5sos Pregnancy Series

Calum: Labor & Birth

Hour 1 (his pov)
"Rache, I just got off the phone with your doctor," I told her every her doctor told me. She nodded leaning over the counter breathing through another contraction. I rubbed her back in circular motions. I haven't had a moment to take it in- after today the waiting will all be over. Our baby will be in our arms. Rachel stood up from the counter. I've never been through this before so I'm not sure what to do or how to help. "Want me to do or get you anything?" I awkwardly asked. She shook her head, "Lets just watch a movie." I nodded my head, "ok" and we slowly made our way towards the couch. I set her down on the couch and popped in the movie she requested. I sat down beside her and she rested her head on my lap.
HOUR 4 (her pov)
The movie ended. Time wore on. We moved from room to room, I ate piece after piece of watermelon. We never listened to any music. I don't know, really, what we did in those minutes between contractions. Read our phones? Talked to each other? I know at a certain point I Googled "average length of labor first time mom."
Then I ate a yogurt popsicle, buried my face in pillows, and leaned over tables and countertops. I thought about how it was almost pornographic: my ass in the air, me moaning. All while being very busy having my organs tightened with a belt made of barbed wire.
HOUR 8 (his pov)
We went for more walks and she said she was fine with having contractions around the neighborhood as long as no one from our neighbor saw me. It was dinner time so no one should see us. On our way out, our elderly neighbor friends sitting on their wooden rocking chairs watching the sunset, called out, "Baby?" "Not yet, we're workin' on it," I responded grinning because of how close we are to having the baby.
HOUR 13 (her pov)
We tried to sleep. All along the worst pain, rocking, cringing, shouting, kneading pain, waking me up every 12 minutes. I felt so weak. I've never felt as weak as I am in my life. Knowing it was supposed to be happening was the only thing that kept me from screaming, from calling an ambulance, from being sure I would die. Also the temporary-ness. It was like doing battle, or having battle be done unto you, every seven minutes. I wonder how my baby is doing right now. Should I have labored at a hospital like a normal person? We couldn't see in my womb; couldn't access it. This was what I hated most about pregnancy and what I wanted over with more than anything: the opacity of it all. I wanted her out where I could see her. But before that I had to be made to suffer. Before that: this.
HOUR 16 (her pov)
When Calum called the doctor again, seeming so grown-up in the next room, I got a contraction and made sure to moan extra loud for effect. Everyone told us the doctors gauge your labor sounds for signs of progress, so I hoped she'd overhear me and grant us access. Calum paced and reasoned with her and then hung up and came back to me. She told him that normally she has patients wait until they've gone 24-36 hours and then at that point you can come in and get monitored for a bit. He put this to me gently, but without the despair I thought it required. He became, too, then, the enemy.
"No," I said, crumbling. I was crying out of desperation. I needed a fix. I felt unheard; misunderstood. This was much different than physical pain. This could not be, I thought. It just cannot be. I wouldn't make it that long. I'd never make it.
HOUR 23 (his pov)
Screw the 24-36 hour deal, I drove Rachel to the hospital and here we are. Poor Rachel has been in labor for 23 hours. Just when I yawn because I haven't sleep in over 24 hours I look over at her. Me being tired is nothing compared to what she's going through. Right now she's sitting on a bouncy ball, her arms folded on my lap as and I sat at the edge of her bed. "Rachel are you sure you don't want pain medication? I know it's not what-" "I'm fine Calum. Don't worry about me. At the beginning I said I didn't want it and I'm going to follow through with my decision." A kind nurse came over to Rachels side and spoke in hushed tones, "Hey have you eaten anything?"
I wanted to tell her all the amazing Foods To Eat During Labor she had eaten but i had a feeling Rache would get mad at me for sharing too much. I also wanted to say how proud I was of myself for keeping her fed and hydrated, and I wanted to tell her about the yogurt popsicles in the rocketship molds, but I didn't because it didn't really matter at this point. "Yeah kind of? I mean I am in labor." Rachel laughed weakly. I am kind of hungry myself...
The nurse said something like, "Oh! Well once you are admitted you can't eat or drink anything so you might want to go eat lunch then come back!" Which was of course, news to us. I was grateful for the advice and nod obediently and spoke for Rachel, "Okay I think we will do that!"
HOUR 28 (her pov)
28 fucking hours. All I feel is pain pain pain pain. Im well worn out. Tired. Sore. How long is this going to last? Maybe I should just get the damn epidural. Calum and i just walked back from the cafeteria. I ate a bagel, stopping in between bites to fight off contractions. I heard a knock on the door and in comes my doctor and the nurse. "Hey Rachel, I'm just going to check you." She says sweetly. I'd been "checked" before. This is what they call it. They want to "check you." You means your cervix. You are your cervix. "Check" means stick a hand inside of "you"-your vagina-and measure how open your cervix is. "Hey look at that! Your fully dilated. I'm be right back to set up shop." I looked over at Calum. He had an expression of relief on his face. "We're going to have a baby any minute!" I couldn't help but force a tiny smile on my face as I fought my sudden urge to push. It's cute when he gets excited. My small smile faded, "I'm" I mumbled correcting him but he didn't hear.
HOUR 28.5 (his pov)
Her doctor came back, with the same nurse wheeling in her cart. A couple more doctors followed in. "Ready to have a baby?!" Her doctor cheered. This women was way too peppy. I could tell Rachel was trying not to roll her eyes as she felt another strong contraction. Rachel was back in the position she had been a few hours ago on the purple bouncy ball. "Are you comfortable right there Rachel?" The doctor asked and Rachel nodded shaking from the greatly increased pressure. The doctor positioned herself facing Rachel on the yoga ball so that she didn't need to move. She started pushing without the doctor fully ready. Rachel cried out in pain as her body stretched around the head that was slipping out. She gasped trying to catch her breath when the head was out. "Whoa slow down Rachel. Take a breath. The head is fully out." I used the ends of my sleeves to wipe off the sweat on her forehead. "Your doing so well," I whispered kissing her forehead as she panted. "The hard part is over." A few minutes later she took a big breath and pushed with all her mite. "Ow, ow, ow! It hurts!" She stopped pushing to take another breath. "I know honey, you're almost there. You got it." I encouraged. One last sharp cry in pain and our baby girl fell into the doctors hands. "Your baby girl is here!" I smiled down at Rachel. "You did it." I kissed her then pulled away to look at our creation. "Why hello Miss. Bird Jane."

Bird Jane Hood was born at 10:03 pm on February 8th