Till then,
Mom
Mackenzie
“Connor,”I call in the middle of thenight.
He startles next to me. “What? Are youokay?”
“It hurts,” I burst out, clenching my lower half and doubling over inpain.
“Breathe, baby. Did it juststart?”
I take a deep, calming breath as the pain subsides. “No, it’s been going on for a while now, but that one was way more intense than theothers.”
He jumps out of bed and runs around to my side, lifting me out of bed. My clothes are on the chair beside; he removes my nightshirt and slips on the skirt and shirt I havewaiting.
When his lips touch my forehead, calmness washes over me, giving me strength to hold on tight to his shoulders as another contraction rips meapart.
“You have to breathe for me, Kenzie. Remember the classes we took. Let me get my watch so I can time them. Don't’ forget, it gets worse for twenty seconds then it fades away,” he remindsme.
I try to breathe in but the pain is so intense, I feel like I’m being rippedapart.
“I’m scared, Connor. This really hurts.” I hold on to himtightly.
“But we’re going to have our baby girl. Envision holding her in your arms. She’ll be worth it. And Kenzie, look, it’s after midnight. She’s going to be born on your birthday! Happy birthday, baby.” He kisses me and places his hands on my belly. “Literally,” he laughs and beams withexcitement.
I grimace a smile, surprised. She’s not due for a week and a half, so even though I hoped she’d come a few days early, I didn’t think it would actuallyhappen.
He leads me down to the car. Since it’s four o’clock in the morning, the streets are empty, and we’re able to make it to the hospital quicker than I had thought wewould.
As another contraction hits, I close my eyes, working through it, and imagine what she’s going to look like. I hope she has my hair and nose but Connor’seyes.
Once I’m able to walk, he helps me into the hospital, where they put me in a wheelchair and push me to a room. Every contraction is stronger and closer together, but when they ask if I want pain meds, I say no. I don’t want to miss a moment of her birth. My body was made to do this, and it’s something I want toexperience.
My goal was to have a water birth, so they have us set up with a tub in our room. In the research I’d done, having the mom sit in a tub allows her body to relax more and work on delivering thebaby.
My doctors fear how the birth will go, having no clue how the act of pushing would affect my brain, so no matter how much I want to, I have to keep all tension low and let my body get the baby out instead of fighting against it and clenching infear.
A few very painful hours have passed, and Connor holds my hand when the midwife checks my status. “You’re at eight centimeters. I think it’s time to get in the tub,” she announces. I’ve never felt sorelieved.
“Did you hear that, baby?” Connor sayshappily.
The poor guy has had to endure every scream, every cry, and my crushing death grip, but he hasn’t given up, and I love him that muchmore.
They assist me into the tub and instantly I’m content and relaxed in a way I didn’t think possible. My muscles finally relax as my head falls against the edge in completeexhaustion.
To my surprise I fall asleep, completely relaxed for those few minutes only to be woken up with the most intense pain ripping through me onceagain.
After it subsides, I turn to my midwife. “I’m not sure how much more I cantake.”
Connor wraps his arms around my shoulders. “You got this, baby. We’re soclose.”
“But what if I can’t? How do I even know when it’stime?”
The midwife actually laughs. “Oh, you’llknow.”
I want to punch her in theface.
