Birth in Suburbia, Carol Falaki [electronic reader .TXT] 📗

Expect labour to be very hard work and painful, most are, but don’t be afraid of the pain. If your fear increases so will tension and pain. The pain is there for a reason. It’s there to tell you to find somewhere safe to have your baby, and to stimulate movements like rocking, which help the baby through your pelvis. Pay attention to it and accept it if you can. It only lasts for a while. Most of all believe in yourself and your ability to birth your baby.”
“I don’t want any pain,” Debbie said.
“But you are having a baby, Debbie,” Maggie
replied. “You can’t avoid it altogether, an epidural is there if you want it, or you need it.”
“I want to believe I can do it but it’s so difficult when you don’t know what it is going to feel like, or how long it will last,” Debbie said.
“Yes I know,” Maggie agreed. “And the contractions become longer, more frequent and stronger as your labour progresses, but that tells you that you are progressing, after all if they didn’t do that, if they just stayed mild and easy, then you would never progress and get to the end of it.
What you can do is focus on each contraction and, rest in between each one. Try not to think about how long your labour is going to last. If you can do all that, it will help.”
“That is it is easier said than done.” Marie said.
“You are all very serious over here,” Nigel had appeared at the table. He kissed Helen on the cheek.
“How are you doing, love,” he asked her.
“I’m fine,” Helen replied.
“You don’t look fine.”
“We have been talking about labour,” Debbie explained.
“I think it is all a bit scary now,” Helen suggested. “Especially after the events of this morning, you know, having been into the hospital.”
“I’m sorry,” Maggie said, “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“No,” Helen protested, “I did ask and I did want to
know, so I’m grateful for your advice. It makes sense.”
“Don’t worry love, I’ll be with you all the way,” Nigel offered.
“Would you like the pain, instead of me?”
“I would take a share of it, if I could,” he replied. Helen smiled at him.
“You can help, more than you realise,” Maggie suggested. “There are lots of ways you can support Helen in labour you know.”
“Well yes, I do actually,” Nigel said proudly. “We went to an active birth session on Wednesday night and I learnt all kinds of things.”
“Yes, Debbie, Liz, you should go, It’s a one off session, for women and their birth partners. It was quite good, made us talk about what I wanted to try during labour,” Helen said.
“Was it couples?” Liz asked.
“Mostly couples, but there were some single girls there too. There was one with her sister and one with her mum.” Helen suggested. “You could go with your mum.”
“You should get Sean to go with you, Debbie,” Nigel added. Then he stooped down to level his eyes with Debbie’s and spoke quietly to her.
“What’s the matter with Sean these days? He’s not his usual self. In fact he’s sounding a bit cynical and he looks like shit, if you’ll pardon the expression.”
This observation, coming from Nigel, was unexpected and Debbie felt her eyes fill up.
“I don’t know, Nigel,” she replied, “I have tried to talk to him, I was beginning to think it was me, you know that I was imagining it, so I’m glad you’ve noticed.”
“Look,” Nigel went on, “If the right moment comes up I’ll try and ask him. See if I can get to the bottom of it, eh?”
“Thanks, Nigel, but you’ve got enough on your plate, don’t worry, I’m sure it will pass.” I wish I really believed that.
Emily started to stir and Leo stood immediately and made to go and to see to her but was not fast enough, David got to her first.
“Hello darling, here’s your daddy,” and he picked her up.
“You’ll have to try it, mate,” he said to Leo, “Becoming a dad I mean.” Leo nodded and Liz said to him: “You can come and visit me if you like. I’m willing to bet that my baby would love a cuddle from you.”
Leo looked at her stomach and smiled: “Can I?” he said, and she took his hand in hers and placed it on her stomach. Her baby kicked an acknowledgement, his jaw dropped and he pulled his hand away, astonished and delighted. “I just might take you up on that, Liz.”
A black cloud had crept into the west, changing the sky and covering the sun so that in no time at all the garden was transformed when the
sudden reduction in the light shaded the grass and flowers. The breeze, no longer warmed by the sun, felt cool.
Emily gave a little frustrated cry and Marie said:
“I think I’ll take her in to feed her.” Marie stood, and a drop of rain the size of a mouse landed ominously on the table.
“Cats and dogs next.” Debbie said, and they all stood, collecting plates and cups to carry indoors.
Debbie struggled to get her shoes back on. She laughed when saw Helen had the same problem.
By the time they made it to the kitchen huge drops of rain had started to pelt the garden, exploding onto the ground and drumming into the garden furniture.
A sudden clap of thunder accompanied their exit from the garden, Horrified shrieks of laughter united Helen and Debbie, but they were not the last inside. Sean and Tom had tried to rescue the food from the barbecue but by the time they came in from the rain they were wet through; their clothes emitting a steaming smoky reek, made more obvious by their being crammed together with everyone in a hot cluttered kitchen.


Chapter Ten


Adjustments


Depositing the food and dishes on the draining board Sean and Tom headed for the bathroom upstairs to dry off. Natalie and Jonathan left the kitchen table, where they had been playing snakes and ladders with Chrissy and Michael, to gaze out of the patio window. Marie excused herself and she and David went off to the living room to change and feed Emily.
Helen Liz and Debbie began to clear the dishes but were stopped by Chrissy, who insisted they sat down while she proceeded to stack the dishwasher, helped by Maggie. Nigel took Chrissie’s seat by Michael. Comfortable chairs and more coffee were sought and found.
Michael, Nigel, Chrissy and the children began a game of cards, while Leo immersed himself in Chrissie’s C.D. collection, ignoring her latest acquisitions he proceeded to play his way through his choice of favourite oldies. Soon they were treated to a
mosaic of Van Morrison, the Beatles and Eric Clapton. He kept the volume low and every now and then, when he found a real favourite, and to anyone who might be listening, he would say: “You have got to listen to this one,”
Liz and Tom joined him and Leo began to reminisce, with Liz, about school days. Do you remember the time we bunked off and went swimming?” Leo said.
“And met the geography teacher with a class full of first years?” Liz said.
“Yeah, we were in big trouble, Tom,” Leo explained. “Had to see the headmistress.”
“Miss Thompson, the old dragon,” Liz added. “I was grounded for two weeks. She told me I’d never amount to anything.”
“What are you doing these days, Liz?” Leo asked her. When she told him she was designing clothes he was delighted.
“Look,” he said. “We have got to get together, come and see my little shop. I do accessories, but with a difference. You have to come and see. My boutique is called ‘Stand Out'. I have been thinking how good it would be to have some really special matching outfits, to go with the accessories, like a one-stop shop, you know the sort of thing. Buy a complete designer outfit, shoes bag, hat, and that’s just the men.” He laughed.
“Just kidding, I do women too.” Liz and Tom laughed. “I mean women’s clothes,” he added.
“Liz,” Leo went on, “come and have a look around on Monday, and bring some of your work with you. Have you got a portfolio?” Liz nodded.
The afternoon became evening and subdued by the weather, too much food, drink and conversation, and with the rain, thunder and lightening in the background, they sat around, engaging in small talk and in David’s case dozing, Debbie observed, when she went into the living room to see how Marie was doing.
“He does this all the time these days, broken sleep,” Marie explained. “I wish I could.” Debbie smiled. “I’ve got it all to come yet I suppose,” she said.
“Yes," Marie agreed, “You have, Debbie. It has taken me some time to feel like myself again, not just my body, and there are a lot of changes to get used to there.”
“Like what?”
“My shape has altered.”
“Yes but you look great,” Debbie protested.
“Still, there are changes, and it took me a bit of time to get, well, almost get back to my old weight. The breast-feeding helps with that, but I have a few stretch marks, and I was very sore for a while. I had an episiotomy you know, because of