"Lydia... Lydia... come quick... where are you?" Ellie yelled as Tim sighed to himself.
Tim and I ran out of the room and into the large kitchen where everyone was seated around a table. What was going on? No one seemed to be in a panic, but then John, Trudie's father, came running into the kitchen.
"It's Trudie... her waters have broke." He said panting.
I looked at Tim in shock and we followed him into a room where Trudie was sat on a bed. Her mum was next to her trying to calm her down.
"Do you need help?" I asked Jenny, Trudie's mum.
"Yes, I need you to get towels, sheets and water... John will show you where they are...and then I will need your help when the baby comes." She said.
Janice, Ellie and I were going to help with the delivery, although, Janice knew much more than I did in these matters, so it terrified me.
We sat there and waited. Trudie would probably go into Labour very soon I thought. What I didn't know, was how long we would have to wait for the baby to be born. I knew it would be difficult for Trudie, especially, if there wasn't any pain relief for when it got tougher.
24. Lydia Brown - Birth
It had been nine hours since Trudie's waters had broken. I sat next to her, trying to ease her tormented body by stroking her forehead. She had begun to scream when the strongest of contractions had hit her. Not having any pain relief was proving to be hell as I watched her poor body contort in agony.
At present, she lay on the bed. Her body was drenched in sweat. Each scream showed how severe the pain was, as her face reddened and her swollen belly heaved. I watched her and couldn't help but worry how this would turn out.
I could tell how distraught and crazy she was getting, as the labour pains became more frequent. I knew it was time for her to give birth, as I watched Trudie try to get comfortable on the bed. Her mother, Jenny, helped her to keep calm as she spoke soothingly to her daughter. It was nearly time to deliver the baby and I dreaded the outcome of it.
"Lydia... can you hold her hand and keep comforting her... it's time... the baby is coming." Jenny said.
"Now? She's going to have the baby now?" I asked feeling scared.
"Yes... the baby's coming now...but we have a problem." Jenny said pausing for a second. "The baby is breech." Jenny said, as she checked between Trudie's legs.
I looked at her. I didn't know what that meant. Jenny straightened and stared at me. Ellie and Janice were in the room with us. I could see their serious, contorted expressions as they all looked at one another. What did that mean? I didn't understand what was going on.
"Oh... sorry... what does that mean?" I asked feeling a panic as my body shivered with dreaded thoughts of what would happen next.
I watched as Jenny stood there in silence. It appeared she was thinking, but she frowned as her eyes closed. She rubbed her cheeks with both hands as she stood there. We all waited for her to speak.
"It means... the baby is coming out either legs first or bottom first... I'm not sure what to do though... we could do a caesarean, but she is ready to push... and... well.... I'm not sure a caesarean is the safest option, because the baby wants to come out now... if she can take giving birth to a breech baby, then we should do it now. It has been done before... but... but doing that here without nothing to help us is going to be hard." Jenny said with a worrying tone. I could hear the nervous tremor in her voice. She was doubting herself I thought.
"You are the doctor Jenny. I'm sure you will make the right decision and... you can do this." I said trying to give her the encouragement that she needed.
"Yes." She answered pausing for a minute. "Right... Trudie... when the contractions start you will do as I say... understand? When I say push... you push as hard as possible... do you hear me?" Jenny said.
"Okay mum... will the baby be okay though?" I could hear the worry in Trudie's voice. I felt my heart heave at the sound of her panic.
"Yes... everything will be fine... just do as I say... okay." Jenny said.
"Yes mum."
I held Trudie's hand as she started to cry. I could see the pain take over her again. Tears ran down her face as she began to put all her energy into pushing.
"Push... push Trudie... push hard.... come on you can do it." Jenny shouted eagerly.
I could feel Trudie squeezing my hand. I felt a stinging sharpness tighten the bones in my knuckle. I didn't care though. I just wanted the baby to be born healthy.
Trudie's screams pierced like an echo in the small room as she used all her strength to push the baby out. Her entire body was soaked. I saw her give up as she sagged down onto the bed. The pains had stopped.
"Good Trudie... you're doing great... I can see the baby's bottom... now this time you have to push even harder... okay." Jenny said.
I looked at Trudie's red, dripping face. Her hair was soaked and her body laid limply on the bed.
"Mum... I feel so tired..." I felt so sad at the sound of her words. Her weak, forlorn, stressful body had yielded.
"Trudie... you mustn't give up.... that baby of yours cannot wait to meet you... he or she needs your love now... okay." I said trying to help her to be more determined with her situation.
"Okay." She answered as the next set of contractions started all
