‘Mum, I’m sorry.’ Carly’s face was blotched. ‘So sorry.’
‘Don’t you worry, pet,’ her mother said softly. ‘We’ll work it out together, I promise. Now, then, how are the pains?’
Carly gave a weak smile. ‘Better now I’m in the water. I love it in here. I don’t want to get out. Do I have to get out when the baby’s born?’
‘I don’t know, darling.’ Mrs Baxter looked at Brooke anxiously. ‘Does she? Is it safe being in the pool? In my day we didn’t have anything like this. Is it OK for her to stay in?’
‘It’s fine.’ Brooke nodded quickly and checked the baby’s heart again before examining Carly. ‘She’s quite safe in the water. If we’re at all worried we’ll get her out but, to be honest, she’s a million times more relaxed since she climbed in there and a great deal calmer.’
‘Has she had something for the pain?’ Mrs Baxter glanced at them and Jed came forward, his handsome face serious.
‘We’re using the water as a form of pain relief, Mrs Baxter. The warmth is very relaxing and she can move around easily. Many pregnant women find it all the pain relief they need. If Carly needs something more or wants to come out of the water, that’s fine. We’ll deal with it when the time comes.’
‘We never had anything like that when I was expecting,’ Mrs Baxter murmured, and Jed smiled.
‘Well, it certainly wasn’t the norm in hospitals until fairly recently, and even now lots of hospitals don’t have birthing pools, but water therapy has been used for years as a muscle relaxant.’
‘I can’t think why I like it so much,’ Carly mumbled. ‘I hate swimming.’
Brooke smiled. ‘Well, funnily enough, underwater births were pioneered by a Russian swimming instructor—but I don’t think pregnant women were really expected to swim very far!’
‘It’s brilliant, Mum, and I don’t feel so fat and horrible in the water. Ooh…’ Carly started to groan again and Brooke encouraged her to breathe properly, checking the baby’s heart again.
‘That all sounds fine, Carly.’
Jed walked towards the door. ‘I’ll leave you to it, but I’d like to be here when she delivers.’
Brooke nodded, knowing that he wanted to be around in case anything went wrong. He was that sort of man. He cared enough to make sure that Carly wasn’t frightened any more than she already had been.
An hour later Carly became very restless and retched repeatedly. Her mother stroked her hair and looked at Brooke in panic.
‘She’s fine,’ Brooke murmured, ringing the buzzer for some back-up. ‘She’s in what we call transition. She’ll be ready to push in a minute.’
Minutes later Jed slipped into the room with Gill close behind him, and together they got everything ready for an imminent delivery, leaving Brooke to deal with Carly.
‘Concentrate on your body, Carly,’ she urged. ‘Try and imagine the baby moving down. Deep breath in—that’s great—and again. See it in your mind, feel it with your body…’
Gently she examined Carly and then took the girl’s hand and moved it between her legs. ‘Feel that.’
Carly’s eyes widened. ‘What is it?’
‘Your baby’s head,’ Brooke told her with an excited smile. ‘Keep your hand there and tell me what you feel.’
Carly groaned as another pain came and then gasped. ‘Oh! I felt it push into my hand. Oh, Mum!’
‘Little pants now, Carly,’ Brooke instructed, reaching down to guide the baby out. ‘That’s it. Well done… Perfect…’
The baby flipped out easily and Brooke lifted it out of the water into Carly’s arms, tears clogging her own eyes as she saw the stunned amazement and delight on the young girl’s face.
‘Oh, Mum!’ Tears poured down Carly’s cheeks and Brooke heard Gill clear her throat behind her.
‘You have a son, Carly.’ Her own voice was husky and more than a little shaky. ‘Congratulations, sweetheart.’
‘He’s not crying.’ Mrs Baxter looked at them anxiously. ‘Aren’t you meant to tip him upside down and slap him?’
Jed laughed. ‘I don’t think he’d be very pleased if I did that!’ Moving closer to them, his expression sobered. ‘Seriously, Mrs Baxter, we find that babies born in the water often don’t cry. It seems to be a more gentle introduction to the world for them, but look at him. He’s pink and healthy and breathing beautifully.’
‘He’s beautiful, Mum. Look at him.’ Carly was sobbing now, holding the baby against her and stroking his wrinkled skin. ‘Don’t make me give him away. Please, Mum. Don’t make me give him away. He’s mine.’