Jughead's Family Secret

Chapter 12

Dad showed up and sat in a chair, Betty sat in the one beside him. They strapped a monitor to my stomach that tracked the baby's breathing and my contractions. It was weird and you could see it under my gown. They'd told me I was 50% effaced and 2 centimeters dilated. The doctor had came to see me and said she didn't want me walking because of the swelling. So instead of walking to help bring labour along, I was told to lay on my side with a ball in the shape of a peanut put in between my upper thighs. I was also told to rotate sides every 30 minutes. After a few bad contractions I had to actually try to breathe through Betty came and sat by me. Dad left to go watch Jellybean, I assured him I would be fine. Betty came and sat by me, and stroked my hair. I closed my eyes through a contraction. I was focusing hard on breathing. Betty looked at the chart," That was a little higher than the last one." I nodded. I pulled up my gown since nobody else was in the room. My boxers where on display along with my large belly and monitor. "I'm sorry I've been inconsiderate lately, I've just been really anxious over the baby." I propped my head with one hand and put my other hand on my stomach. "How do you think that I feel? I've carried our child, and it's fucked me up in ways I can't even explain, and you yell at me all the time, when quite frankly I'm trying," I said calmly. Betty didn't respond she just looked at the ground. I moved to lay on the pillows. I hissed through another contraction, it was now 15 minutes apart. I looked at mine and the babies heart movement. Her heart beat was quicker than mine and more rapid. A nurse walked in, and checked my progress, you're now a 100% effaced but still 2 centimeters dilated. I nodded, I'd been in labour roughly 8 hours. "You two might should try and get some rest." "I don't think I can get any sleep with all the discomfort, she looked at my chart, on the side it was numbered 1-10 and most of my contractions were around the 6-8 mark. She left the room and came back," This is Fentanyl, if you get an extra bad contraction you can push this button and it will administer more of the medication. It takes about 10-20 minutes to kick in." I nodded. I took the edge off the discomfort, made them feel more like a 4 on the pain scale. I slept off and on all night, I didn't really want to hit the pain button, but at a couple contractions I found myself doing it. Betty slept in the waiting room chair, since I'd taken up a good chunk of my hospital bed.