"Shelagh, your labor has seemed to be stalled, you've only progressed to a seven. I think it may be time to consider a cesarean." She was going into hour 13 of labor and already was well past the point of pushing, and to think the pain at 6am she thought was normal.
Shelagh looked up and tears flooded her eyes.
"Please no! Patrick?!" She grabbed his hand and gave him a look that melted anything he was thinking.
"Julie, Mum. Are you sure that's necessary, are we to that point?"
"No, baby is fine, but with no pain meds and her pain lever growing she won't be very coherent if this continues for hours more.
"Mum, no please?"
"Alright, but I'm getting the pillow Shelagh."
"Oh. My. God." Shelagh hated that thing with every ounce of her tiny being. She slapped Patrick as he was trying poorly to stifle a laugh. Julie walked in with a massive pillow that looked like two bolsters sewn together the wrong way. Even though the purpose was to level out the hips, she still hated it. An hour later Shelagh was being coached on her breathing as Patrick tried to keep her level and calm, oh she loved him. The routine worked to keep her in control of the the pain every two minutes, but the stress on her nerves was starting to get to her. Julie decided to check in on them ignoring the little bit of dizziness she felt, as well as Trixie since she was off duty now.
"My dear, you're at a nine! Nearly there sweetheart."
"Thank Heavens, alright Patrick my turn. Go get a cuppa and a different shirt, please!" Shelagh and Trixie both chuckled as he sulked away.
Finally! He has been driving me mad, but now that he's gone I kinda miss him!" Shelagh faintly smiled and quickly let out a low breath. A few minutes went by and she was thankful that one wasn't like the last.
"Mum, you look a little pale, is all well?" Julie went to speak but the room went black and she hit the floor.
"Mum!" Just as Trixie got up Patrick rushed into the room, grabbing the stethoscope from the counter and pressing it to her chest. The excitement of it all made Shelagh feel sick, and Trixie was thankfully there in time to pull her hair back and get her a bucket. Patrick followed Julie to E level like Shelagh asked him to, and called her father. Trixie firmly decided she was going nowhere and texted Sìneag, thankfully she was only a few blocks away from the hospital.
"Shelagh, are you ready to meet baby?" Trixie smiled at shelagh, quickly getting a look of terror in return.
"Shelagh look at me. I'm here, you can do this!" Shelagh nodded as a tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek.
"Alright then, next pain I want big pushes!"
"I'm here! I'm here!" Sìneag ran through the door dropping her stuff and taking Shelagh's out stretched hand. She soon regretted that as the though it was going to break, her sister was small but apparently stronger than she thought! One hand was on her back the other being pulverized, but she wouldn't want to miss this for anything.
"Now! come on Shee I want a really big push and this lovely will be with us!"
"I can't!" Shelagh fell back against the pillows exhausted.
"Now come on, you have two grandparents waiting with a nerve wracked son and a daughter impatiently waiting to see her mummy and new sibling!" On that note her body took over and she felt no other option to push with all her might, she let out a blood curdling scream and a shrill filled the air around them.
"Shelagh It's a girl! A right chunker too!" Trixie quickly cut the cord and wrapped the baby up, she placed her into Shelagh's outstretched arms and prepared for stage three.
"Hello my sweet! You just couldn't wait any longer could you?" Shelagh and Sìneag were both crying now, surprisingly Trixie was holding it in. After everything was done and dusted Shelagh asked Trixie to check on Julie and bring in a spare cot.
"Knock, Knock may we come in?"
"Mumma!" Angela yelped upon seeing her mother, on hand protectively laying on the open cot next to her.
"Hello beautiful! Were you good for great grandma and grandpa?" Angela proceeded to tuck herself into Shelagh's neck and start to fall asleep.
"Where's Patrick?" Miriam sat on the side on the bed and laid a hand on Shelagh's leg, upon noticing her face.
"Oh, um… Mum-Julie passed out cold on the floor. Still haven't heard why, I didn't want her to be alone."
"Oh sweetheart!" Miriam gently hugged her, being cautious of the now sleeping Angela.
"Trixie went down a while ago, I'll find out in a bit" Shelagh gave a weak smile and cuddled on the 16 month old on her chest. She had missed her dearly, leaving her for long was always hard for Shelagh.
After a while Miriam and Allen left and Shelagh insisted that Angela stayed with them, Timothy decided to go home though and sleep in his own bed. Trixie came back and reported that there was no news yet, but that they were doing tests on her.
Shelagh had fed the baby and followed suit with her daughter, drifting into a deep sleep. She was thankful that Sìneag had offered to stay with her tonight. Patrick eventually crept into the room, he took a look at his sleeping daughters and pressed a kiss to Angela's forehead and ran his finger across the newborn's face. Quietly he slipped off his shoes and laid behind Shelagh, feeling the need to hold her close to him. She snuggled herself tightly to him and together fell into a restful sleep.
