Because of a Cowboy

Get Used to it

Stella, my midwife, gave me a big smile when I walked into her office. She was always playing soft, calming music, and her office smelled of scented candles.

"Hey there Miss Willa! Look at you, getting nice and big!" she said as she held the door open for me. "And you must be Holden! Nice to meet you!"

"Uh, sure," Holden said, shaking her hand.

I laid down on the couch as Holden took a spot on the loveseat across from me. Stella's office was much different from a typical OBGYN, but I trusted her with my whole heart. She delivered Winnie, my twin brothers, and myself.

Stella performed her usual examination, checking all my viatals, taking measurements, and listening to Little Toby's heartbeat.

"Everything looks good. How are you doing?" she asked me as she sat down in her desk chair.

"I'm trying to hang in there. Just getting final preparations ready. I wish my feet weren't swollen so I could wear my boots again."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you've still got eight more weeks to go," she said, then focused her attention on Holden. "So, Willa told me you had some questions?"

"I'm trying to get him on board with the idea of what I want, which is clearly a home birth," I said.

"I just want to make sure it's safe, especially since I won't be there, like while it happens. She's with Toby, I don't want to get in the middle of anything while he's there with her," Holden said.

"I already told you, it's perfectly fine. Literally every single one of my siblings was born at home," I said.

"I'll take it from here, Willa," Stella said. "Willa is extremely healthy, and baby Tobias as well. I've been a midwife for thirty years, so I've delivered a lot of babies. I can assure you that Willa and baby are in good hands." She paused.

"I think I'm just like, concerned if something goes wrong. I don't want anything to happen to him that could be prevented," Holden said. "Especially with her being an hour away from the hospital."

"With the speed of an ambulance, it'll be a lot quicker, in the rare occasion that we'd need to call one. I bring all the equipment I'd need to handle an emergency, suitures, oxygen, etcetera," Stella said. "Does that ease any of your...uncertainty?"

"Sort of, but personally I'm just not on board with it. I want my son to be born in a hospital."

"Hey, newsflash, Holden! It doesn't really matter what you want! Are you the one giving birth to him?" I asked. I'd never seen him shut down so quickly. "My baby, my way."

"Hey, last time I checked, I also made that kid," Holden said. "I have the right to give some input on what I want and what I don't!"

"If I can intervene...Holden, I can assure you that if Willa has any issues while she's in labor, such as not progressing or baby showing signs of distress, the ambulance will be called immediately," Stella said. "I want you to trust me when I say that I would never proceed to deliver a baby at home if there are any issues during labor."

"Okay, that's something I can ease up on," Holden said.

"Also, how about instead of just myself, I'll have my assistant, Kaya, there as well. She gave me a hand with Willa's brothers. I always like to have some help with twins," she said. "Or, some parents who like the sound of extra help."

"Does that make it any better?" I asked Holden.

He was crossing his arms, shying away. "Sorta."

"Works for me. So, Willa, still want the water option?" Stella asked.

"For sure!" I said.

"Great. I'll make sure the pool is available."

"Wait, pool?" Holden asked, leaning forward.

"Yes. Willa has told me before that she wants to have a water birth. We bring in a pool, which has been cleaned and sanitized, and Willa would deliver in there," Stella said.

Holden looked over at me. "So instead of the safety of a hospital, you're going to bring a pool into your living room and have him there?"

"Yup," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Get used to it, because that's the way we're doing this."