#;going through getting prepped for the holiday then suddenly going into labor christmas eve

[wannabepapa]

Christmas Baby

We settled down for the night after stuffing our bellies full of delicious food. My back was still achy and my belly would tense when the baby moved the wrong way. I kept an eye on the progression just to be safe while keeping my partner oblivious. All they were paying attention to right now was wrapping presents on the floor and watching Elf while I was cocooned on the couch with the warmest blanket.

Since they were turned away from me I had been able to make uncomfortable faces without them asking me what was wrong. Both hands massaged around my bulge, desperate to calm down the now energized baby that was doing gymnastics. My stomach felt like they were having a party (probably looked even weirder) and their rough kicks hurt my already fatigued body. Again I silently begged for them to stay in until after Christmas, not to throw me into labor so we could spend time with our families and eat our fill of Christmas food. They had other plans.

I managed to get up from the couch and penguin waddle to the bathroom when the discomfort became too much. I turned the faucet on to as warm as I could stand it before putting my elbows on the edge of the counter so my heavy gut could dangle beneath me. It was a rock hard weight pulling at my back but I needed to rest. My back was on fire, my stomach contracting roughly as I waited out the tub filling. I must have gotten loud enough with my whines when my partner walks in behind me. Their hands rake up my sides to uncover my belly, the chill of their skin making my shiver from how hot my body was. They rubbed around my tight orb—saying something about getting me in the tub so I could relax through these contractions. I concede by pushing myself up, resting my back against them as we sway back and forth to ride it out.

"Guess our little present is coming early this year." they tease while waddle walking us both to the tub. My clothes are gingerly peeled off before they help me climb into the filled tub. The moment the warm watch hit my body I moaned in relief. It felt wonderful and my body had been able to relax just enough for me to take deep breaths. We stay in the bathroom for hours. Timing my contractions, them rubbing my belly as it turned boxy during each one, and kissing my face after each one while telling me how good I was doing.

Around nine o'clock my water broke. As the water was draining labor progressed quicker than I thought. I was nowhere near ready to push but my muscles felt tense and pained during each contraction. The baby hated being squeezed so they kicked and punched up a fuss after they were released from the cramping muscles. All I could manage were weak moans and pained mewls as the hours turned to minutes of rolling contractions. Our first child and we were already progressing to seven centimeters less than two hours after my water broke. I wasn't ready. Not by a long shot.

Eleven thirty I was screaming through a push, chin pressed hard against my chest as we held my legs up to continue pushing. The baby was nearly crowned—we were so close before but the head slipped back after my last push and I was frustrated. My partner was doing so good encouraging me and wiping the sweat and tears from my eyes. This time as the high of the contraction finished I felt the head bulge, nearly popped out as I groaned. When the urge came again I pushed with all my might until I felt the 'pop' of the baby's head finally out of my canal.

"The head—oh my good look at that hair!!" they shouted in excitement as they looked between my legs. They helped guide my hands to reach between me, my hands feeling around the baby's neck before pushing little by little to pop out the shoulders and before we knew it out slide the baby and against my chest they were. Quickly I scooped around their mouth to clear it and patted their back until a whimpering squeak sounded in the room. All three of us cried then as my partner grabbed a towel to wrap around them. Our doula was on their way so we had time before we needed to do anything else. Checking their phone to see where the doula was they laughed, proclaiming our squeaking nugget our perfect Christmas present to start our first day of many as new parents.

#;merry christmas everyone i hope you have a good day #;please enjoy yourself and have fun with your families #labor #birth #;not that i would want this irl but the idea of giving birth to a christmas baby has always been delightful to me #;going through getting prepped for the holiday then suddenly going into labor christmas eve #;to having a newborn at midnight on christmas does things to my brain