Lab

As she leaned into the fierce scorn of pressure, responding to the constriction of her uterus with a moan of sheer exertion, Lara’s laboured breaths filled the room. Her muscles gripped her baby with force, her skin taught and hard as she let out a slow, controlled exhale, moving his or head a fraction further down . As the peak rendered her breathless , she fought to stay on top of the pain and pressure , her gentle moan an outlet for the intensity as her womb finally began to relax, and she fell back gasping in blissful reprieve .As Liam slipped back into the orchestrated chaos of the birthing suite , he caught her eye as her hand hung limply from the bed . His presence was all she craved as another band of agony spread firmly between her hips and his eyes found hers as he took her trembling hand in his . “sorry I was out cold, but I’m here now , het said with exhaustion in his eyes . Her gaze , filled with a fierce determination, softened as she managed through clenched teeth “Li’-I-“. She struggled to articulate the words as the air was stolen from her lungs. After a slow breathe she finished “They said -seven” . His gaze levelled with hers as he muttered amongst the din ,” Seven inches dilated?” She nodded her face flushed with heat as she closed her eyes and let out a steady moan as another contraction took hold with furious persistence, just as the last one had ended . The strength in her hold spoke volumes as he drew her hand toward his chest and knelt on the ground beside her “I slept but , now my knees can hold me upright again” He meandered as she reached the peak and groaned as her uterus consumed the pockets of space around her baby’s head, and the griping drag elicited yet another rasping moan as her thighs shook instinctively. “Liam, she’s in transition, a few inches to finger but we’re getting there. “ a clinical voice updated from somewhere seemingly on the distance as Lara went deep inside herself, willing her baby to descend . “Come..on..baby..that’s it-“ her words were soft and strained , as Liam stroked her hair. “You’ve got this Lara” he said with bloodshot eyes , before asking “Are you sure you won’t take the pain meds . or have the epidural, I just, hate seeing you -“ . It was as if she couldn’t hear a word he was saying as she sank into the pillows, the contraction releasing her as her chest rose and fell before she curled forward again , without a second of respite. “Li-“ she gaped as he ran an arm down her shaking arm, confusion in his eyes as she remained breathless and her skin seemed on fire with her effort, sweat dripping from her brow as her brushed back a strand of hair . “I’m right here” he muttered as she lunged deep into the pull of another contraction. “Li-my water-“ . He grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside cabinet, but she brushed it aside  in dismissal , cradling her abdomen as sweat trailed from her navel . “‘No -my-oh gosh-“ A nurse informed from between her thighs “ seems like our waters are breaking Lara, nice deep breaths. Keep going.” . As fluid escaped her , the sensation took adjusting to as she gripped her own thighs , breathing through the new energy in her womb . Gripping her from the inside, her skin pulled firm as her muscles worked with gravity as she stayed upright despite her fatigue. Liam returned to circling her hip, an established movement of comfort as he muttered “Doing amazing , baby”, and she mustered a weak groan in response, more water leaking from her, eliciting a gasp and her hands clung to the bed rails, as she rolled her pelvis forward . “That’s it Lara, follow your body’s lead “ a nurse encouraged as she aided the new position , with Lara sitting against the headboard, Liam at her side.  The next hour seemed to blur, a mixture of Lara’s deep, controlled moans a breaths as she embraced each contraction and a nurse held her calves as they trembled . “That’s it Lara , keep doing what you’re doing.” Her voice came from the foot of the bed, though Lara only drew strength from her own energy . As Liam’s silent support provided her with the resolve to labor with their baby, she was transported back to the night they conceived their child. Now as the culmination of her ten month pregnancy was in every breath, moan and soon push, she wanted to feel her baby coming with every fibre of her exhausted being. 
 “Li-my-hip-“ . She grasped at his wrist and pulled his hand to her side and he trailed a thumb over her hipbone as he done earlier in labor. His firm circles worked against the pressure as she fought back the urge to give in to it with a steady moan. “Eight inches Lara , almost there. Just a little longer -“ a nurse assured her, but the tunnel of relentless contractions seemed endless, a sea of sensations crashing through her . As she focused on Liam’s touch , leaning into his counter pressure , her primal groans poured into the room. The lights seemed bright, the bustle of medical staff distracting.  Things were changing fast, as the pressure of her baby’s head ground against her pelvis , the unmissable urge to push tearing through her. “I need to push” she groaned as a nurse held her shoulder back firmly . “Lara, we’re only at a nine so let’s manage the urge slowly until it’s time. You can do this .” As the pressure threatened to swallow her while the nurse instructed “pant Lara . We may have to intervene if we can’t slow things down. “ her resolve crumbled as her rapid breaths offered a light battering to crushing urge to do what her indicts screamed to follow through. “Liam-help-“ . His eyes flashed with concern as her voice grew desperate with pleading. “I want-to stop” She used all her strength to form the words , to find an escape from the conflicting sensations coursing through her .