Chapter 51: Skin to Skin

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Dwyn continues to scream for minutes after her birth. Rachel grabs a towel and cleans Dwyn, her still in my arms.

"Ssshhh. It's okay Dwyn." I coo to Dwyn, attempting to stop her screaming. I cup some water in my hand and carefully wash her head. I avoid her face at all cost. I can't decide if she wants me to stop as she small fisted hand keeps hitting my chest.

Peeta massages my shoulders as I admire our daughter. Our alive daughter that we created. Eyes squished shut, small mouth screaming and open for her breathing, her tiny nose, and my brown hair showing tufts on her small head.

Tears begin to spill down my eyes. I'm ecstatic. In pain but am speechless. It was all worth it.

"Well done, Katniss. Well done." Peeta comments and slowly, I'm still regaining my breathing.

"Peeta, she is really chubby. A cute chubby though." I say and stroke my finger along the side of Dwyn's head.

"I'll in here for a few more minutes." Rachel alerts and I nod. "You did very well. To give birth at your age, that was incredible. Meaning, you worked really hard through that immense pain. I can say that I'm really proud of you." Rachel adds and I smile wider.

I bring her close and press a feathery light kiss on her tiny nose. When I pull away, I notice some of my shedding tears on her cheeks, I smile broadly, wiping them away slowly.

"I'm sorry." I say to her, "Mama's just really happy to see you."

Then in that very moment, it sinks in.

I'm a mother.

In that moment too, her screams turn to whimpers and I want her eyes to open. I gasp and her eyes open for us, as if she could read my thoughts.

"P -Peeta. Her eyes. They are -"

"Mine." He finishes my sentence.

"Katniss, I'm just alerting you that you might feel some pain okay? But after that, I'll check your daughter up and you can rest on the bed or here." Rachel suggests.

"Rest in here." I answer and wince at pain.

"While you're resting, I'll get out okay?" Peeta says and I nod.

A few minute later Rachel climbs out, I reluctantly pass Dwyn over to her so she can be checked.
Peeta pecks my temple multiple times before I lean forward so he can climb out. I know, he's taking the advantage of some skin to skin time with his daughter. Just like I just had.

I lean back on the wall of the bath and sign, closing my eyes. I place my hand on what's left of my protruding belly.

"Nine pounds, twenty four inches." Rachel states and I smile, just a bit bigger than the average baby at birth. Rose was four pounds and sixteen inches.

"No wonder she's nine pounds Rachel. She's really chubby." I call back with a chuckle.

"... And there you go." I manage to her Rachel say and I turn my head to see Peeta holding our Dwyn. I see tears forming in his eyes and how he's trying to contain sobs.

"She's beautiful Katniss." Peeta cries in awe.

"I know. We made her that way." Peeta turns to look at me and we both share wide smiles.

"So on this day, 31st of August at 10:39pm, we welcomed into the world Dwyn Jessica-Rose Mellark. Weight nine pounds and a length of twenty inches. Born at forty weeks." Rachel confirms information for our daughter and I smile much wider.

Our daughter is here.

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