Chapter 160
There was no way the home birthing books had prepared her for the excruciating pains that overwhelmed her body. Lynn wailed when she changed positions. Her knees once again pressed to the bottom of the birthing tank. Somewhere nearby she heard Charlene’s voice telling her to push gently. Pant, pant, push, she repeated inside her head. At one point, she nearly forgot to breathe due to the severity of the pains. A primal cry ripped through her throat when she felt the elusive “ring of fire” she’d read so much about.
“Lynn, I need you to listen to me.” Charlene’s voice sounded far away, almost like it was in a distant tunnel. Her hand pressed against Lynn’s lower back, massaging the area where the pain had settled. “I need you to push gently. Can you do that?”
“I can’t push anymore,” Lynn cried. She grasped her stomach, howling when the fiery sensation accelerated.
“The baby is starting to crown,” someone shouted. She thought the voice belonged to Charlene, but she wasn’t certain. By now, the delirium was making everything a bit fuzzy.
“You can do it, sweetheart.” Lynn took in another deep breath when she heard her wife’s reassuring voice.
“You’re almost there,” Charlene said when she leaned over, squeezing Lynn’s shoulder.
Lynn whimpered, shifting again until she returned to a sitting position. Alexis grasped her fingertips. “You’re doing so great.” Lynn pressed her head against Alexis’s chest when another urge to push hit. “I’m so proud of you.”
A weakened smile curved onto Lynn’s lips. She reached down, swallowing hard when she felt the top of the baby’s head. “Do you want to see,” Charlene asked while holding a mirror.
“Yes,” Lynn whispered, as she struggled with her breathing. Charlene carefully placed the mirror in front of Lynn, allowing her to see the baby’s head as it was crowning. “Oh my God,” Lynn gasped. “That’s my baby!” She reached down, rubbing her palm gently over the top of the baby’s head.
“I want to see,” Calista demanded. Soon small hands were pressing against Lynn’s arms as Calista peered over. “Eww. I never want to have a baby.”
“I’m not looking,” Morgan said with a shake of her head.
Katie laughed when she walked over, taking photos. She ruffled Calista’s hair. “I’m sure your moms are glad to hear that!” Prior to the birth, Lynn and Alexis had already setup a video camera in the room. They’d also asked Katie to take plenty of photos.
Alexis laughed as she kissed Lynn’s neck while glancing down at the mirror. “Oh, sweetie,” she whispered with tears in her eyes. Elise offered Alexis a dampened towel and she gratefully accepted it, rubbing the softness down each of Lynn’s cheeks to wipe away the perspiration.
Charlene removed the mirror. Lynn took in another breath. Pain be damned, she was having this baby. With a tight squeeze to Alexis’s hand, the head slithered just a bit further out. Lynn leaned backwards, her hips arching slightly. She yelped, moving both hands beneath the water as the baby’s body slipped into the world. Charlene helped Lynn to carefully grasp the newborn and gently lift him from the water. Lynn was barely able to breathe until the baby was safely against her chest.
“He’s so beautiful!” Tears flowed when she rubbed the tips of her fingers over the baby’s back before shifting his position. “Hi baby.” Lynn knew it wasn’t possible for a just born baby to smile, but she was convinced he was smiling up at her. Slimy vernix covered the baby’s chubby cheeks. Lynn thought he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen when he blinked those big blue eyes.
Charlene leaned over, quickly aspirating the gunk from his nose and mouth before vigorously rubbing the baby with a towel to help remove the protective vernix from his skin. Elise placed a pale blue bonnet onto his head and provided Charlene with a clean blanket to help hold in the baby’s warmth. “Would you like to do the honors,” Charlene asked Alexis when she gestured towards the umbilical cord.
“Yes,” Alexis nodded. She slid over slightly, leaning forward once Charlene clamped the umbilical cord after it stopped pulsating. Alexis took in a breath before using the sharp scissors to detach the cord. Her gaze briefly held with Lynn’s before she looked down at the squirmy baby in Lynn’s arms. They both giggled when he released his first cry while Elise monitored his vital signs and performed the Apgar test on him. “Hi little guy,” she cooed while rubbing her fingertips over his arm. “You’re so precious.”
Calista clamored to get closer. “Can I touch him,” she asked with wide eyes.