UNBROKEN

THIRTY FIFTH INSTALMENT

Mum got out of bed and went straight to the phone.

"Emily is in labour" she said to the person on the end of the phone. Within 10 minutes Layla was at our house with her little girl.

"You ok Emily?" Layla asked truly concerned. The contraction had stopped at this stage.

Mum went to the kitchen and put the kettle on.

"Do you both want a cup of tea?" Mum asked, just as she said this the contractions where back again. Wow such a pain I hadn't felt before, shooting pains going through my tummy and up my back all at the same time. I was buckled over. Layla kept trying to rub my back and make sure I was ok. They had stopped again.

"Aunty, we need to get her to hospital, she's having the baby" Layla said to my mum. Mum knew that the first labour was going to take some time and she was just pottering around trying to buy time.

"What should I wear today" mum said to us both.

"Aunty! Hospital" Layla was panicking.

"She has a while to go yet Layla, you'll be fine Emily"

Unbeknownst to Layla and I mum was watching the clock to see how far apart my contractions where but to Layla mum was being a bit to flippant. This went on for hours. (My labour lasted 17.5 hours, then crowning started). Layla had to leave but said she would be back a little later.

Mum changed about 4 times during this time. Trying to keep my mind off what was happening.

Finally mum took me to the hospital. All the way there mum found every pot hole and bump in the road.

We walked in to the maternity ward, we made our way to the nurses station. When we got there we saw a lovely nurse.

"Hi x" the nurse said to my mum.
Who's this you have with you".

"This is my daughter Emily" mum replied.

"Wow really? I remember delivering Barry, you were only a baby yourself" the nurse said to me, " you're a baby having a baby, are you giving the baby up after birth?" The nurse asked me. " No!!" I stated back not very nicely and just as I said this my contractions started again.

I was taken to a waiting room. The nurse advised mum to rub my back if I had the pain again and if I could I was to stand up, hold the end of the bed and sway my hips (like a cow I was told).

The nurse finally came in and asked me some questions about contractions and if I had had any blood when going to the toilet. I hadn't... I was so uncomfortable with her questions. Don't get me wrong she was lovely but I was embarrassed. I was at this stage just 16 years of age.

I haven't written about it but will add to my book when I write it but had anorexia before falling pregnant so my frame was tiny.

The nurse did an internal (embarrassing, was all I could think). "Well she's 3 centimetres dilated" the nurse said to mum. ( I was so confused I had no idea what this meant). "You can stay here or go home, it will be a while off" the nurse said this time looking at me. Mum looked at me as if to ask what I wanted to do. "I'll go home" I said.

To be honest I was really scare. I had no idea what to expect.

We walked to the car and mum helped me in. "Let's go get a video Emily" mum said as she got in to the car and started it up. " that would be great" I replied.

We arrived at the video shop and went inside. I was looking around while mum was at the counter. The lady behind the counter took mum over to a shelf. Mum paid for the video and said "let's go Emily, I've got one" mum said. In the middle of the store I had a contraction again. The lady freaked out and panicked running over to me. Mum told her I was fine and we went back to the car. Mum again helped me in.

Mum helped me go inside and laid me on the lounge setting up pillows to make me comfortable. She walked over and put the video on. "What is it?" I asked. "You'll see" she responded. I waited for a great movie to start but I was shocked when I heard a woman screaming. When I focused on what this was I realised.. Mum had got me a video of a woman in labour (funny when I think back I remember mum telling Barry and I about sex by putting on the video 'where did I come from' and she walked out of the room.)

I looked at mum and said " mum! No I don't want to watch this". " you have to Emily, it will show you what you can expect". I laid there having contraction after contraction watching this poor woman in labour it was almost like I was going out in sympathy.

We were home for hours, Barry came home after school and sat with me waiting for the time we had to go back to the hospital. Arthur arrived home and mum got dinner. I didn't eat as I was feeling sick.

At about 7pm we went to the hospital again as the contractions where very close together. When we arrived they immediately walked me in and got me a hospital nightie (so attractive). I was shown how to sway my hips and told to walk off the contractions. I was put in a shower as I was told that it would help with the pain (this was a lie). As I was walking around I heard another lady screaming. I was filled with terror, 'this is going to hurt' I thought to myself.

Finally my doctor arrived. "Come on Emily, let's bring this baby in to the world". I was set up on a bed in a delivery room. Mum came in with me. Barry and Arthur waited outside.

I was given an epidural. Yay no pain or so I thought. It only worked from my hip down on the left hand side.

I was put in stirrups. I didn't care that this man was down there I was in to much pain. They say you forget the pain when you have the baby but that is a lie. It is a pain you can not explain but you don't forget it.

I was told to push "I want to shit!" Is all I could say (classy I know but that is exactly what came out of my mouth). "That's ok Emily, you shit darlin, we have 2 nurses here to clean it up" my doctor said. He knew I wasn't going to but said it to calm my down. I was crowning for so long it felt like forever and I didn't think i could do it but all of a sudden I pushed really hard and I felt the head release and then was told to push again and the worst pain followed then there was a huge release.

I heard a baby cry.... "You have a beautiful baby girl, do you want to hold her" the doctor asked smiling. " get it away from me" I responded. Mum took her. Arthur and Barry came in and they fought over who was going to hold her first, Barry won and Arthur was none to happy.

The night before Arthur said to me "it's just a grunt and a fart and it's all over" about my labour. I looked at him I was exhausted. He said " I'm sorry Emily I will never say that again". I didn't respond. I laid on the bed for a while then it started again.. The pain was back 'not again I thought to myself. The doctor explained to me it was the after birth. When everything was finally over Arthur took Barry home and mum stayed for a while.

"So what's her name" the nurse asked me. I looked at this little girl they had since laid in my arms and attached to my breast. " her name is Ava"...