“Kamvi, vuka, wake up. You don’t want to be at the clinic the whole day,” Gogo called from Kamvi’s bedroom door.

Kamvi had had very little sleep because Litha had been crying. She dragged herself from the bed and prepared to bath before Litha woke up. That was the new routine now: do all you can before the baby wakes up.

It was Litha’s one-month check up at the Postnatal clinic and that meant a whole day affair. Kamvi packed Litha’s bag with disposable nappies, some wipes, clothes, a bib, and her stuffed animal from Cynthia.

She didn’t wash the baby because she didn’t want to wake her up. She headed for the clinic. The sun was already up and promising to get hot. Kamvi, following Gogo’s advice, had taken an umbrella.

At the clinic she was nervous; it was her first time there. But looking around, there were other young mothers like her. She easily fell into conversation with a young girl sitting next to her. Kamvi didn’t have to say much as the girl was a chatterbox.

Her phone vibrated and it was a call from her mother. “Hello Ma,” she greeted with a smile, as if her mother could see it her and this new friend sitting together and chatting, from wherever she was.

“Hello mntan’am. How is Litha? How are you?” her mother asked.

“We’re fine Ma. We’re here at the clinic getting our first check-up,” Kamvi told her. She and her mother fell into conversation about Gogo, and how she liked to spoil Litha. Finally, Nomvu asked Kamvi if she wanted anything, and Kamvi couldn’t think of a single thing to ask for, for herself. It seemed like ages ago that she always wanted so many things. Now, she just asked for a couple of new rompers for Litha because she was growing so fast.

“Mama, I have to go,” Kamvi ended the conversation, when her name was called. They said their goodbyes and she went to see the nurse.

After her turn with the nurse she headed home. There was nothing wrong with Litha and that was a relief. In fact, she was healthy and growing strong.

It must be all the moving around I ended up doing when I was pregnant, Kamvi thought to herself.

When she got home she found Litha’s cotton nappies already on the line. They gently blew in the summer breeze and they looked so white. Gogo must’ve washed them, she thought gratefully

When she walked into the house she stopped dead in surprise. Her mother was sitting in the living room, having tea with Gogo.

“Mama! But why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” she asked, going to give her a kiss.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it?” her mother smiled, and exchanged looks with Gogo.

“Give her here. Let me hold her,” her mother requested.

“No, sorry, but she’s asleep. I’ll put her down.”

In the bedroom Kamvi lined up pillows on the edges of the bed and put Litha safely in the middle. She gave her a gentle kiss and walked back to the living room.

“Bring me the black bag on the bed,” her mother said.

Kamvi didn’t ask what was in it. She brought it and opened it. There were baby clothes as she expected. But to her surprise, there were also a few of garments for her too – among them, a pair of jeans.

She scrambled into them and ran in to the living room. They fitted perfectly.

“You look beautiful,” her mother admired.

“Thanks Ma. I’ll wear them when Litha and I go to the clinic again,” Kamvi said, putting the baby clothes back in the bag. She didn’t notice her mother and Gogo exchanging a look.

“Go pack them away, and try not to wake the baby,” Gogo said.

When Kamvi returned to the living room her mother asked her to sit down.

“You won’t always be around to feed Litha, and she can’t start solid foods until she’s six months old,” her mother said.

“So when you are away somewhere, Litha must still be fed, and breast milk is best,” Gogo continued.

Together, Gogo and Nomvu explained to Kamvi how to express milk from her breasts into one of Litha’s bottles. And then when the telling was over, the practical began. It was a bit sore but Kamvi didn’t mind the pain. She filled one little bottle and she felt proud.

“Now, call Zamo or Cynthia, and ask them to go out with you for a few hours tomorrow night,” her mother said, smiling.

“But mama, what about Litha?” Kamvi said, not sure how to take the news.

“Your mother and I are here. Litha will be fine. You need to go out and enjoy yourself,” Gogo said also smiling.

Kamvi didn’t know what to say to the two women. She gave them each a hug and a kiss and said a thank you through shaky lips and teary eyes.

She took her phone and ran outside. She called Cynthia and Zamo and arranged a girl’s night out. That evening, as she stood in front of the mirror in her new, tight jeans, she saw a sexy young girl, with a bright and happy future ahead of her.

“Litha’s mom, you are hot,” she said, smiling at her reflection.

***

Tell us: Do you think Kamvi will manage with the baby and go back to school? And what do you think the most important thing is in raising a child?