Professor Juniper's Pokemon Pregnancy
Chapter 13 – Labor Part 1
Juniper just spent a few moments staring at the puddle, completely stunned. She kept one hand on her belly as she leaned forward far enough to see past her rounded figure. She watched as a few drops continued to fall from her body to the floor. Both her underwear and legs were soaked.
It's happening she thought, taking a deep breath. It's time…
Juniper stood still for a few more seconds. And then a few more seconds. It seemed that in this moment, her mind had gone totally blank. She knew that she was supposed to be doing something, but what? She had gone over this nearly a hundred times in her head, so why was she blanking now of all times? Was she possibly panicking?
Juniper took a few deep breaths, trying to stay calm. Maybe she really was starting to panic. She was completely alone, after all. She hated to admit it, but it actually would have been nice to have a man by her side in this moment, telling her what they needed to do next. She felt like she needed instructions…
"Joy!" she finally exclaimed. "I need to call Joy!"
Juniper breathed a sigh of relief at this realization. The suddenness of the situation had shocked her, but she was slowly coming around. She carefully stepped around the puddle, and started waddling towards the cordless phone that sat on a nearby table. As she moved, she kept a hand on her stomach, almost as if she was holding it for support.
Once Juniper reached the phone, she slowly dialed Joy's number with shaky fingers. She felt so nervous and a little scared. Eventually, it started dialing, and Juniper held it up to her ear.
"Come on, come on," she whispered impatiently.
Thankfully, it didn't take long. "Hi Juniper. What's up?" the nurse asked casually.
"Joy," said Juniper, a little urgency in her tone. "I think it's starting. I think I'm in labor. My water just broke."
Juniper heard Joy give a small gasp of surprise. "I see. Have your contractions started?"
"I felt a strong one a little while ago, but that's it."
"That's good, you're still in the early stages then. Are you at home?"
"Yes, I am," Juniper confirmed. She tried rubbing her stomach a bit in order to help ease her nerves.
"Okay, stay there. I'll gather my things and then I'll be over shortly. In the meantime, try to relax and take lots of deep breaths, okay?"
"Okay," Juniper agreed. "I'll leave the front door unlocked for when you get here."
"Got it," said Joy. "See you soon."
"Bye." Juniper hung up the phone and set it back on the table. It wasn't a moment too soon.
Without warning, another contraction wracked Juniper's body. She placed a hand on the nearby table for support as she leaned over and squatted a bit.
"Oh wow…" she breathed through her teeth. "Oooohhh…"
The pain was just as intense as before. Maybe even more so. Juniper patiently waited it out, feeling her body tighten around her womb. The egg didn't budge at all. It just stayed in place while everything else closed in around it.
Eventually it subsided, and Juniper was able to stand up straight again. So this is how it's going to be she thought. It's going to be this over and over again until the egg comes out…
Juniper just took a deep breath before flashing a confident look. It's okay, Juniper. You can do this.
Wasting no time, Juniper waddled over to her front door to make sure it was unlocked. Once that was done, she grabbed a few towels from her kitchen in order to clean up her broken water. She properly dried off her legs and feet before crouching down and cleaning the floor. Once she was satisfied, Juniper moved back into her living room. She sat back down on the couch, planning to calmly wait there until Joy arrived.
Unfortunately, that didn't last long. A few minutes passed before another contraction fell upon Juniper, and she was once again struggling with the awkward pain. She squirmed around on the couch a bit, trying to find a comfortable position but it was to no avail. She felt like her body was sending her signals to stand up, so she finally gave in and did just that.
Once she was on her feet, things felt a bit more manageable. Juniper chose to lean her upper body against the back of the couch, tightly grabbing the fabric whenever she needed some help to get through the pain. She ended up slowly rocking her lower body from side-to-side in a rhythmic motion, trying to relax her muscles. It seemed to help. Juniper felt like she was able to successfully sway her way through the contractions, and alleviate some of the discomfort.
As time passed, Juniper's nervousness only seemed to grow worse. She was still waiting on Joy to show up, and she grew anxious with each passing moment. As Juniper worked her way through each contraction, she felt so alone. Sure, she had made a brave choice to carry this egg by herself, and to go through this journey by herself, but it was still scary. She could feel that bravery she had felt back when she first made the decision to conceive slowly fading away.
Eventually, Juniper closed her eyes, and decided to pray.
"Arceus," she whispered softly. "Please help me through this trial. Help me to safely deliver this child, our child. Please help guide it into the world, and bless it with good health…"
Juniper let the words wander into the air for a moment. She didn't receive a response. To be honest, she hadn't really been expecting one. In fact, she wasn't even sure if her words had reached the ears of the legendary Pokemon. But this small act of stating her hopes out loud did make her feel better.
A few minutes passed before the next contraction. Juniper tightly gripped the couch as her own body tightened.
"Ohhh, ah…" she moaned softly, closing her eyes. "Mmmm…"
As she slowly rocked her way through it, she heard the front door open. Juniper opened one eye as she turned towards it. There stood Joy, who was holding several bags in her arms. "I'm here," she announced, quickly trying to shuffle through the doorway.
"Oh, Joy. Thank goodness you're here," said Juniper. "I was almost starting to worry that you wouldn't show up."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Joy, starting to set down her many bags. "It took a little time, but I'm here now, and I won't be leaving your side until the baby is born."
Juniper smiled. "I'm so glad to hear thaaaa-" she trailed off as her current contraction spiked.
"I see you're starting to get into the thick of it," Joy noted. "How are your contractions?"
Juniper was silent for a while before she could respond. "They're getting…more frequent, and more intense."
Joy simply nodded. "That's a sign that things are progressing well. Once we get everything set up, we'll need to start timing your contractions so we know how close they are."
Juniper nodded. "Okay…" she said, releasing a big puff of air. Her recent contraction was finally relenting. "So tell me, what do I need to do? Start giving me instructions."
Joy seemed a bit startled at her seriousness. She gave a small laugh. "The first thing you can do is stay calm. It will help you get through this easier."
Juniper nodded again. "Okay."
"Second, let's get you upstairs and into bed. You'll be able to relax easier, and I can start setting everything up."
"Sounds good," Juniper agreed. With a bit of reluctance, she let go of the couch and started waddling towards the stairs. She pressed both hands into her back in order to support her weight. She paused once she reached the foot of the stairs, and looked up at them.
At least this is the last time I'll have to climb these with this stomach she thought with a bittersweet smile. Taking a deep breath, she began her hike up the stairs, one step at a time. She grabbed onto the railing for support, while using her other hand to prop up her back. Juniper feared that another contraction might strike before she made it to the top, leaving her stuck in mid-step for a minute or so.
Thankfully, her fears didn't come true. Juniper was able to reach the top step without any labor pains interrupting. Once she did, she let out a relieved puff of air. She was definitely winded, but still felt a little proud. She had conquered her "mountain" one last time.
From there, it was just a short waddle down the hall to her bedroom. By the time she reached it, Joy had finished collecting her things and was right behind her. "All right, we've got everyone we need in the right place," she announced with a smile. "Now we can start making the preparations."
Juniper gently brushed some of the hair out of her face. "Great, what do we do?"
"I'm going to start unpacking my equipment," said Joy, setting her bags down on the floor. "For now, you can go ahead and get changed."
Juniper raised an eyebrow. "Changed?"
Joy looked up at her. "Yes, go ahead and change into whatever outfit you're planning to give birth in. Surely you've thought about this?"
Juniper just gave her a blank stare. To be honest, she hadn't thought about it at all. Eventually, she just gave a sigh. "The last thing I feel like doing right now is changing my clothes..." she said tiredly. She then gestured to the outfit she currently wore. "This will do."
Joy just eyed her with skepticism written all over her face. "You're going to give birth in that?" She too gestured to Juniper's white tank-top and short green skirt.
"Yes," Juniper confirmed. "I wear this all the time, and I find it just as comfortable as anything else. This outfit will work just fine."
Joy eyed her short green skirt. "Will you be able to spread your legs wide enough with that?"
"Not a problem," said Juniper. To prove it, she lowered her body into a bit of a squat. Her legs found the sides of her skirt, but they weren't halted. The skirt generously stretched to accommodate her position. "See? It will be fine."
Joy just shrugged before turning away. "Suit yourself, as long as I can see what's going on down there. Go ahead and remove your underwear."
Juniper nodded and started to do as she was told. She reached a hand up beneath her skirt and started to wiggle her underwear free. To her surprise, she found that it was still quite wet. It seemed that in all the excitement, she had forgotten that it was still damp from when her water had broken. Thankfully, her skirt was still fairly dry, so she stood by her decision to continue wearing it.
Juniper struggled for a few seconds, trying to pull her underwear down and around her rear while still keeping her skirt up, but eventually it came loose, and she was able to step out of it. To her surprise, she found herself quite glad to be free of her underwear. It let her womanhood feel more free and unrestrained. There was no longer anything stopping it from bringing a baby into the world. Save for time and effort of course.
Juniper tossed her underwear into a hamper before turning back to Joy. "What next?"
"Why don't you start setting up your bed?" said the nurse. "Move around any pillows and blankets that you need to. Organize it in a way that makes you comfortable once you're laying down."
"Got it," Juniper said with a nod. She waddled over to her bed and started moving things around. She spread out her soft blanket so she could comfortably lay on top of it. She then began moving numerous pillows into a mound that she would be able to rest her back on.
While she worked, a contraction tore through her. It was more intense and severe than any that had come before. Juniper nearly screamed from the shock of the pain.
"Ahhhhh! Ohhh…ouch!"
She placed a hand on her stomach as the tightening ran its course. Juniper then felt a new sensation. Her eyes widened as she felt her opening start to expand a bit. She was starting to dilate, and she could feel every second of it.
Before she knew it, Joy was by her side, gently rubbing her back. "Breath through it, Juniper. Just breathe."
Juniper did as she was told, and tried to tightly grasp her blanket as a way of diverting her attention away from the pain. "They're…getting worse," she said between breaths.
"I know," said Joy calmly. "And they're going to keep getting worse, little by little, until the baby is born."
Juniper frowned a bit. "This is going to be tough…"
"I'll be right here by your side," Joy reassured her.
Juniper reached out and gently clasped her hand. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"Of course," the nurse replied.
A few more seconds passed until Juniper felt like she was able to stand up straight again. "I'll be okay. Go back to your preparations."
Joy nodded. "Once you're done setting up the bed, go ahead and lie down for a bit. I'll need to run some tests here shortly. In the meantime, just let me know if you need anything."
Juniper returned her nod, and then watched as Joy returned to her bags. Juniper put the final touches on her bed, and then slowly hefted herself onto it. She crawled a bit before eventually reaching her pillows and turning herself around. She then allowed herself to lay back on them and find a comfortable position. It didn't take long before she was satisfied. She had done a good job of making a "nest" for herself.
A few minutes later, Joy walked over with a stethoscope looking device. "Go ahead and pull up your shirt," she instructed.
Juniper did as she was told, lifting her shirt up so that it completely uncovered her bare pregnant belly.
Joy then set about doing various tests. First she listened in and confirmed the baby's heartbeat was going at a good pace. Not too fast or too slow. Joy then spent several minutes feeling her belly up and down, and pressing hard against it. She was trying to get a feel for how the egg was positioned. She also asked Juniper multiple questions on what she was able to feel inside of her womb. Juniper answered to the best of her ability.
Eventually, Joy squeezed Juniper stomach one last time with both hands, and then let go. She smiled at the professor. "Good news, the top of the egg is still pointing down. The baby is in the correct position."
Juniper breathed a sigh of relief. One of their biggest concerns when planning for the birth was whether the egg would situate itself correctly in order to travel down the birth canal. If it wasn't, Juniper and Joy would have had to manually adjust it as best they could, or consider other means of getting the egg out.
Joy put her stethoscope away, and rubbed a bit of the sweat off of her hands. She then reached into one of her dress pockets and pulled out a small stopwatch. "Next, we're going to need to start timing your contractions."
"Ahhhhhh!" Juniper screamed. A contraction had suddenly started tearing through her.
"Starting now," said Joy, immediately hitting a button on the watch.
Juniper didn't acknowledge her. She was too occupied with the sudden pain overtaking her. It felt like lightning was shooting down through her, eventually reaching her womanhood and forcing it to dilate further. "Holy owwww!" she yelled, closing her eyes.
Joy kept her eyes glued to the watch. "Listen Juniper. We're going to start timing two things. Frist, how long your contractions last. And second, how far apart they are."
Juniper just clenched her teeth, trying to bear with the pain. She was trying to listen, but it wasn't easy to focus.
"When your contractions last more than a minute, that means you're getting close to delivery. When the contractions are less than a minute apart, it will be time to start pushing."
A few seconds later Juniper could feel the contraction taking its leave. "It's over," she announced, trying to catch her breath.
"32 seconds," said Joy, looking at the watch. "Now we'll wait for the next one so we can time the intervals."
"Great," said Juniper, a little sarcastically.
Joy didn't seem to notice. She moved to the end of the bed. "Go ahead and prop your legs up, and spread them out."
Juniper felt tired after that last contraction, but did as she was told. She propped both legs up, and opened them wide so Joy could see directly inside her skirt. It felt good to keep them open. It felt like she had an easier time breathing down there.
Joy crouched down at the foot of the bed, and ended up reaching both arms forward. They dove into Juniper's skirt, and it wasn't long before she could feel Joy's fingers feeling her up. The nurse began doing a thorough inspection. She gently traced the sides of her opening. Juniper couldn't help but feel a little aroused in spite of the pain.
"Things are progressing good, Juniper," Joy announced. "You've already dilated a few centimeters."
"That's good to hear," said Juniper, smiling at the news. It was nice to know that all the pain she was experiencing wasn't for nothing. She was making progress.
Joy continued to stare between her legs. "Ordinarily, a woman can begin pushing once she reaches 10 centimeters. But that would be for a human baby, of course. I'm assuming you'll need to dilate a bit more than that to fit a Pokemon egg though here."
Juniper nodded. They had already discussed this a few times before, so it wasn't anything surprising or new. It was just something that she would have to get through. "How long do you think it will be before I deliver?"
"Hmm," Joy took a moment to consider it. "Well, you do seem to be progressing fairly quickly considering this is your first pregnancy. If I had to guess, it might be over in the next four or five hours."
"That doesn't sound too bad," said Juniper, trying to be optimistic. She knew that some women could have labors that would last for long periods of time, sometimes days.
Joy soon retracted her hands and rose to her feet. "I'm going to wash up, and then continue setting up some things. You can keep laying down for now, and focus on working through your contractions. Relax and let your body do its work."
Juniper nodded. "Understood." She then frowned, looking a little embarrassed. "And Joy…um, I'm sorry…if I end up screaming too much…"
Joy just stared at her, completely taken aback. She then started laughing. Eventually, she gave Juniper a sincere smile. "Don't be sorry. These next few hours will be some of the most painful of your life. By all means, scream all you want. It won't bother me."
Juniper just returned her smile. "Thank you."
Joy soon walked off to the bathroom in order to wash up, leaving Juniper alone on the bed. Well, not completely alone. Juniper smiled as she rubbed her stomach with both hands.
I can do this she thought confidently. Arceus is counting on me. The baby is counting on me. I can do it. My body was made for this. And I'm going to scream as much as I have to in order to get through this.
A few minutes later, Joy returned to the room. "So, how are you feeling?" the nurse asked her patient.
"Actually, I feel pretty goo-AHHHH!" Juniper couldn't finish her sentence. Another contraction had interrupted her.
Joy pulled out her stop watch and recorded the time. "Four and a half minutes apart. Not bad."
"Oh, it hurts," said Juniper, closing her eyes as her body clenched up. She knew that she was dilating further. She could definitely feel her womanhood slowly being split open. "Ugh, it feels like I'm being torn in half!"
Joy rubbed the top of one of Juniper's legs in a comforting way. "You'll get through it. Scream as much as you need to. It will make you feel better."
"I will!" said Juniper in a matter-of-fact tone. And then she did. She screamed her lungs out. She moaned and panted and grunted. Anything to help release some of the pain and tension within her. And she didn't care how loud she was. She was going to get through this.
However, because of her screams, Juniper didn't end up hearing the knock on her front door, coming from downstairs…
So it begins and so it continues. I stated before that I like stories where women are able to give birth in something other than a generic hospital gown. I did the same thing here. I really like the idea of Juniper giving birth in her everyday clothes. I just love her outfit!