I walked down the stairs, carefully taking it step by step, watching every step I took.
I reached the pit of the steps, jolting onto the wooden floor, feeling a small stabbing sensation in my stomach. I groaned a little, gripping onto the banister of the stairs.
I thought it was just a faze, but the pain slowly got stronger in my stomach. "Seth!" I shouted, hearing his footsteps run through the house.
"What is it? What's wrong?" He ran through the door, stopping when he saw my hunched over.
"I need help," I whispered, lowering myself so I was sat on the step.
Seth came over, crouching down in front of me, resting his hand on my thigh. "Sheila, is it the baby?"
I had no clue, it could have been anything, however as I felt a small drop of liquid run down my inner thigh, I knew I was in trouble. "Listen to me closely, we need to go to the hospital."
His eyes lit up in panic, pushing past me and up the stairs. "Ouch," I groaned, holding onto my bump, hearing him come down moments later.
"I've got the baby bag sweetheart," he whispered, coming down the stairs. He placed the strap across his shoulder, placing his arms around time to slowly help me up.
"Do we need a bucket or anything for all of this?" I shook my head, walking slowly along by his side.
"Now is not the time Seth, we can deal with the mess later." I could see the fear setting in his brown orbs, the realisation of what was to come.
We managed somehow to get to the car with very little damage, as he flew down the side roads to get to the hospital as quick as possible. He didn't care for traffic or the lights, speeding through wherever possible.
Upon our arrival in the space closest to the entrance door, he ran around and picked me up, carrying me like a bride.
Gradually the pain in my stomach grew, the aches became longer and the sharp kicks got stronger.
"It's alright baby," he's sweetly whisper, trying to reassure me, but they didn't change a thing.
The automatic doors parted to let us in, as many people turned to stare at us, a guy carrying his girl into hospital.
"Hi, um, I think my missus is going into labour," he anxiously told the receptionist, stuttering where possible.
One of the other women behind her ran around to grab a wheelchair, allowing Seth to put me down in it. "Carly will take you down to a spare room then get your details there."
The chair began to swiftly move down the corridors, along the maternity ward. The cries of the newborns and shrieks of suffering mum's filled my ears. Seth reached down and took a hold of my hand, squeezing it gently.
I was wheeled into an empty room, lifted onto a bed, and hooked up to multiple wires. I'd watched so many programmes about labour before, I knew exactly what was to come.
I instantly felt better being able to lay down, zoning out of Seth's conversation with the midwife, instead focusing on the throbbing pain.
"Alright, she said she'd be back in a short while." He came back over, holding my hand, sitting on the chair beside me. "Do you want anything? Food, drink."
"No, just for the pain to go away." He placed his other hand on my bump, rubbing his thumb across it.
"It won't be too long now baby."
Too long it wasn't, I never imagined the pain progressing so soon, in barely any time at all it became a near constant for me to be in pain with the baby.
I hunched over once again, feeling Seth's hand on my back. "Breathe baby, keep breathing." He kept taking deep breaths beside me trying to get me to follow.
"It hurts Seth, make it stop." Just on cue the midwife walked in, a clipboard in her hands.
"Alright Shiela, I'm just going to check how dilated you are, if you don't mind." I nodded, leaning my head back on the pillow, allowing her to do her thing.
She made a few noises, thinking for a few moments as to what to do. "Is she alright?" Seth asked worriedly.
"Perfect, in fact Shiela, I think it might be time for that big push you've been holding in." I nodded, without a simple care anymore as to what was going on.
She walked over and put on some gloves, setting up a table beside her.
"Alright baby, you've got this, I'm right here with you." Seth planted a soft kiss on my forehead, taking a hold of my hand once again.
"Whenever you're ready Sheila." I nodded, taking a couple of pants of breath and then pushing down hard. "There you go, you're doing really well."
"Come on sweetheart, breathe with me me, ready? In...out." I looked up at Seth's lips, moving my frame to inhale and exhale with his.
I could slowly feel the pain move further down my body, finally some sort of relief to it all. "Sheila I reckon one more push and you might be alright."
"I can't!" I cried, brushing my hair out of my sweaty face. "I'm too tired."
"Sheila come on, we can't give up now, one last push, then it'll all be over." I nodded, watching Seth's chest rise, copying him, clenching my jaw and pushing downwards.
Seconds later the cries of a small child filled the room, giving me the pain relief I'd been hoping for.
I laid back, shutting my eyes, trying to catch my breath. "You did it," I heard Seth whisper, pecking my cheek.
The midwife took our baby off to clean them up, wrapping them in a towel. "It's a girl," she smiled, carrying her over. "Who wants to hold her first?"
The two of us looked at each other, neither wanting to put ourselves forwards in front of the other. "Mum can, she's the one that has done all the hard work."
The midwife came over, laying her down in my arms. Instantly I was attracted to her brown eyes, so bright with colour already. "She's so beautiful," I whispered, sniffing back to stop a couple of tears falling.
"She looks so much like you," Seth smiled, sitting down beside me on the bed. "Beautiful."
"I can't believe she's here at last." I ran my thumb along the top of her bald head, her little face scrunching at my touch. "Hello gorgeous girl," I whispered, kissing the top of her head.
"I love you both so much," I heard Seth say, cupping his hand underneath our little girl's head.