By Sandra K. Walugembe
Becoming a mother for the first time is often described as a joyful milestone. Yet for many women, the journey into motherhood is layered with fear, uncertainty, pain and emotional adjustment. Behind every smiling mother and healthy newborn is often a story that is not perfect.
For Jolly Namatta, motherhood began with heartbreak.
“Incurring a stillbirth a few months after entering my marriage was very devastating. Even when the counsellor guided us on how to prepare for our next pregnancy, the pain could not vanish,” she recalls
Determined to try again, she and her husband sought medical advice. Doctors recommended pre-conception care, including folic acid and iron supplements such as Fefol, alongside regular check-ups.
“It was such a lonely and boring journey for me until I conceived again in 2025,” she says.
Her experience reflects what health experts in Uganda continue to emphasise: that preparation before pregnancy can improve outcomes for both mother and child. Antenatal care, balanced nutrition, supplements and emotional support are all critical, especially for first-time mothers.
For Precious Nakiboneka, the road to motherhood was shaped by discipline and hope.
She says her doctor advised her to continue taking Fefol while preparing for conception and to strengthen her body through a healthy diet.
She says: “I ate foods rich in proteins, carbohydrates, green leafy vegetables and fruits. Besides strengthening my body, the gynaecologist noted that these foods could help the baby to develop well in the womb.”
She embraced the advice fully, eating steamed nakati and sukuma wiki, avocados, fresh juices and smoothies daily.
“I had a lot of faith that I would have a baby. I witnessed and manifested a bouncing baby every day,” she says.
The importance of antenatal care
For many first-time mothers, antenatal visits become a source of reassurance.
“The baby’s and my weight increased upon every visit. The doctors kept telling me that the baby was feeding and growing well,” Nakiboneka says.
The Ministry of Health encourages expectant mothers to begin antenatal care early and attend regular check-ups throughout pregnancy. These visits help health workers monitor blood pressure, nutrition, foetal growth and identify complications early.
Medical professionals say first-time mothers often benefit greatly from asking questions during these visits, as they may be unfamiliar with normal pregnancy changes.
Globally, the World Health Organisation recommends at least eight antenatal contacts during pregnancy for improved maternal and newborn outcomes. In Uganda, health workers continue to advocate for consistent attendance, particularly in urban and rural facilities alike.
The reality after childbirth
For Nakiboneka, childbirth itself was another difficult chapter.
“It is God’s grace that I came out of theatre as a mother,” she says.
She underwent a Caesarean section and spent two hours in theatre after anaesthesia challenges delayed the procedure.
“When I woke up, I was in a lot of pain and my baby was already waiting for me,” she recalls.
The excitement of meeting her child quickly gave way to the harsh realities of post-surgery recovery.
“The pain intensified upon carrying and breastfeeding the baby. I do not think there is any pain equal to that period.”
She also struggled with delayed breast milk production.
“My baby cried night and day with no solution, since I was advised to keep putting him on the breast so that eventually the milk would come.”
Eventually, after bathing with warm water, she noticed milk droplets.
“That is when I began breastfeeding my son,” she says with relief.
Health experts note that delayed milk flow in the first days after delivery is common, especially among first-time mothers. Frequent breastfeeding stimulates production, and support from nurses or lactation counsellors can ease anxiety.
Emotional struggles often go unnoticed
While physical recovery is widely discussed, emotional changes are less openly addressed.
For Namatta, the postpartum period was unexpectedly overwhelming.
“At one moment, I even wanted to run away from my son because I felt I did not want him anymore. I cried a lot, even over petty things.”
Her husband was present and supportive, but she still felt deeply lonely.
“Luckily enough, my sister was always available to help me and the baby.”
Such experiences may point to postpartum depression, a condition that can affect new mothers after childbirth. Health workers encourage families to pay close attention to emotional wellbeing and seek professional support where necessary.
Learning to care for a newborn
For many first-time mothers, caring for a newborn brings its own fears.
Namatta remembers the anxiety around cleaning the baby’s umbilical cord.
At the hospital, a midwife advised her to use cotton wool and saline solution gently around the cord.
However, when she later noticed pus, she panicked.
“I cried and called another mother who cleaned the cord. Later, the midwife clarified that the cleaning was done well.”
Within five days, the cord healed.
Midwives continue to warn mothers against applying substances such as herbs, ash or tomato juice to the cord, practices that remain common in some communities but can lead to infections.
Similarly, after immunisation, health workers advise parents not to apply anything to the injection site.
One mother, Anita Musinga, says she placed onions on her baby’s swollen leg after vaccination, only for the area to worsen.
“I was among the lucky people that my daughter got healed,” she says.
Growing into motherhood
Bathing, holding and handling a newborn can also be frightening.
“I feared bathing the baby because I thought he could fall off my hands and break his bones,” says Harriet Otim.
For the first week, the baby’s father handled bath time.
But eventually, she had to step in.
“I realised that if I do not do it for my baby, then who will?”
Today, she says she is the happiest and proudest mother whenever she looks at her son.
That transformation, from fear to confidence, is perhaps the greatest lesson of first-time motherhood.
It is not a journey of perfection, but one of learning, resilience and growth.
Across Uganda, hospitals such as Mulago National Referral Hospital continue to provide maternal and newborn services, though health officials have also acknowledged challenges in specialist staffing and newborn care support.
For first-time mothers, the message remains clear: seek medical guidance early, ask questions often, and lean on family, community and professionals for support.
Motherhood may begin with uncertainty, but with care and courage, it grows into strength.
