Mrs M nodded. ‘You have that, but let’s just wait and see if you’re still singing from the same hymn sheet when it arrives, eh? Now stop getting yourself all worked up and concentrate on the job in hand.’
The midwife arrived almost an hour later and after washing her hands in the bowl that Mrs M had ready for her, she examined Abi and cheerfully told her that everything was fine and coming along nicely.
‘It doesn’tfeelvery fine!’ Abi growled through gritted teeth as another pain ripped up her. ‘How much longer is this going to .?.?. to take?’
‘Babies have a habit of not coming until they’re good and ready.’ The elderly midwife had delivered many babies in her time and didn’t seem overly concerned, which Abi supposed she should take as a good sign. ‘So now I suggest Mrs Merryweather should go and make us all a nice cup of tea, then I’m going to go home for an hour or two and come back later. I’m afraid you’re nowhere near ready yet.’
‘Wh-what?You’re going to leave me?’ There was an edge of raw terror in her voice but the woman had seen it all before, especially with the first-time mothers. And so a short time later they drank the tea Mrs M fetched upstairs for them and the little midwife, who was almost as round as a little barrel, left Abi to it with a promise to be back later.
She reappeared at three in the afternoon by which time the contractions had become much stronger and Abi was sobbing with fear.
‘I’m going to die!’ Abi whimpered but Nurse Blye merely smiled and shook her head.
‘No, you are not,’ she told her stoically. ‘Now let’s have a look what’s happening, eh?’
After examining Abi again, she smiled with satisfaction. ‘A few more hours and your baby should be born.’
‘A few morehours!’ Abi was horrified. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that giving birth could be this traumatic. ‘But I’m exhausted already.’
‘Just breathe your way through the pains,’ the midwife told her as Mrs M, who was sitting at the side of the bed, let Abi grip her hand.
‘Grip as tight as you like, lass. You won’t hurt me.’ Mrs M gave her an encouraging smile and Abi did her best to be brave although she was rolling in agony with each contraction that came.
Bertie arrived home from work that evening to the sound of Abi’s screams echoing down the stairs and the colour drained from his cheeks as he threw his work bag down and took the stairs two at a time. Once on the landing he pounded on the bedroom door and his mother’s face peeped out at him.
‘Is Abi having the baby?’
His mother nodded. ‘She certainly is and I’m afraid I haven’t had time to cook dinner.’
‘It doesn’t matter about that. What can I do to help?’ He knew he couldn’t have eaten a thing even if a feast had been waiting for him. ‘Can I come in to see Abi?’
‘No, you most certainly cannot,’ his mother scolded. ‘The birth room is no place for a man so go downstairs and get some bread and cheese. Oh, and put plenty of water on to boil. I think we may be needing it soon.’
Bertie did as he was told but after another hour of hearing Abi’s agonised screams, he was beside himself with fear. Surely it shouldn’t take this long for a baby to come? What if something was wrong? He tortured himself with possibilities as upstairs Nurse Blye checked on the baby’s progress again and rolled her sleeves up.
‘Well done,’ she praised. ‘You’re ready to start pushing now so on the next pain give it all you’ve got. Your baby should be born soon.’
Abi did as she was told to the best of her ability but despite her best efforts the baby still refused to come and after another hour even the midwife became concerned.
‘I think the baby is breech,’ she quietly confided to Mrs M above Abi’s screams. ‘Do you think your son could run to tell the doctor he’s needed?’
‘Of course.’ Mrs M was gone almost before the words had left the midwife’s mouth and seconds later they heard the front door slam as Bertie raced to do as he was asked.
By the time the doctor arrived they were no further forward despite the midwife’s best efforts and Abi was slipping in and out of consciousness.
‘She’s in a bad way, doctor,’ Nurse Blye told him. ‘And the baby’s heartbeat is becoming erratic now.’
‘Then we must deliver this child with all speed.’ The doctor quickly removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands, then he leant over Abi and told her gently, ‘I am going to have to examine you internally and turn the baby if I can, my dear. I’m afraid it’s going to hurt dreadfully but if we are to save your baby there is not a minute to lose.’ Then without even waiting for Abi’s consent, he bent to do what had to be done as her screams echoed around the room.
‘You were right, the baby is breech,’ he told the midwife as sweat stood out on his brow. ‘And it’s too far down the birth canal to turn it now. Hand me the scalpel please or we’re going to lose both of them.’
As the midwife obliged him Abi’s screams suddenly stopped abruptly and when Mrs M looked at her she saw that the girl was unconscious and began to pray. ‘Please dear Lord, let them both survive,’ she said quietly as the doctor and midwife worked on. Suddenly the doctor gave an exultant cry as a tiny leg appeared and with the doctor’s help the rest of the baby followed soon after.
The child lay motionless between Abi’s bloodied legs and as the doctor battled to stem the flow of blood gushing from the mother, the midwife held the child aloft and sharply smacked its bottom. There was no reaction so next she lay the child back on the bed and began to gently blow into its mouth. Mrs M anxiously wrung her hands as she looked on helplessly until suddenly a thin mewling little cry made her heart beat with joy.
‘Phew, you gave us a rare turn there for a moment, madam,’ the midwife said as she wrapped the child in a towel and handed her to Mrs M. ‘Would you take her and give her a bath while I help the doctor with Abigail?’
‘Gladly.’ As Mrs M took the tiny scrap in her arms her eyes filled with tears. The baby looked just like her mother with a thick thatch of soft tawny-coloured hair and she was quite beautiful, although very tiny, which was no surprise really when she thought of how little Abi had eaten throughout her pregnancy.
