Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“Baby, describe what you’re feeling.”
“Just…a lot of pressure, especially around my ass. It feels like something’s going to come out of there. I’m scared.”
“It feels like the baby’s gonna come out of her ass.”
“Sir, you don’t have to worry. That’s never actually happened before.” She laughed. “She’s just having back labor. How far apart are her contractions?”
“How far apart, Nina?”
She blew out a long breath and shook her head, looking too pained to even answer. “I don’t know exactly. Less than a minute, maybe.”
The air felt stuffy. Nina was sweating and lifted the shirt off of her head.
“Sounds like she’s definitely in labor now,” the woman said. “Does she have any complications?”
“This was supposed to be a C-section because she had one prior with our son.”
“Do you have any soft materials that you can place on the ground for her?”
“Yeah. We have our suitcase here with us. It’s full of clothes.”
“Place some shirts or whatever you have underneath her to make her comfortable. Make sure you put some aside for the baby. If the baby is delivered, it’s going to be important to keep him warm and dry.”
“Alright.”
Keeping the black suitcase vertical, I unzipped it halfway, taking out all of the shirts we had packed and throwing them on the ground.
“Okay, tell her to just keep breathing. Have her pant in a rhythm of three quick breaths in and one long blow out. This could help delay the birth. I also want you to have her lie on her left side. Her face should be near the floor, and her bottom in the air. Can you do that?”
Her face near the floor. Her bottom in the air. There was a good chance that position got us into this predicament.
“Sir?”
“Yeah…”
“Everything is going to be okay. Your wife’s name is Nina? What is your name?”
“I’m Jake. Jake Green.”
“Mr. Green, I’m Bonnie. We’re gonna get through this together. You’re doing a great job.”
I looked down at Nina struggling against the brown paneling of the wall. Panic was building inside of me fast, and for the first time in my life, I probably understood what Nina used to feel like before hyperventilating. A long, shaky breath escaped me. “Thank you for helping us.”
“Continue to keep her on her side. That might help ease the urge to push.”
“Nina, baby. Make sure you stay on your side.”
The minutes that followed felt like a dream. Things were quiet for a while, a massive calm before the storm. Up until that point, I hadn’t even realized that there was elevator music. A slow ballad playing on the overhead speaker mixed with the rhythm of Nina’s formulaic breathing were the only sounds as I held my wife’s hand and just prayed.
“If you can, have her massage the space between her vagina and anus. This will help improve elasticity and decrease tearing.”
“Say what?”
Before I could even begin to explain that bizarre suggestion, Nina screamed, “Ow, ow, ow! It’s getting worse!”
“Help!” I barked into the phone. “The pains are getting worse.”
With every wailing sound coming out of her, sharp pains shot through me.
“Okay, have her continue to breathe,” Bonnie said.
“I feel something there now, like a big lump!” Nina yelled.
“Make sure her pants are down,” Bonnie said calmly.
How the fuck could she be so calm?
I helped Nina pull her leggings off and repositioned two shirts under her. I put the phone on speaker.
“It feels like a lump?” I asked, spreading her legs apart. Something was there.
It was the head.
“Oh my God. It’s the head.”
“Sir, okay. Bring her bottom nearer to the floor and place the palm of your hand against her vagina. Apply firm but gentle pressure. This will keep the baby from coming out too fast and prevent her from tearing.”
Firm but gentle pressure.
Firm but gentle pressure.
Nina squirmed as she held her belly. “It’s coming!”
I looked down. “Holy shit! The heads out. The heads out!”
Bonnie’s staticky words resonated throughout the small space as she raised her voice. “Okay, you’re gonna want to support the baby’s head and shoulders. Be careful. The baby’s body will be very wet and could easily slip out of your hands.”
My entire body tightened to gear up as I opened my arms and prepared to pull my child into the world.
Nina gave one final push. “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!”
Within seconds, the baby was in my arms. Celine Dion’s The Power of Love started playing above on the elevator speaker. It was the most surreal moment of my life.
Gasping for air, I said, “I’ve got it. It’s out.”
“It’s completely out?” Bonnie asked.
Tears filled my eyes, and my lips shook. “Yeah.”
The baby’s cry was strong. I looked down between its tiny legs.
“It’s a girl. Oh my God. It’s a girl! Baby, we have a daughter.”
“Really? A girl?”
Bonnie’s voice interrupted our moment. “Grab a shirt and gently wipe the baby’s nose and mouth.”