Just over a month later Ellie's baby bump was like a little basketball and her due date was fast approaching. Her and Jason had finally finished setting up the babies room and making sure everything was perfect.
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Ellie had her hospital bag all packed and was ready for this baby to come out. She was getting increasingly uncomfortable and anxiously awaited the arrival of their wee baby.
After a nice long shower Ellie climbed into bed, waiting for Jason to join her when she felt a sudden gush of warmth between her legs.
"Babe!"
"Yeah?" Jason mumbled with a mouth full of toothbrush and toothpaste as he poked his head out the bathroom door.
"Either I just wet myself or... my water just broke".
"It's go time!?" He said excitedly.
"I think so" she giggled.
They had gone through all the birthing courses and knew what they should expect, so they played the waiting game hoping the contractions would start sooner rather than later. And boy did they ever! Fifteen minutes after her waters broke the first contraction hit, it wasn't too bad, uncomfortable but bearable.
In less than two hours Ellie's contractions progressed from 8 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and very strong so they headed to the hospital. By the time they were settled into a room her contractions were barely 2 minutes apart and a lot stronger. The labour was so intense that she began vomiting violently from the moment they arrived at the hospital.
Ellie fought through each contraction, trying to remember to breathe as Jason held her hand and reassured her. For six hours she battled through the pain, her contractions only a minute apart but her body would not dilate past 6cm.
"It's okay Sweetheart. I got you Ellie. You can do this" Jason whispered reassuringly as he pushed the hair from her face.
"I need the epidural... this is torture" Ellie cried in between brutal contractions.
The midwife popped out to request the aneathetist to administer an epidural. Almost two hours later one finally showed up. Apparently the one who was working was held up elsewhere so they had to get in the on call guy.
Ellie sat on the edge of the hospital bed wearing an open back gown as he prepped the area for the needle, contractions ripping through her body every minute. She continued to vomit through it all and Jason could hardly hold back the tears in his eyes at seeing his wife suffering so much. Her cries of pain tearing at his heart. The aneathetist tried multiple times to put the needle into her spine but was having trouble getting it in the right spot.
"I'm sorry" he apologised. "I need you to sit very still" he said.
Ellie wanted to punch him! 'You try sitting still while having contractions and fucking vomiting!' she thought to herself.
After another few tries it was finally in and the midwife helped her to lay back down on the bed. When the drugs kicked in Ellie was so exhausted from all the contractions, but at least now she couldn't feel them, although the vomiting and nausea hadn't gone away. They put monitors on her to keep any eye on the babies heart rate.
Three hours later the midwife and the doctor had checked her multiple times and she still had not progressed past 6cm. "I'm so tired" she whispered to Jason as he sat next to her holding her hand and stroking her hair.
"I know Sweetheart. You are doing so well though. I'm so proud of you. I love you" he smiled.
Suddenly one of the machines started beeping loudly and both Ellie and Jason looked around in panic. The midwife rushed to the door, "I need some help in here!" She yelled. A multitude of doctors and nurses came rushing in and Jason was led aside by one of them. She had never seen him so scared and panicked, the tears visible as the rolled down his cheeks. Ellie felt so dizzy and confused, an oxygen mask was put on her face and a nurse instructed her to take slow and steady breaths. After what seemed like forever things calmed down and some of the staff left the room.
"Your babies heart rate plummeted" the doctor explained. "I'm afraid if we let you labour any longer it will put you and your baby at risk" he said. "I think we need to take you in to theatre for an emergency cesarean section" he told them.
Ellie looked to Jason with fear in her eyes. "It's okay Ellie, I'm right here and I will be with you the whole time. What's most important is keeping you and our little bean safe. It doesn't matter how the baby comes in to this world, as long as it's happy and healthy" he told her as he kissed her hand.
Before they knew it Ellie was being prepped for surgery and they numbed her completely from the chest down, it was a very strange feeling. She was still nauseous and vomiting in the theatre preparation room and they gave her some drugs to help ease it before wheeling her through to the operating room.
Ellie couldn't help the tears that slipped from her eyes as the doctor explained to her what was about to happen. Jason held her hand tight and kissed her forehead sweetly.
"I want you to know that having an emergency c-section does not make you any less of a mother. You are putting your life on the line to bring your baby into this world, remember that. You are very strong and very brave" the surgeon smiled providing Ellie with some comfort.
The sensation of them cutting her open and retrieving their baby was very strange, like a weird pressure and a pulling or pushing feeling with no actual pain.
It felt like forever before they got the baby out, "Congratulations, you have a beautiful little boy" the doctor said before he handed the baby off to one of the nurses to wipe down and continued on his job to stitch Ellie back up.
"Jason... he's. .. he's not crying? Why isn't he crying, aren't they supposed to cry?" Ellie asked in a panic.
"I don't know Sweetheart, I'm sure everything is ok. Don't panic alright. I'm right here, and our baby is in good hands" he reassured her.
The midwife came over and explained that their baby wasn't breathing and the nurse and doctor were resuccitating him. It took five minutes but it felt like a lifetime before their little man let out a cry.
"Oh thank god!" Ellie sobbed.
"Jason, would you like to come a hold your son?" The midwife asked.
"Yes... hell yes" he smiled. He collected up their perfect little bundle of joy wrapped in a blanket and looked him over. He was in love immediately. He carried him carefully over to Ellie.
"Hey baby boy... here's your beautiful Mumma" he smiled as he sat down next to her and held their son up to her face so she could kiss him. He nuzzled against her and Ellie couldn't stop the tears of joy from streaming down her face. All the pain she had endured, all the fear and uncertainty, putting her life on the line... it was all worth it for that most precious moment, and she would do it all over again in a heartbeat if it meant seeing their perfect little baby for the first time.
Oh man... you guys. This chapter nearly broke me. Inspired by real life experiences. In saying that, I absolutely loved writing this chapter and love how it turned out. Hope you all enjoy it too. DV.
