Chichi
Chichi developed high blood pressure after the birth of her second child seven years ago, but this was initially overshadowed by her baby's admission to the neonatal unit and her subsequent severe postnatal depression. She was later diagnosed with chronic hypertension, and her blood pressure remains difficult to control. Clip read by an actor.
Chichi is a 35-year-old Black African woman who lives with her husband and their two children ages 7 & 8. She was doing a mental health nursing degree and working as a carer at the time of interview.
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Chichi is a 35-year-old Black African woman who moved to the UK from Nigeria in 2022 with her husband and two children. Five days after the birth of her second child, seven years ago, she developed dangerously high blood pressure requiring emergency treatment. At the same time, her son became critically ill and was admitted to the neonatal unit. Chichi believes the stress of this contributed to her high blood pressure.
She later developed severe postnatal depression, which lasted for around 18 months. She found it difficult to talk about her experiences, explaining that in her culture there is pressure for mothers to be strong. During this time, she struggled to care for her baby and establish breastfeeding, relying on her mother and grandmother for support. Chichi's experiences inspired her to train as a mental health nurse so that she could support other women in the way she wishes she had been supported herself.
Chichi had no further follow-up for her blood pressure after the initial crisis and assumed it had returned to normal. It was not until she moved to the UK several years later that she discovered it was still high and that she needed to restart medication. Despite treatment, her blood pressure remains difficult to control. Chichi feels the demands of balancing full-time study, part-time work and caring for her two children, without the support of the extended family she had in Nigeria, have contributed to her ongoing blood pressure problems. She described how the physical and emotional toll of these responsibilities, together with having little time to look after her own health, has made it harder to get her blood pressure under control. She would like to lose weight but feels this is unrealistic in her current circumstances. She also hopes to have another baby one day but does not feel her body is strong enough at the moment.
Chichi, who was balancing full-time nursing studies, part-time work and caring for two children, described how difficult weight loss felt and the emotional impact this had on her (read by an actor).
Chichi, who was balancing full-time nursing studies, part-time work and caring for two children, described how difficult weight loss felt and the emotional impact this had on her (read by an actor).
People don’t add weight to it... for fun – they don’t enjoy adding weight – sometimes it’s just beyond their control. And they think about it every day. They’re already traumatised by looking at themselves in the mirror.
I know how many times I’ve had to change my clothes and how many times I’ve had to change my lifestyle, and... and not... it’s not something I thought about and it’s not something that I wanted to lose my shape, or lose... wear bigger clothes to hide my stomach. Because I had diastasis recti after as well, so my stomach open, and it’s... I’ve got a big tummy; I have to wear big clothes just to cover it.