AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As she supported the head, it glided out. Anterior position. Perfect. “Good job, Nadine. Her head’s out. “
The sight of the umbilical cord around the neck stole the saliva from Avery’s mouth. This wasn’t uncommon. But the question was, how long had the nuchal cord been in place, and had blood flow to the baby been impeded? She grasped the cord and gently looped it over the head. But since the baby was facedown it was impossible to see her skin tone. And the light wasn’t exactly conducive to—
“What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with my baby?” Nadine’s words quivered with fear.
Avery flashed Nadine an encouraging smile. “Not at all. In fact, it’s time to bring her into the world.” The sooner the better. A vise tightened around Avery’s heart.Please, God,let this baby be all right.“Okay, Nadine. Take a deep breath, then we’re going to push for ten.”
The woman sucked in a lungful of oxygen and grabbed Wes’s hand as she bore down.
Avery counted for her, guiding the shoulder out. “Four... five... six... You’re doing great... eight... nine...”
The baby slid out in a rush of flesh and liquid.
Avery’s hands filled with the slight, slippery weight of the child. She flipped the baby over. Her face was lax, her pallor ghostly white in the glare of the light.Please, God.
“Is she okay?” Nadine asked.
Avery placed the baby facedown against Nadine’s bare chest, covered her with a clean towel, then stimulated her by rubbing her back, her arms and legs, her feet.
Come on, little one. Please, God.
“Why isn’t she crying?” Nadine asked. “Is something wrong?”
Just then the baby let out a tiny screech that quickly turned into a warbling wail.
Avery’s breath released in a rush. She couldn’t hold back the beaming smile. “Congratulations, Mama. You did a great job.”
“Is she okay?”
“She seems perfect to me. And listen to those lungs.” Avery checked her Fitbit. “Time of birth 2:18.”
When Avery finished drying the baby, she covered her with the blanket and put the last clean towel on top for added warmth. It might feel like a balmy summer night to them, but the baby was accustomed to a ninety-eight-degree womb. “If you’re planning to nurse, it’s not too early to get her on the breast.”
Nadine chuckled, gazing down at the baby. “I think she already figured that out.”
Sure enough, the baby had attached.
“You’ve got a real pro there, Mama. What’s her name?”
“We haven’t been able to agree on one yet.” Nadine’s expression was a study in love and joy. “Look at you! Wait till your daddy sees you. You’re so beautiful. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“She’s absolutely gorgeous.” Avery shifted her gaze to Wes, who was staring back with a shell-shocked expression. “Not bad for a contractor. Stick around much longer and I’ll have to hire you as my assistant.
Chapter31
Avery removed her gloves and washed up in the clinic’s restroom sink. She’d left mother and baby in exam room two, encapsulated in a haze of maternal love.
The baby had checked out fine. Avery clamped and cut the umbilical cord and delivered the placenta, which she put into a plastic bag for the OB to examine later. Nadine had some minor tearing, but Avery would let her OB handle the sutures.
Even though it was the middle of the night, she was wide awake, high on adrenaline. She smiled at her reflection. Tonight had been a pretty amazing experience. A great reminder of why she did what she did. If she hadn’t been here, who knows what would’ve happened? But because her clinic existed, a woman and her newborn baby were safely ensconced in the other room.
Wes appeared in the doorway, and she shifted her gaze to his in the mirror. “Hey there, delivery partner.”
“Everything okay with the baby?”
“Perfect. Would you mind going out to the street and flagging down the ambulance? The clinic’s a little hard to find in the dark, and they should be here in about . . . eight minutes.”
“Sure thing.” He started to leave, then turned back. “Have you ever done that before—delivered a baby?”
