She began at 2 cm and finished with a squalling beauty of a baby girl. She said she couldn't do it....She did it! They applied blood pressure cuffs, she tore them off! They told her they would begin to induce her at 6 pm, it was 10pm before the medication was delivered to the unit , 15 more minutes before it was applied to her cervix. She slept, fitfully, awaking after a few hours not to sleep again until her daughter was born the next day at 11:23 am. The epidural provided less than adequate pain relief, she was scolded by the nursing staff and the anesthesiologist for saying 'It HURTS'. Her Mom and I told her that we believed her and helped her blow and pant away the pains as best we could. She trusted us, she didn't trust the hospital staff. She was setting landspeed records for dilating with the pitocin drip, they wouldn't watch her for changes, the monitor of course knew better! The face of the nurse that checked her and found her to be "10-100- 1" was priceless, because of course our angel in labour knew where she was in her progress.
THEN......a flurry of activity, paper packages being opened,warmers being warmed, gowns being donned, hands washed, dried and gloved, obligatory med student with disgusted look at the helm with the OB. With the finesse and grace of a woman, she gives a final push and brings forth life anew, angry, bloody, covered in vernix and screaming. She has her Mother's nose and will be tall. Anything else is anyone's guess...