Birth Pains

We’d been arguing about it for days. A coin toss had settled the matter.

Now, here we are, in the hospital.

Natural birth, we’d decided: gas and air, but nothing else unless necessary.

After nearly 36 hours in labour, I was beginning to think it necessary.

“You’re so close now,” the midwife said. “Just a couple more pushes.”

Glaring daggers at her and me, in between the breath-stealing contractions, my husband continued to push while I looked on, grinning.

I’d told him it had hurt with our first, back in 2024, but he didn’t believe me.

He does now.