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Easter / New Life

By Iheoma

09 April 2006

Very short story on an expectant mother about to be induced and how she feels having her baby during the easter period. Do not think it's finished but wanted to do this piece as I missed the first exercise.

“Hello love how is it then?” asked the midwife. Dressed in an all blue figure hugging uniform, which was not meant to be that tight but she was ample, almost cuddly and maternal. She was too cheerful for me this morning I smiled back weakly and wished she didn’t engage me in any unnecessary conversation. She took my outstretched arm and began the process of logging me into the maternity unit.

“Your name love, so tell me, is this your first?”. She said with excitement barely containing herself. The badge on her uniform read “Midwife Rose Angela”. Her looks screamed somewhere in Asia but her accent told me otherwise, she was from Trinidad and Tobago, had the sing-song lilt of the islands people and was a catholic. I was immediately reassured and instinctively knew I was going to be okay. I didn’t answer her question though I smiled, removed my sandals and stood on the scales. I weighed 100 kilos and wondered how I was going to get back to normal after my Easter arrival.

“You know love, don’t look so stressed. So tell me, do you know what it is” ……. “I mean, is it a boy or girl”. Her voice echoed into my thoughts and sang a rhythm all onto itself, “no woman no cry” came back to me. I continued smiling. I shook my head “didn’t want to know”, I sat back down and waited. She was talkative this morning and I wasn’t.

“Okay love, so tell me, how many days overdue are you?” as she surveyed my notes intently logging in my new weight with a bright purple pen.

“One week I think” I said barely audible with my chin hidden on my chest and resigned to what awaited me.

“Yeah, it shows, you look swollen. You’ve retained a lot of water haven’t you. It will soon be over”.

“I know” tears came now as freely as I had fought to keep them at bay. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m just so tired and want it to be over” my hands covering my tear stained face with embarrassment. Why now to cry, it’s nearly over I thought.

“Oh dear love, we can’t have that now. You’re not supposed to get yourself so upset now” she sounded like a reggae song I’d known along time ago but could not remember. I wiped my tears with fresh tissues while she stroked my cheeks and gave me a maternal cuddle. “Your beds ready and I’ll see you upstairs later after you’ve settled down, love”.

Later that evening, as I cuddled my new Easter package, a brand new baby girl whom I named Rose Angela, I wondered about life and midwife Rose Angela. I knew I’d found a new friend and god mother to my daughter.

Reviews

Written by jean.day (2257 comments posted) 9th April 2006

I really want this to be longer. I want to know how long she was in labour and what Rose Angela did for her to help her through it. I want to know how she felt when she first held her baby.

It's a very good beginning, but I really hope you will add to it.

I worked as a nurses' aide in a maternity ward when I was 18, and the first baby that I saw being born was named after me, poor child - and I didn't do anything to help, just stood there with big eyes not really believing what I was seeing.

Written by amboline (183 comments posted) 10th April 2006

This may be a short piece but it's beautifully told. I love the contrast between the bright, talkative midwife and the silent, worrying mother-to-be - the dramatic tension and the empathy for both characters is very well set up, and nicely balanced. I also love the little musical interludes which appear as Rose Angela talks; they convey a tremensous sense of warmth to offset the fairly clinical surroundings which I imagine as the backdrop for the scene. I agree with Jean, though, that the ending is a little bit abrupt, it would have been good to explore a bit more of the developing relationship between new mother and midwife as the baby is born. Though I appreciate that it may not be easy to write, especially if you're drawing on personal experience for your inspiration!

thanks
Written by Iheoma (20 comments posted) 10th April 2006

Jean and Amboline - yes, will try and finish it and post it back up. Was just aiming to ensure that I contributed to the exercise. Have a way of not getting round to writing.

Easter/New Life
Written by Josie (2732 comments posted) 12th April 2006

I loved this story, but having gone through this myself, I didn't think that you captured the elation that every woman feels the moment you know your baby is in the world and safe. For me I just wanted to scream to all the world that I had done something nobody else had done before, ha ha. You mention tiredness, and yes, this is true, but soon every feeling but elation disappears and it is almost impossible to put into words that feeling of joy. (See my poem about Easter: The Bride Named Spring). Quite different to your lovely story, but still anticipation for the future and the growth of new life.

Written by brook_rivers (484 comments posted) 24th April 2006

i really liked this piece. i too felt it was a little on the short side and could have been expanded to include more detail so would love to see the finished version on here too!
I especially liked the sound divide in the story. well done!

Thanks Josie & Brook
Written by Iheoma (20 comments posted) 24th April 2006

Thanks for reading. In the process of reworking the piece. Will post it back up once I have completed it.

Written by twriter (117 comments posted) 17th December 2006

I so agree with Jean about this, it's a wonderful piece but I really want to know more detail!

VBW,

TW

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