We worked to the rhythm of the fetal heartbeat, ticking along at 140 beats per minute.  We hadn’t met the baby yet, but the baby was getting ready to come out and greet our world.

The soon-to-be-mom wasn’t in as much pain as she had been last time I saw her. The epidural took the edge off her contractions. She could talk to us again and was even happy (albeit also tired).

The team got ready to start pushing. The contractions were the right distance apart and strong. The cervix was dilated to 10 centimeters. We explained the process of pushing the baby out – for each contraction she’d push 3 times, each for 10 seconds. While pushing she’d pull her knees out and back toward her ears because that opens up the pelvis and helps the baby fit through. The first contraction we practiced. Not many laboring humans get the pushing thing perfect on their first try. But, it didn’t take this soon-to-be-mom long to learn what to do.

Birth is trepidatious, exciting, and boring all at the same time. First there is a lot of wondering about how the whole process will go. Then there’s a lot of wondering what the baby will be like. Parents are excited to meet their child for the first time. From the health care perspective, there’s a lot of standing around. A lot of blood and mucus and other types of goop. The work comes in waves, as the contractions come and go. Between contractions the laboring human rests and the rest of us wait. It’s really all about the laboring human. The rest of us are just accessories and moral support. On this occasion, the soon-to-be-dad was a great team member. He was encouraging without being overbearing. He was engaged without hovering. The support people the laboring human brings with them aren’t always that good, but you’d be stressed too if your partner was doing all the work and all you could do was stand by waiting.   

This soon-to-be-mom tapped her tummy and sang to her baby in between contractions. She had made up a song for the baby that involved the baby’s name. She told us she had spoken to the baby throughout her pregnancy. She explained that she had told the baby when they were eating. She told us that the baby knew that they ate yogurt every day at 2:30 pm.

The soon-to-be-mom worked hard when the contractions came. The baby moved down the birth canal. As the baby came closer to meeting us, the soon-to-be-mom became more uncomfortable. If you’ve had a baby via vaginal birth you might know what the pressure of a baby’s head is like as it makes its way out – the rest of us can just imagine. The soon-to-be-mom had a good epidural, but it didn’t’ take away the pressure of the baby’s head. It didn’t take away the pain that came with tissues stretching.

We saw the baby’s hair for many minutes before we saw the baby’s head. Head then shoulders and then the rest. I helped deliver the placenta – best described as a warm squishy sac.

The baby cried upon entering our world, a sign of lungs waking up. The baby started covered in white wax and slightly gray, but soon turned pink. The baby snuggled up on the mom’s chest. The baby was perfect, as all babies are. All babies are both perfect and look like aliens if you ask me. Regardless of babies’ alienness, you still tell the parents congratulations on having their baby (this is very important).

Mom rested. She then sang the baby’s song. Once the placenta came out, we made sure the bleeding stopped. We made sure any tears (they’re common apparently) were sewed up. The obstetricians tell me vaginal tissue heals quickly. Life is a curious thing, especially the beginning and the end.

Mom and dad were lost in staring at their baby as we cleaned up mom. The nurses made little ink baby footprints on a certificate for the parents and on hospital paperwork. They took baby’s vital signs – baby was doing well with its itsy-bitsy everything.

We left their room. Time to return to our station. Many little hearts running between 110 and 160 beats per minute bopped along on our monitors counting down the hours until their parents got to meet the baby they’d made. We joke that labor and delivery is the only floor in the hospital were pain is a good thing, only because it means that it might be time to have a baby.

Birth is trepidatious, exciting, and boring all at the same time. I’ve seen the toughest cry at the sight of their child. I’ve seen smiles and laughter and looks of amazement and terror at being a new parent. And I’ve only been on labor and delivery for a few weeks. Imagine what it’s like to make a career of helping people bring their babies into the world.