Oh? What A Catch!
Its 12am. I can?t sleep. My mind is still trying to come to terms with the days events.
I woke this morning and immediately grab my mobile phone so I can send a ?Happy Due Date? text to my client. I don?t expect to hear from her for another few days.
Later on, my phone rings and I see that its my client calling. We chat and she tells me that she is having regular contractions. 4 minutes apart she says. She is unsure if this is the real thing. She contracts while I am on the phone with her. It sounds very promising. I tell her it sounds like it and that she should try and rest. She says she will call me back in a half hour or so or when she needs me.
Half an hour later my phone rings again. Its my clients husband. She feels that she needs me.
I get there and the house is dark and I hear her. She is on the toilet and I go to her. I notice that she looks pale and that her lips are dry. She contracts while I am there. She is doing well. I ask how much she has had to drink and suggest that she might like to try drinking some apple juice.
She tells me that she feels like she wants to go to the hospital. I ask her why? She says for the gas. But your doing so well without it. How about the shower? We agree that the shower might be helpful.
She is in the shower. The contractions are very regular but not lasting that long. I wonder if it might be a while and notice that her belly is still very high. The shower is very helpful and calming for her.
Not long later she says that she needs to poo. I say well do it then. She does and not once did I think that she might be in transition. She requests to go to the hospital again and she leaves the shower. I see that her belly has dropped quite a lot.
Contractions are becoming much more intense and she is telling me that she is feeling something down there. I look but only see lots of mucous. I say that we should probably go. I crouch down to help her with her knickers..
Pop. Her waters explode all over me. Very shortly after I hear a thud and see the baby lying on the floor. I immediately reach for her and pick her up. I lay her face-down across my arms. She cries and relief washes over me. I hold her for a moment more while mum lowers to the ground.
I think about the cord and realise at this point that it has snapped. Fate must have stepped in as the cord snapped right at the point where it would usually be cut. There is no blood oozing or seeping from either ends of the cord. Again, relief.
I tell Dad to get towel. Lots! I place baby against mums chest and wrap them both up. Baby has beautiful colour and is whimpering but quite calm.
I tell Dad to phone the Ambulance. Mum and I both look at each other in amazement. Mum wants to know what sex the baby is. She looks and announces a baby girl.
Ambos arrive and take them all the hospital. I stay to clean the mess! Grateful for a moment to filter what just happened. I am grinning like a Cheshire cat but shaking like a leaf.
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