Page 23 of Pieces into Place (Moonflower Cove Romance #16)
When her contractions woke her up in the middle of the night, Isla panicked.
Her first call was to Nora, who called the midwife for her.
With Ben away at a work conference, Isla labored in the apartment by herself until Nora arrived over an hour later with the midwife and their younger sister, Eden.
The midwife checked Isla’s progress—which hurt worse than anything she’d ever experienced until that point.
She was barely two centimeters along and Isla didn’t know how she could make it to ten with how much pain she was already in.
But Blake was coming, whether or not Isla was ready.
“I can’t do this,” Isla cried out as she hugged her pillow tightly. Her body felt like it was being ripped apart with each contraction. She desperately needed more comforting than Nora or the midwife could give her. “I can’t do this,” she repeated, feeling defeated.
“Well, then you may not be strong enough to handle an unmedicated birth,” the midwife said with an annoyed tone in her voice.
Isla would have punched her if she hadn’t been so focused on the contraction ripping through her body.
Thankfully, Nora had snipped at her midwife friend for Isla.
She couldn’t hear what they were saying over her own moans of pain.
If anything, the midwife’s words had made Isla determined to prove her wrong.
After Isla had been pushing for over an hour, Nora and the midwife filled up the bathtub with warm water as Isla took off her clothes, leaving only her bra on.
Her legs were shaking from a mix of the pain and her adrenaline as she got onto her knees in the tub.
She was thankful it was a bigger tub, so she didn’t feel constrained.
The midwife put a folded towel on the edge of the tub for Isla to lean on as she pushed again.
Isla had no clue if she was pushing correctly or not in the new position.
There was little guidance from the midwife beyond to push like she was going to the bathroom.
With each push, Isla could feel something happening.
She just hoped it was the right something.
As Isla shifted her position, the midwife reached down between her legs.
“Am I doing it wrong?”
“No, I can feel her head. You’re close.”
Nearly pushing the midwife’s hand out of the way, Isla reached down, expecting to feel the baby. She was surprised to find the baby was still inside her, but Isla could feel her head as she cried out, “I feel her!”
With each push, Isla could feel more of the baby’s head.
She kept getting discouraged each time she felt the baby not come out, but the midwife told her it was normal.
The baby had to get over her pelvic bone, so the midwife suggested Isla change her position.
Isla used the side of the tub to support herself as she propped herself up on one knee.
Spreading her legs slightly, she used the contraction to push.
“Fuck!” Isla yelled out as she pushed again. Her hand and legs were shaking as she felt the baby’s head coming out. A momentary feeling of relief washed over Isla before an intense burning took its place. “Oh, my god!”
“It’s okay.” The midwife had a sense of urgency in her voice now. “Once this contraction is done, lean back against the tub so I can see.”
“I can’t,” she cried.
“I need you to so I can check the baby. ”
“I can’t. I’m going to sit on her.” Isla felt a panic attack rising inside her as the contraction met up. She almost had the baby’s head fully out. How could she move or sit down without hurting the baby?
She barely had time to recover from the contraction before another one came. Isla pushed again, her entire center feeling like it was on fire. So much so that she barely noticed the midwife basically pushing her back to be able to check the baby.
“Stop, please,” Isla begged as she kept her hand on the baby’s head. “Stop! I can do this! She’s my baby.”
Pushing again, Isla groaned in pain as her shaking hands supported the baby’s head as it came out. Despite feeling like her body was being torn in two, Isla forced herself to breathe through the pain as she pushed again.
“Oh, my god, Isla.” Nora looked like she was on the verge of throwing up. “She’s right there. I can see her entire head.”
“I wanna see!” Their younger sister Eden had been in and out of the room while Isla labored. Isla was past the point of caring who saw what anymore. Her only focus was getting to meet her daughter.
Which she did in two more pushes. She pulled Blake onto her chest as she cried the happiest tears. Blake cried as well as Isla snuggled her close and kissed the top of her head.
“It’s okay, baby. Mommy’s right here. I’m not going anywhere, Blake.”
As Isla finished her story, both she and Blake were crying. Isla pulled Blake into her arms, holding her to her chest just like she had thirty-six years ago.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through all that alone. I can’t imagine what that was like.”
“And I’m thankful you’ll never have to know.”
“Thank you for telling me that story, Mom. ”
“Thank you for wanting to hear it.” Isla kissed the top of her head, remembering the first time she’d kissed her. “You know what’s crazy?”
“What?” Blake sniffled as she wrapped her arms round Isla’s arm.
“I’d do it all again if it meant we got to have this moment right here.” Isla put a hand on Blake’s belly bump as Blake snuggled closer to her. “I love you, honey.”
“I love you, too, Mommy.”
No matter how much pain and heartache Isla had experienced in her life, she knew it was all worth it to be able to hold her first baby in her arms again.