Page 77 of Good Sisters

‘I have no words,’ Dad muttered.

‘I gave birth to Jess to Take That’s “Rule The World”. Oh, it was gorgeous.’ I could see it all. Jack holding my hand andJess’s kitten-like cry as she came into the world with the song playing in the background. I’d thought, Yes, my beautiful baby girl will rule the world.

‘I had no music and Harry and I cried the whole way through, half because of joy but also because we had no money and we knew that looking after triplets was going to be a nightmare. Then Tom, our accident, came along, and we were even more freaked out.’

‘Oh, Julie, I feel so bad for you.’ Shania made a sad face.

Julie laughed. ‘It’s fine, it all worked out, and Tom was an angel baby.’

‘I don’t remember much about Clara’s birth. I felt numb. It took me a while to bond with her, but then … well …’ Louise smiled.

Julie, Mum and I had been worried about Louise’s complete lack of maternal instinct. She had no reaction when Clara was born. It was like one of her work transactions – ‘Right, baby is born, I need her in a crèche, and how soon can I get back to work?’

Thankfully, after a while she’d fallen hook, line and sinker for Clara and it had made her a nicer person. She’d been a bit hard and intimidating before motherhood had softened her edges. Mum always said it was the making of her.

‘Well, our baby is going to be born to chanting and a calm, peaceful environment,’ Shania said.

‘Dad,’ I asked, ‘what are your memories of our births?’

‘Well, now, they were different times, the men stayed out of the room and waited. The midwife came and told me the good news and then I came in and Anne was holding you … It was … well, it was … a miracle each time.’ He stopped and gathered himself. ‘Anyway, I think I’ll step out now. Shania doesn’t need me in here taking up space and, to be honest, the chanting is doing my head in.’

‘We all need earplugs,’ Louise muttered.

‘Can I have a bath while I’m waiting?’ Julie joked.

‘Shania’s having a water birth. It’s going to be so cool,’ Gavin told us.

‘What happens when the bathwater goes cold? Do you just keep emptying it out and refilling it?’ Julie asked.

‘It’s at thirty-seven degrees Celsius, which is the same as Shania’s body temperature. It’s much better to have babies this way because Shania will feel counter-pressure on her back, her sacrum, her legs and vulva.’

‘Gavin, did you actually just say “vulva”?’ Julie snorted.

‘Sweet divine Jesus, I’m gone.’ Dad hurriedly exited the room to wait outside.

‘Yes, Julie, I did. I’m not fifteen, I can talk about women’s body parts. Water births are supposed to be better because they reduce the risk of tearing or an episiotomy.’

‘Okay, okay, I get it, you’re a modern man.’ Julie covered her ears with her hands.

‘Gavin is super-supportive of the water birth and I really don’t want to tear. I want my vagina intact. I don’t want to end up with, like, a big tunnel down there,’ Shania said.

‘I lost count of how many stitches I had after Tom,’ Julie said. ‘I’d say it’s the feckin’ Eurotunnel down there.’

Louise and I cracked up.

‘Thanks, Julie, that’s really helpful,’ Gavin said sarcastically. ‘We want the birthing room to be a calm and positive space, please.’

Louise picked up her bag. ‘I can’t take the wailing monks. I’m going to wait outside with Dad.’

‘Me too,’ I said. ’Good luck, Shania.’

‘Me three.’ Julie followed us out.

We sat in the waiting room, laughing and eating snacks. Two hours later the baby got into distress and Shania wasrushed into surgery for an emergency C-section. No chanting, no water, no calm or peaceful arrival.

I knocked gently on the door.

‘Come in.’

---