Nigerian woman gives birth aboard Qatar Airways flight to Brazil
Nigerian Oyindamola Akinyera has given Qatar Airways, the country’s national carrier, a double thumbs up after receiving emergency aid as she went into labour and then delivered a healthy baby girl while on air.
She delivered the baby while on board a Qatar Airways flight — flying from Lagos State in Nigeria to Brazil — along with husband David.
Akinyera, in a social media post, recalled how she started experiencing pregnancy complications hours after boarding the connecting flight from Doha, following a clearance by medical experts to travel.
“A few hours later, we get to Doha, explore the grounds. Everything is great, and we’re having the best time. Until we get on the connecting flight to Brazil. A few hours into the flight, I started having what I thought were regular pregnancy backaches. I had been flying for hours, so it made sense. I thought it was something sleep could fix since we had hours till landing,” she wrote in the post.
She recalled how the Qatar Airways’ air hostesses gave her the ‘princess treatment.’
“The air hostesses gave me the princess treatment, laid my bed, and I was ready to finally snooze. But the waves of discomfort continued in my lower back, and to be safe, I had one of the air hostesses take my vitals. We were good. No signs of labour!” she wrote.
She recalled how as they were crossing the Atlantic, she felt the need to use the restroom and asked her husband to go with her.
“Next thing, I take one big push, and my water had broken. I didn’t even realize I was in labour. I just kept saying, ‘I need to sleep,’ and would casually nod off (mid-labour?) The pains kept waking me up, and the Qatar Airways’ air hostesses (my personal midwives) sprung into action,” she recalled.
Adeyera noted that with the help of a fellow passenger — who happened to be a doctor — the air hostesses quickly assessed the situation and realised she was indeed in labour.
“They set up a whole birthing station for me at the plane entrance. Everything was happening so fast, and all I was thinking was that I would have to hold on till we landed to have this baby!”
“They asked if there was any doctor on board, and a doctor called Carolina walked up to us and is like ‘I deliver babies.’ She checks me, tells me I’m fully dilated, and the baby is ready to come. At this point, we’re in the Brazilian airspace and about 40 minutes from landing,” Akinyera explained.
As the contractions intensified, she said her husband kept praying intensely, holding her hand, and coaching her through the process.
“The contractions kick in, and I’m pushing in my makeshift birthing station with my husband on one side, praying intensely. Midway, I got tired and told them I couldn't do it anymore, and my God-sent Qatar Airways crew (aka midwives) prayed over me and encouraged me to keep going.
“Twenty minutes before landing, God blessed us with the most precious baby girl,” she wrote.
Adeyera said they landed in Brazil safely and headed straight to the hospital, ‘where the beautiful baby girl and I are doing great.’
“David and I’s hearts are filled with immense joy. I have seen God move countless times in my life, but this one beats all others. I had a supernatural birth, and it's all thanks to God Almighty,” the new mum concluded.
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