(Vincent's POV)
Three weeks later, Catherine and I laid in bed giggling about how instead of a soccer ball, she now was the size of a basketball. I felt awful for her though, she could barely get comfortable enough to sleep, and when she did, the baby would kick furiously and wake her up, sometimes bruising her skin. She finally snuggled up to me and was comfortable, and as I said goodnight, she was already softly snoring. I kissed her forehead and whispered to the baby. "Please be still little one. Mommy needs a good night's sleep." Catherine laid in my arms and slept, peacefully for the first time I can remember in weeks.
I was awakened by Catherine's labored breathing. She was sitting Indian style on the bed, grasping her bump, obviously in pain. I crawled in behind her so she could rest against me, rubbing her shoulders, and smoothing her hair. "Just breathe Catherine, it will be over soon." Within seconds, the contraction had passed and she relaxed in my arms. "Vincent, I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to be a mother." I cradled her bump, and tried to soothe her fears. "You're ready for this Catherine, and you'll be a great mother. Was that your first contraction?" She shook her head against my chest. "No. My water broke about two hours ago, and the contractions started right after that." Oh my god, we were supposed to call the midwife already. "Catherine, did you call her yet? Why didn't you wake me up sooner? How far apart are the contractions?" She reached up and touched my face. "I called her Vincent, she'll be here in half hour, I wanted to let you sleep, and about six minutes apart." Shit, she was progressing fast, and needed to be checked sooner than a half an hour. I crawled out from behind her and insisted she lay down and let me check and see how far she had dilated. Just as I was about to check, she had another contraction, and it was intense. The grip she had on my hand was excruciating, even with my strength. "We're down to four minutes apart Catherine. I'm going to check you as soon as the contraction is over."
When I checked her, I was in shock. She had only labored two hours and she was already at seven centimeters.
During the time I called the midwife to let her know she needed to hurry, Catherine had managed to tear off the cami she had been wearing, and was laying on our bed, completely nude, and laboring in agony. I went over to her and coaxed her onto the exercise ball, so I could apply pressure to her back to try to give her some relief. She rocked back and forth, and in circles on the ball while I kneaded her back, moaning. It was killing me to see her in such pain, and the only thing I could do was massage pressure points. Some time later, the midwife came in, beckoning Catherine to the bed so she could check her progress. "Don't move me!" Catherine screamed. "Please, just don't move me." She was shaking and groaning through every word. She was in transition, the final and most extreme phase of labor. She was crying, and I was trying my best to soothe her pain and comfort her with my words. "Catherine, listen to my voice. Breathe. In…..and out.. Don't tense, it will hinder your progress. Relax , concentrate on my voice." Instantly, she relaxed and wanted off the ball and into the bed, so the midwife and I helped her up and onto the bed. The moment she got settled another contraction hit her. "Vincent, hold me. Please." I climbed in behind her and held her hands, her leaning into me for support, as I coached her through the intense contraction. I could hear her moans beginning to mix with deep, vocal groans and I knew she was close. The midwife climbed onto the bed, and urged Catherine to open her pelvis so she could check her. Moments later she told Catherine that she was almost nine centimeters, and that she needed to relax. That she was close and her body would know what to do when the time came.
Fifteen minutes later and several contractions later, Catherine was exhausted. "Vincent, I can't do this anymore." She was grasping at the sheets trying to rip the agony from her body. Her legs were shaking and she was panting. The midwife prepared and got ready, sitting between Catherine's legs. "That's it honey. Let your body move the baby down. Just a few more minutes and you'll get to meet your baby." She was massaging Catherine's opening with warm oil, knowing she was close to crowning. The next contraction hit Catherine with full force, and instinctively, her body began pushing. She was groaning, grunting, shaking, and in pure agony. I grasped her hands and whispered to her. "That's it Catherine, you're pushing. The baby will be here soon. You can do this Catherine, I love you." Tears streamed down her face, and she pushed harder, the midwife encouraging her. "That's it honey, you're moving the baby down great. When you feel the need, push, okay?" Catherine nodded as the contraction faded, and slumped into my body, resting for the few moments she had until the next contraction hit her.
I felt her body tense seconds later, and she began pushing again, stopping only long enough to catch her breath, before pushing again. When the baby's head met her opening, she stopped and screamed. "Vincent, I can't. It burns. You have to.. I can't.." I hushed her and the midwife encouraged her to reach between her legs, and feel the top of the baby's head. "This baby has a full head of dark hair Catherine. Reach down, feel your baby." Catherine's hand was guided by the midwifes, and when she felt the baby, she began crying. "Catherine, see, your baby is almost here. I want you to just try and pant through the next couple contractions. Let the baby's head come out slowly. I don't want you to tear, okay?"Catherine nodded just in time for another contraction, and I held her and reminded her not to push, which was pure torture for her to fight something her body was trying to do. During the final few moments of the second contraction, the baby's head slipped free, and she gasped. From behind her, I could see the baby's full head of dark hair, and I watched as it turned inside of her. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Once the baby had finished turning, the midwife encouraged Catherine to push. "Little pushes Catherine, there you go, one shoulder is free… and the other… The baby is out, and it's a boy." I watched as the midwife laid our newborn son on Catherine's belly and rubbed him to kick start his breathing. I repeatedly kissed Catherine and both of us were in tears. The sound of his first cry echoed throughout the bedroom and she freed him from his cord. "He's here Catherine. You did it baby." I watched as Catherine pulled him to her chest and held him close, kissing his dark head of hair. The midwife massaged her belly, and proceeded to deliver the placenta, inspecting it to make sure none was left in Catherine. When she was done with Catherine, she took our son across the room to weigh him, and measure him, and check him over. When she brought him back, he was wrapped in a blanket, and she handed him to Catherine, sitting beside of us. "Your little man weighs seven pounds, eight and a half ounces and is twenty inches long. He's perfectly healthy and doing just fine. I'm going to go clean up, and I'll be back to check on you two in a bit." I sat, holding Catherine, and my son in my arms, completely in love with them both, and watched in awe as Catherine held him and whispered to him how much his mommy and daddy loved him.