And Baby Makes Three (3 of 3)

Writers: AL, Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 28th January 2012
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Tavia, Vandor, U'kaiah
Description: Labor and delivery
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 26 of Turn 6

Tavia

Vandor

The bronzerider had hurried as fast as he could, though he first had to
stop by the storerooms and explain the situation so he could beg a
change of clothes. It wasn't easy to find things to fit a man his
height, so he opted for shorts and a loose tunic that would fit just
about anyone. He wasn't there to make an impression. A quick jump in
the pool, his hands practically shaking from exhaustion and the need to
hurry, and he was out. U'kaiah hardly took the time to dry off as he
gathered his crackdusted clothes in the towel and ran barefoot back to
the greenrider's weyr.

"I'm here!" he called as he pushed through the door, spilling the
laundry into a pile next to her door. Hurrying over to take Tavia's
hand, he said once more, this time as calmly as he could, "I'm here.
Now what do I do?"

"Ah, Wingleader, good. I have a job for you." Vandor motioned for the
bronzerider to let go of Tavia. "When she has a contraction, I want
you to take the palms of your hands and place them here." The big
healer gestured toward Tavia's lower back. "This will help with the
pain. It won't go away, but it will help. I'll show you." He waited
til Tavia made it obvious another one was hitting her, then firmly, but
gently, did as he had instructed U'kaiah to do.

She concentrated as her abdomen once again hardened and the pressure
on her back _did_ help her. As the contraction subsided she nodded.
"That helped."

The bronzerider took a deep breath, but nervous and drained, but
determined to do his part. "Just tell me when you want it," he said as
he took his position. "How much longer, do you think, healer?"

"Just listen to here, you'll know when she wants it by the noises
she makes." Vandor chuckled. "Really, that depends on Tavia and the
baby." The big healer poured some water for the wingleader and then a
little for himself, taking the liquid quickly. "She's currently at a
six and needs to be at a ten. They might progress slowly or take a
while. We'll just keep an eye on the progression and follow her
lead."

"AHHHHHHHH" she yelled as her body clenched again but this time it was
different. The contraction didn't ramp up slowly it seemed to clamp
down on her making her curl forward. "It's..." she couldn't articulate
what it was.

"It's what?" U'kaiah strained his neck to try to see while doing as he
had been instructed to do. What was going on?!

Her voice rose to almost a scream and all the humming from the flits
led by Glory rose to a crescendo to match what she was experiencing.
Her fingers curled around one of U'kaiah's hands and clenched
convulsively with with the toned muscles of a dragonrider.

"It's all right. Breath Tavia, not short breaths, _deep_ breaths."
Vandor instructed. "I think she's trying to say the baby's coming."
He crouched down beside her. "Listen to your body. If you need to
push, then push. Don't scream, making deeper sounds. Think 'open'."
Mentality could make a big difference in a woman's labour, Vandor had
found. He moved into a position that allowed him a better look.
"That's it girl, the baby's crowning...there's the head." A quick
motion took the umbilical cord and he unwrapped it from around the babe.

Vandor alternately encouraged her to push and to breath, coaching her
as the baby slowly began to emerge. Suddenly, after one last big push,
the shoulders and body slipped out and the baby was gently caught by
the large healer. He grabbed a suction bulb that he had placed near by
and as he pressed the child against Tavia's bosom, suctioned out the
child's mouth.

U'kaiah forgot the pain in his hand as he looked down at the slicked
head of black hair and bright pink, wet body. He was too stunned to say
anything. It was a baby! It was _his_ baby! It didn't seem real.
After all those months of waiting, feeling the movement in her stomach,
watching her grow day by day, and yet it had always been an abstract
thought until this moment. And now that it had come, it just didn't
seem like it could possibly be real. But it was wonderful.

Even with as much work as it was and all the pain involved, all that
was immediately forgotten when the baby lay in her arms. A healthy
wail followed and she grinned at U'kaiah. "A boy," she said. "U'kaiah
we have a son."

"Congratulations." Vandor moved over to his tools and took out a pair
of sharp scissors that he had cleaned and sterilized. He turned them
over and offered them to U'kaiah. "Would you care to cut the cord?"

"No, thank you, I'll leave the healing to the healers," the bronzerider
said, half afraid he'd cut the wrong thing. Besides, there was an
amazing little baby that had caught his attention. U'kaiah touched a
finger tenderly to his tiny head of hair. "That he seems to get from
me." Kaiafel would be pleased that they would have that in common.
"And what a set of lungs he has on him," he said, glancing over at
Tavia. "That I think he gets from you."

Tavia opened her mouth in surprise and laughed at U'kaiah's comment.
"Are you calling me loud?" She looked down again at her son. "The
things your father gets away with."

Vandor chuckled at the bantar and proceeded the cut the cord. His job
wasn't done. He would check the baby, make sure the mother was well,
take care of the afterbirth and what not. But, for a few moments, he
hung back and let the little family bond together - and somehow managed
to keep the wistful expression from his dark face.

Last updated on the February 1st 2012

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