A few weeks back, we brought you first excerpts from Tiwa Savage’s interview with Geneveive Magazine (HERE), where she talked about the difficulties she experienced during and after her child birth, now see full excerpts from the eye opening interview.
Pregnancy
On her pregnancy experience:
It was very difficult. Yet, a lot of people did not see that side of
it. While I was pregnant, I still had to put my artiste face on! I had
to work, perform and attend events, but behind closed doors, the people
close to me; my husband, my mum and the label, saw the struggle. In
fact, before I came on stage, at the event where I revealed I was
pregnant, I had just been throwing up in the car and I threw up for the
whole 9 months! I also had pre-eclampsia towards the end of the
pregnancy. It was a very tough pregnancy.
It was very difficult. Yet, a lot of people did not see that side of
it. While I was pregnant, I still had to put my artiste face on! I had
to work, perform and attend events, but behind closed doors, the people
close to me; my husband, my mum and the label, saw the struggle. In
fact, before I came on stage, at the event where I revealed I was
pregnant, I had just been throwing up in the car and I threw up for the
whole 9 months! I also had pre-eclampsia towards the end of the
pregnancy. It was a very tough pregnancy.
On having pre-eclampsia:
Well, it’s a condition some women have towards the end of their
pregnancy. For me, it was a period where I had high blood pressure, my
feet got terribly swollen and I could hardly walk. Plus my baby was
overdue by about 7-8 days! At the end, they decided to induce me to
labour because they were worried about my condition. It was a very
painful ordeal but I thank God everything went well.
Well, it’s a condition some women have towards the end of their
pregnancy. For me, it was a period where I had high blood pressure, my
feet got terribly swollen and I could hardly walk. Plus my baby was
overdue by about 7-8 days! At the end, they decided to induce me to
labour because they were worried about my condition. It was a very
painful ordeal but I thank God everything went well.
Motherhood
On motherhood so far:
I’m going to be as candid as I can be and Genevieve is the only press
I’ve ever told. They say you bond instantly with your baby but I didn’t
have that instant connection. I was in a 20 hour labour and just when I
was about to push him out, his heart rate dropped, so there was a lot of
panic in the room and we were all in tears. Then, when he eventually
came out, everyone screamed “congratulations” and they had to put him on
my chest to bond. Instead, when they did, I said “He is beautiful, but
can I sleep for just one hour?” Thereafter, I was so overwhelmed, that
for a week after delivery, I would cry every day. And I don’t know why
that happened. The midwives thought I was suffering from depression but I
guess a lot of first-time mums have felt that way. I think it is the
overwhelming feeling of being responsible for another human being. Now,
life is no longer a joke. I cannot do just anything I want. Yet, on the
other hand, I am very protective of him. Being a mother has made me like
a lioness, and I’m ready to bite anyone’s head off over him.
I’m going to be as candid as I can be and Genevieve is the only press
I’ve ever told. They say you bond instantly with your baby but I didn’t
have that instant connection. I was in a 20 hour labour and just when I
was about to push him out, his heart rate dropped, so there was a lot of
panic in the room and we were all in tears. Then, when he eventually
came out, everyone screamed “congratulations” and they had to put him on
my chest to bond. Instead, when they did, I said “He is beautiful, but
can I sleep for just one hour?” Thereafter, I was so overwhelmed, that
for a week after delivery, I would cry every day. And I don’t know why
that happened. The midwives thought I was suffering from depression but I
guess a lot of first-time mums have felt that way. I think it is the
overwhelming feeling of being responsible for another human being. Now,
life is no longer a joke. I cannot do just anything I want. Yet, on the
other hand, I am very protective of him. Being a mother has made me like
a lioness, and I’m ready to bite anyone’s head off over him.
On not revealing her baby’s face:
Well that’s his dad’s decision. Every mother wants everyone to see the
picture of her baby. I want everyone to see how cute he is but I
understand my husband’s perspective too. He is the head of the hose so I
have to respect his wishes. Eventually we will reveal his face but for
now he wants only close family and friends to have the special moment to
bond and not share it with the world yet.
Well that’s his dad’s decision. Every mother wants everyone to see the
picture of her baby. I want everyone to see how cute he is but I
understand my husband’s perspective too. He is the head of the hose so I
have to respect his wishes. Eventually we will reveal his face but for
now he wants only close family and friends to have the special moment to
bond and not share it with the world yet.
Tunji ‘Tee Billz’ Balogun & Fatherhood
On her husband and the baby:
Oh my goodness! He was so excited! I think he was even more excited
than I was while I was pregnant. Say for instance, we have a
disagreement and I go downstairs to the living room, he’d ask me to come
back upstairs because he wants to speak to his baby in my belly. And
then, he would lay his head on my stomach, and the baby would move and
kick every single time Tunji did that. There was an
instant bond from the beginning. Tunji has also been very helpful. He
stays up to baby sit when I’m sleeping. He changes diapers, makes his
food and is very hands-on with the baby.
Oh my goodness! He was so excited! I think he was even more excited
than I was while I was pregnant. Say for instance, we have a
disagreement and I go downstairs to the living room, he’d ask me to come
back upstairs because he wants to speak to his baby in my belly. And
then, he would lay his head on my stomach, and the baby would move and
kick every single time Tunji did that. There was an
instant bond from the beginning. Tunji has also been very helpful. He
stays up to baby sit when I’m sleeping. He changes diapers, makes his
food and is very hands-on with the baby.
On her husband’s other kids:
That I cannot talk about because I don’t want to be in a position to
speak for anybody else. I am not the one involved so I wouldn’t want to
drag that situation into the limelight because it would be unfair to the
others involved. These are people who did not choose this life but by
reason of their association with me have been dragged into the
limelight.
That I cannot talk about because I don’t want to be in a position to
speak for anybody else. I am not the one involved so I wouldn’t want to
drag that situation into the limelight because it would be unfair to the
others involved. These are people who did not choose this life but by
reason of their association with me have been dragged into the
limelight.
Faith
On her spirituality:
I am very spiritual. I do not joke with paying tithe or speaking with
God. I may not always get to kneel down and pray but at some point in
the car or wherever I am, I would have a conversation with God. I owe
everything to him and I guess a lot of people don’t see that side. I’m
grateful that my Pastor, Pastor Paul Adefarasin sees
that side and he is still waiting for me to make a gospel album. That
side of me people don’t know about is that I love being at home,
watching television and just being away from the limelight.
I am very spiritual. I do not joke with paying tithe or speaking with
God. I may not always get to kneel down and pray but at some point in
the car or wherever I am, I would have a conversation with God. I owe
everything to him and I guess a lot of people don’t see that side. I’m
grateful that my Pastor, Pastor Paul Adefarasin sees
that side and he is still waiting for me to make a gospel album. That
side of me people don’t know about is that I love being at home,
watching television and just being away from the limelight.
On when she established a relationship with God: That was on July 16th
2002 when I gave my life to God. I had gone through a tough time trying
to find myself. I went through heartbreak, and I remember crying so
much through that time. I felt lost and didn’t know where I needed to be
in this world. I know this sounds cliché, but I was praying one day and
I literally felt the presence of God in the room with me. And, you know
when you first give your life to Christ, you are a radical. So, then, I
would preach to strangers on the train and say “Jesus sent me to you”.
Sometimes I would give my entire one month paycheck to the church; they
asked for only 10%, but I would give the entire 100%. People scoffed and
said “She is new in the faith, just give her another year”. And for
three years, I was not intimate with a man. I didn’t kiss or have sex.
Every time I hug a man it would be from the side. A lot of people can
relate to that because it has happened to a lot of us but the key is to
be consistent.
2002 when I gave my life to God. I had gone through a tough time trying
to find myself. I went through heartbreak, and I remember crying so
much through that time. I felt lost and didn’t know where I needed to be
in this world. I know this sounds cliché, but I was praying one day and
I literally felt the presence of God in the room with me. And, you know
when you first give your life to Christ, you are a radical. So, then, I
would preach to strangers on the train and say “Jesus sent me to you”.
Sometimes I would give my entire one month paycheck to the church; they
asked for only 10%, but I would give the entire 100%. People scoffed and
said “She is new in the faith, just give her another year”. And for
three years, I was not intimate with a man. I didn’t kiss or have sex.
Every time I hug a man it would be from the side. A lot of people can
relate to that because it has happened to a lot of us but the key is to
be consistent.
On not being promiscuous:
Even if I was not a Christian, I was never that type of girl. I was a
tomboy. My mum used to think I would be gay. I am the only girl amongst 4
siblings so I used to wear trousers to feel like I was part of the
boys. I never waxed my eyebrows and I hated high heels, which I still
hate till today. I was never into boys which is probably why my husband
has full confidence that the big men flashing money in my face won’t
faze me.
Even if I was not a Christian, I was never that type of girl. I was a
tomboy. My mum used to think I would be gay. I am the only girl amongst 4
siblings so I used to wear trousers to feel like I was part of the
boys. I never waxed my eyebrows and I hated high heels, which I still
hate till today. I was never into boys which is probably why my husband
has full confidence that the big men flashing money in my face won’t
faze me.