Struggles (4)

CHAPTER 4: THE BIRTH1

I felt my water break all over my night gown and spill onto the floor. "Oh...that was my water..." My father rushed in and scooped me into his arms.2

"We're gonna get you to the bed again and call the doctor!" my mother said as she rushed from the room to call Doctor Greene.3

"Daddy, this hurts so much! What's going on? Why does it hurt like this already?"4

"I don't know baby," my father replied, holding my hand and kissing my forehead, "But I know that you and the baby will be ok."5

My labor progressed pretty quickly within the next couple of moments. The pain was unbearable and I continued to scream at the top of every contraction, which were only four and a half minutes apart. 'It seems like forever ago that my mother took off to talk to Doctor Greene.'6

"Daddy?"7

"Yes, baby?"8

"Um...the baby is here...it's wantin out...NOW!" I began to scream at the horrific pain.9

"It can't come yet! We're not ready! I can't deliver babies!"10

"Dad, please, you have to!"11

Reluctantly, my father moved to check me, "Oh God...I see the head...what do I do?"12

"I don't know...Um...we need something to clean the baby when it's out, something to wrap it in, a couple of clamps and some scissors...and maybe some ice?"13

He moved around the house quickly, grabbing all that I had asked him. "Ok...I've got everything...here," he placed the bowl of ice next me and put a small piece in my mouth, "Now...set your legs to your bottom and...if you need to push, just push as hard as you can."14

I took deep breaths, in and out, waited for the oncoming contraction to build and then I pushed.15

"Push baby, PUSH!...I already have most of the head!" I stopped pushing to try and breath, "Come on baby! I need you to push hard!"16

"I need mom! MOOOOM! OH GOD! HELP ME! IT HURTS...I can't push anymore..." I began to sob.17

"You can do this baby. You can push this baby out! I know you can! You came out of that coma, so I KNOW you can get this baby out!" My father tried to soothe me.18

I leaned forward and pushed as hard as I could to get the baby out. Then, my mom came rushing in, "What?" she glanced at the scene that had unfolded before her, "You're not supposed to be pushing yet! I have been trying to find out where your doctor is...you can't have this baby yet...Why are you pushing already?" she asked frantically.19

"Because it was pushing me! It decided it was time and started peeking out!...please hold me mama! It hurts!"20

She rushed to my side with such grace, "I know sweetie, but think of the prize that you'll have after all of this pain." She whispered calmly in my ear.21

I began to cry again, trying to push with every wave of contractions.22

"There it is! Just...let...me...ok. That's good...now, we have to get the rest of this baby out..."23

"Edward, sweety? When she pushes, pull and twist the baby in all directions to guide the larger parts of the baby softly through her birth canal."24

So as I pushed, I could feel my father pull lightly on the baby, guiding it's shoulders around to fit through my cervix. My father moved quickly to clean the baby and clamp part of the umbilical cord so that it could be cut without either of us bleeding out.25

I held my baby in my arms for the first time. She's was a beautiful baby girl with a head full of medium brown hair. No one can imagine the love that's felt between a mother and her babe...