long time to go public. I heard that pregnancy made one glow, but I got a skin rash instead. I was throwing up a lot and I cut my hair short because I could not stand salons. I could not stand perfume so I stayed indoors. In the subsequent months when I felt better and went out with my boyfriend and even performed on stage.
How did you come to terms with the bulge?
I did not have money so sometimes I had to squeeze into my small clothes because I did not have maternity clothes. So when I got a gig and got money, I went to Owino and bought some maternity dresses.
Worst fear?
I had a feeling that my boyfriend would leave me because I had grown fat and I was only 23. I also avoided my family because I knew my uncle who had raised me would be mad at me. My dad sent a cousin, after hearing rumours that I was pregnant. My cousin came to tell me that my family was not going to disown me.
Any embarrassments?
I did not know how to deal with people who made careless remarks. One day while walking to the taxi park, a man said now you know what it means to sleep naked. The world knew I had had sex and it was embarrassing.
What habits did you drop?
My boyfriend and I were party animals and every night we hopped from bar to bar. This had to change.
Sum up motherhood
Motherhood is an institution where each day provides a lesson. You have a huge responsibility on your shoulders and you have got to sacrifice to cater for the ones you brought into this world.
BETTY NAMBOOZE BAKIREKE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPOKESPERSON
Your thoughts on motherhood
Motherhood is more than enduring labour pains. I have 25 children of which three are mine biologically.
What she heard about pregnancy
When I was younger, I heard many women complain about the discomforts of pregnancy such as vomiting, which was scary. At the same time I saw how society viewed barren women and I chose to look forward to the pains of pregnancy.
What was your first thought when you knew you were pregnant?
I thought about abortion. I was unmarried. Culturally, it is an abomination for an unwed girl to get pregnant. I feared motherhood because it was a responsibility I wasn’t ready to shoulder.
How did you discover you were pregnant?
I missed my periods and I had morning sickness. When I went for treatment, the doctor said I was pregnant. I was shocked because I was on contraceptives.
How did pregnancy treat you?
Apart from morning sickness, the first five months were blissful. But the next four months were hectic, I had low blood pressure, was tired all the time and I had to leave work.
What did you have to adapt to?
I learnt to wear bitengi and love it.
Any embarrassing moments?
While walking through the Old Taxi Park one day, a man confronted me and said: “nyabo nga walaba nga mutemu†(madam I’m sorry you were assaulted by a murderer). His friends burst out laughing and I figured they were bashing me for being pregnant.
things you felt embarrassed about
Having to undress before doctors. At the clinic I went to for antenatal care, nurses would shout at us to go to the next room and strip naked. It was as though we had committed a grave crime to get pregnant.
How did your first pregnancy change your life?
After that first pregnancy I vowed never to go for natural birth because it was very painful. I chose caesarean section for my other babies.
Happy moments about pregnancy
Seeing my husband taking extra care to make sure I was comfortable, made me happy. He also lined up for me in the long queues while I stayed in the car and he would call me when the doctor was ready for me.
Old habits you had to kick
I had to give up alcohol. It was hard, but when the going got tough, I took it sparingly.
Any anxieties
I was scared when my baby was not moving. I was relieved when I felt her first movement.
Wishes for your baby
I wished my firstborn was a boy but I got a girl. I admired men because society appreciated men more than women. Nevertheless we loved her.
ANGELLA KALULE, PRESENTER SANYU FM,
Were you ready for pregnancy?
We had talked about it with my boyfriend. So when it happened, we embraced it. However, we were poor. I had just started out as a musician. I found it hard especially when I craved for foods like icecream and we could not afford them.
What were your thoughts on pregnancy?
It was something that was going to make me lose one and a half years of my work.
Take us through the first stages
It took me a long time to go public. I heard that pregnancy made one glow, but I got a skin rash instead. I was throwing up a lot and I cut my hair short because I could not stand salons. I could not stand perfume so I stayed indoors. In the subsequent months when I felt better and went out with my boyfriend and even performed on stage.
How did you come to terms with the bulge?
I did not have money so sometimes I had to squeeze into my small clothes because I did not have maternity clothes. So when I got a gig and got money, I went to Owino and bought some maternity dresses.
Worst fear?
I had a feeling that my boyfriend would leave me because I had grown fat and I was only 23. I also avoided my family because I knew my uncle who had raised me would be mad at me. My dad sent a cousin, after hearing rumours that I was pregnant. My cousin came to tell me that my family was not going to disown me.
Any embarrassments?
I did not know how to deal with people who made careless remarks. One day while walking to the taxi park, a man said now you know what it means to sleep naked. The world knew I had had sex and it was embarrassing.
What habits did you drop?
My boyfriend and I were party animals and every night we hopped from bar to bar. This had to change.
Sum up motherhood
Motherhood is an institution where each day provides a lesson. You have a huge responsibility on your shoulders and you have got to sacrifice to cater for the ones you brought into this world.
BETTY NAMBOOZE BAKIREKE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPOKESPERSON
Your thoughts on motherhood
Motherhood is more than enduring labour pains. I have 25 children of which three are mine biologically.
What she heard about pregnancy
When I was younger, I heard many women complain about the discomforts of pregnancy such as vomiting, which was scary. At the same time I saw how society viewed barren women and I chose to look forward to the pains of pregnancy.
What was your first thought when you knew you were pregnant?
I thought about abortion. I was unmarried. Culturally, it is an abomination for an unwed girl to get pregnant. I feared motherhood because it was a responsibility I wasn’t ready to shoulder.
How did you discover you were pregnant?
I missed my periods and I had morning sickness. When I went for treatment, the doctor said I was pregnant. I was shocked because I was on contraceptives.
How did pregnancy treat you?
Apart from morning sickness, the first five months were blissful. But the next four months were hectic, I had low blood pressure, was tired all the time and I had to leave work.
What did you have to adapt to?
I learnt to wear bitengi and love it.
Any embarrassing moments?
While walking through the Old Taxi Park one day, a man confronted me and said: “nyabo nga walaba nga mutemu†(madam I’m sorry you were assaulted by a murderer). His friends burst out laughing and I figured they were bashing me for being pregnant.
things you felt embarrassed about
Having to undress before doctors. At the clinic I went to for antenatal care, nurses would shout at us to go to the next room and strip naked. It was as though we had committed a grave crime to get pregnant.
How did your first pregnancy change your life?
After that first pregnancy I vowed never to go for natural birth because it was very painful. I chose caesarean section for my other babies.
Happy moments about pregnancy
Seeing my husband taking extra care to make sure I was comfortable, made me happy. He also lined up for me in the long queues while I stayed in the car and he would call me when the doctor was ready for me.
Old habits you had to kick
I had to give up alcohol. It was hard, but when the going got tough, I took it sparingly.
Any anxieties
I was scared when my baby was not moving. I was relieved when I felt her first movement.
Wishes for your baby
I wished my firstborn was a boy but I got a girl. I admired men because society appreciated men more than women. Nevertheless we loved her.