The Midwife's Christmas Baby

‘I guess. And maybe I need to cut you some slack, too—but how would you feel if I suggested you cut back on your shifts, just because you’ll have a baby in seven months’ time?’

He nodded. ‘I get it.’

She rubbed her stomach reflectively. ‘So is there a new girlfriend who might not be very happy to hear the news?’

‘No, there isn’t.’ And the question stung. ‘Do you really think I’m that shallow?’

‘No, but you never seem to date anyone for long.’

‘Strictly speaking, I didn’t actually date you,’ he pointed out. ‘We both got carried away, that night.’

‘I guess.’ She paused. ‘So why do you avoid proper relationships?’

Something else he didn’t want to discuss. ‘Let’s just say I’ve been a bit burned in the past.’

‘And you’re still brooding over it enough not to give someone else a chance? She must’ve hurt you a lot.’

‘Yes. She did,’ he admitted.

‘I’m sorry that you got hurt. But I’m nothing like the usual women you date.’

‘Usual?’

She grimaced. ‘I haven’t been gossiping about you. But the hospital grapevine says you pick women who look like models, women from a much posher background than mine.’

He stared at her. ‘You think I’m a snob?’

‘No. You treat all our mums the same, whether they’re ordinary women or royalty or celebs,’ she said. ‘I guess what I’m saying is I’m me, so don’t go thinking I’ll be like her.’

‘You’re not like her.’ He trusted Ella, for a start. Professionally. But letting her into his heart would take a lot longer. Justine had left him with a lot of baggage.

Though he really didn’t want to talk to Ella about Justine right now. Especially given their circumstances. How did you tell someone who was expecting your baby that you’d been here before—but the baby hadn’t been yours? She’d start reading all kinds of things into that and what he might be thinking now, and he was having a hard time explaining it to himself; he certainly couldn’t explain his feelings to her. Wanting to change the subject, he asked, ‘What about you?’

Her eyes widened. ‘You seriously think I’d date someone else when I’m pregnant with your baby?’

He winced. ‘That sounds bad. I mean... You only just found out about the baby. You might’ve met someone between Hallowe’en and now.’

‘No. There isn’t anyone.’

‘OK.’

And actually the hospital grapevine said she didn’t date. Ella was dedicated to her work. Oliver assumed that someone had hurt her badly in the past and she didn’t trust love any more, the same way that he didn’t trust love. But he could hardly grill her about it. That would be intrusive; besides, right now their relationship was so fragile he didn’t want to risk saying the wrong thing and making it worse. ‘Have you told your parents?’ he asked.

‘Not yet. I think I’d prefer to do that face to face—video-calling isn’t good enough for news like this,’ she said. ‘I’m going home for two days at Christmas. I’ll tell them then.’

‘How do you think they’ll take it?’

With sheer disbelief, Ella thought. Her parents knew the situation with her endometriosis and the ruptured cyst. They’d resigned themselves to never having grandchildren, though she’d seen the wistfulness in her mum’s eyes every time one of her sisters became a grandmother again. Not that she wanted to discuss any of that with Oliver. Not right now. Because if he knew about her medical issues from the past, he’d try even harder to wrap her in cotton wool and it would drive her crazy.

‘They’ll be supportive,’ she said. She knew that without having to ask. They might be shocked, but they’d definitely be supportive. ‘How about yours?’

‘It’s complicated,’ he said.

Another stonewall. Oliver had been hurt by someone in the past and his family situation was complicated. Did that mean maybe his ex had dumped him for his brother, or something? Did he even have a brother or a sister? But, even if she asked him straight out, she knew he’d evade the subject. ‘You don’t give anything away, do you?’

‘I...’ He blew out a breath. ‘I’m making a mess of this.’

‘Yes, you are,’ she said. ‘It’s always better to be honest.’ Which was pretty hypocritical of her, considering what she was keeping from him.

He raked a hand through his hair. ‘Ella, right now all that matters to me is you and the baby.’

Why couldn’t she let herself believe him?

When she didn’t say anything, he sighed. ‘I’d really like to be there at the scan. But it’s your call.’

That was quite a capitulation—and one that clearly hadn’t come easily to him. He was used to being in charge at work, so of course he was going to be bossy outside work as well. And maybe she had overreacted a bit. Maybe he really had meant to be helpful and trying to look after her, rather than making her feel stupid. But she didn’t want to whine about her dyslexia. Plenty of people had more to deal with than she did.

Maybe she should capitulate a bit, too. ‘I’ll let you know when I’ve seen my doctor and got a date through,’ she said.

‘Thank you.’ He finished his tea. ‘I guess I should let you have the rest of your afternoon in peace. But call me if you need anything, OK? And I’m not trying to be bossy. I’m trying to be supportive.’

‘Uh-huh.’

When she’d shown him out, she tidied up and washed up the mugs. She had absolutely no idea how this was going to work out. Oliver was clearly intending to do the right thing and stand by her—but she didn’t want him to be with her out of duty. She wanted him there because he wanted to be there.

He hadn’t said a word about his feelings. He hadn’t asked her about hers, either. Which was just as well, because she was all mixed up. The attraction she’d felt towards him hadn’t gone away, but she was pretty sure it was one-sided. She didn’t want him to pity her for mooning about over him, so she’d been sharper towards him than normal. But then again, if it was that easy to push him away, he clearly didn’t want to be with her in the first place.

‘It’ll work out,’ she said quietly, cradling her abdomen protectively with one hand. ‘If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll go back home to my family in Ireland. But one thing I promise you, baby: even though you weren’t planned, you’ll always, always be loved. And if you’re a girl I’m going to call you Joy, because that’s what you are to me.’

CHAPTER THREE

ELLA WAS ON a late shift on the Monday morning, and called her GP’s surgery as soon as they were open. To her surprise and delight, the GP was able to see her that morning before her shift.

‘How are you feeling?’ the GP asked when Ella told her she was pregnant.

‘Fairly shocked,’ Ella admitted. ‘I didn’t think this would ever happen, after what the doctors told me in London. But, now I’ve had a couple of days to get used to the idea, I’m thrilled.’

‘Good.’ The GP smiled. ‘Congratulations. Are you having any symptoms?’

‘A bit of morning sickness—it’s not much fun if one of the dads-to-be on the ward is wearing a ton of aftershave, or if anyone at work’s drinking coffee,’ Ella admitted.

‘I don’t need to tell you that you should feel a lot better by the time you’re twelve weeks.’

Ella smiled back. ‘No. It’s weird, because I’m usually the one giving that advice.’

‘And you’ve already done a test?’ the GP asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Then there’s not much point in doing a second one,’ the GP said. ‘Given your medical history, though, I’d like to send you for an early scan. As you work at Teddy’s, would you rather go there or would you prefer to book in for your antenatal care somewhere else?’

‘Teddy’s is fine,’ Ella confirmed.

‘Good. I’ll put a call through to the ultrasound department this morning. Reception will contact you with the date and time.’

‘That’s great—thank you very much.’

By the time Ella got to Teddy’s, the GP’s surgery had already sent her a text with the date and time of her scan. Ella wasn’t sure whether she was more relieved or shocked to discover that the scan was tomorrow morning, an hour before her shift was due to start.

Someone was bound to see her in the waiting room for the ultrasound, so the whole department would know about the baby very quickly. Which meant that Ella needed to find Annabelle and tell her the news herself. The last thing she wanted was for her best friend to hear about the baby from hospital gossip, especially as she knew what Annabelle had been through over the last few years.

Annabelle was in her office, clearly writing up some reports. Ella knocked on the door, opened it slightly and leaned through the gap. ‘I can see you’re really busy,’ she said, ‘but can I have a quick word?’

‘Sure,’ Annabelle said. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Yes—there’s just something I wanted to tell you.’ Then Ella looked more closely at her friend. ‘There’s something different about you.’

‘How do you mean, different?’ Annabelle asked.

‘You look happier than I’ve seen you in a long, long time.’

Annabelle smiled. ‘That’s because Max and I are back together. For good.’

‘Really?’ Thrilled for her friend, Ella leaned over the desk and hugged her. ‘That’s fabulous news.’

‘All those years I thought I’d failed him because I couldn’t give him children.’ Annabelle blew out a breath. ‘But he says I’m enough for him, Ella. He doesn’t need a family to feel we’re complete.’

‘I’m so pleased.’ Ella paused. ‘So this means you’re not going to try IVF again?’

‘No. We might consider adopting in the future, but we need time to think about it. And time just to enjoy each other,’ Annabelle said. ‘So what’s your news?’

Even though Annabelle seemed to be OK with the idea of not trying for a family, Ella knew that this was still a sensitive subject. ‘There isn’t an easy way to say this.’

‘Oh, no. Please don’t tell me you’re leaving Teddy’s.’

‘No.’ At least, she hoped she wasn’t going to have to leave. ‘Annabelle, I wanted you to know before anyone else on the ward does—because everyone’s going to know after tomorrow. And I really don’t want this to upset you.’

‘Now you’re really worrying me. Is it another cyst?’ Annabelle bit her lip. ‘Or—and I really hope it isn’t—something more sinister?’

Ella took a deep breath. ‘No. Nothing like that.’

‘Then will you please put me out of my misery?’

‘I’m pregnant.’

‘Pregnant?’ Annabelle’s blue eyes widened. ‘That’s the last thing I expected you to tell me. But—how?’

Ella squirmed. ‘Basic biology?’

‘Apart from the fact that you’re not dating anyone—or, if you are, you haven’t told me about him—there’s your endometriosis and that ruptured cyst and all the damage to your Fallopian tubes,’ Annabelle pointed out. ‘I thought the doctors in London said there was no chance of you conceiving?’

‘They did. But I guess there was a billion to one chance after all.’ A Christmas miracle. One Ella had never dared to dream about.

‘I don’t know what to say. Are you...well, happy about it?’ Annabelle asked cautiously.

Ella nodded. Yet, at the same time, part of her was sad. This wasn’t how she’d dreamed of things being when she was a child; she’d imagined having a partner who loved her. That definitely wasn’t the situation with Oliver.

‘Congratulations. I’m so pleased for you.’ Annabelle hugged her. ‘How far are you?’

‘Seven weeks.’

‘Your mum will be over the moon at the idea of being a granny.’

Ella smiled. ‘I know. I’m going to tell her at Christmas when I go back to Ireland. Or maybe I’ll take a snap of the scan photograph on my phone and send it to her tomorrow.’

‘You’ve got a dating scan tomorrow? That’s fantastic. Do you want me to come with you?’ Annabelle asked.

‘That’s lovely of you to offer, but it’s fine.’

‘Of course. I guess the dad will want to be there.’

Dear Annabelle. She was clearly dying to know who it was, but she wasn’t going to push her friend to share all the details until Ella was ready.

‘The dad,’ Ella said, ‘is being just a little bit bossy at the moment and trying to wrap me up in cotton wool.’

Annabelle raised an eyebrow. ‘He doesn’t know you very well, then?’

‘It’s complicated.’ Ella took a deep breath. ‘I’m not actually dating him. And I’m not sure I’m ready for everyone to know who it is.’

‘Sienna, mark two?’ Annabelle asked wryly. ‘Well, that’s your right if you want to keep it to yourself. And you know I have your back.’

Ella smiled. ‘I know.’ Which was precisely why she was going to tell her best friend the truth. ‘Obviously this is totally confidential—it’s Oliver.’

‘Oliver?’ Annabelle asked in a scandalised whisper. ‘As in our Assistant Head of Obstetrics?’

Ella winced. Was it so unlikely? ‘Yes.’

‘But... When?’

‘The night of the charity ball. We danced together. A lot. He drove me home. And we...’ She shrugged. ‘Well...’

‘I had no idea you even liked him.’

‘I’ve liked him since the moment I met him,’ Ella admitted. ‘But I never said anything because I always thought he was way out of my league.’

Annabelle scoffed. ‘You’re lovely, and anyone who says otherwise has me to answer to.’

‘But you know what the hospital gossip’s like. They say he only dates people a couple of times—and they’re usually tall, willowy women who look like models or movie stars. As in the opposite of me.’

‘You’re beautiful,’ Annabelle said loyally.

‘Thank you, but we both know I’m not Oliver’s type. I’m too short and too round. And he... Well.’ Ella had absolutely no idea how Oliver felt about her. He was being overprotective, but was that because of the baby?

‘So what are you going to do?’ Annabelle asked.

‘I’m still working that out,’ Ella admitted.

‘Is he going to support you?’

‘He’s pretty much driven me crazy—presenting me with a box of folic acid, telling me to cut back on my shifts...’

‘Ah. The protective male instinct coming out. And you sent him away with a flea in his ear?’

Ella nodded. ‘You know how hard I worked to get through my exams. I’m not going to give all that up now.’

‘So what do you want him to do?’

‘Be part of the baby’s life,’ Ella said promptly. ‘And not boss me about. Except I want him to be there because he wants to be there, not just because he thinks he ought to be there.’

‘What does he say?’ Annabelle asked.

‘It’s—’ But Ella didn’t get the chance to finish the conversation, because one of their colleagues came in, needing Annabelle to come and see a patient.

‘We’ll talk later,’ Annabelle promised, on her way out of the door. Except Ella had a busy shift, starting with a normal delivery and then one that turned complicated, so she didn’t have time to catch up with Annabelle.

Everything was fine in her second delivery; there were no signs of complications and no signs of distress as she monitored the baby.

But, as the mum started to push, Ella realised that she was having difficulty delivering the baby’s face and head. The classic sign of the baby having a ‘turtle neck’ told her exactly what the problem was: shoulder dystocia, meaning that the baby’s shoulder was stuck behind the mum’s pubic bone. And in the meantime it meant that the umbilical cord was squashed, so the baby had less oxygenated blood reaching her.

‘Sophie, I need you to stop pushing,’ Ella said calmly. She turned to the trainee midwife who was working with her. ‘Jennie, please can you go and find Charlie? Tell him we have a baby with shoulder dystocia, then get hold of whichever anaesthetist and neonatal specialist is on call and ask them to come here.’

‘What’s happening?’ Sophie asked, looking anxious.

‘Usually, after the baby’s head is born, the head and body turns sideways so the baby’s shoulders pass comfortably through your pelvis. But sometimes that doesn’t happen because the baby’s shoulder gets stuck behind your pubic bone,’ Ella explained. ‘That’s what’s happened here. So we need a bit of extra help to get the baby out safely, and that’s why I’ve asked our obstetrician to come in. There will be a few people coming into the room and it’ll seem crowded and a bit scary, but please try not to worry. We’re just being super-cautious and making sure that someone’s there immediately if we need them, though with any luck we won’t need any of them.’

‘Does this happen very often?’ Sophie asked, clearly in distress.

‘Maybe one in a hundred and fifty to one in two hundred births,’ Ella said. ‘Try not to worry, Sophie. I’ve seen this happen a few times before, and we can still deliver the baby normally—but right now I’m going to have to ask you to stop pushing and change your position a bit so we can get the baby’s shoulder unstuck and deliver her safely.’

‘Anything you say,’ Sophie said. ‘I just want my baby here safely.’ A tear trickled down her face.

‘I know.’ Ella squeezed her hand. ‘I promise you, it’s all going to be fine. Now, I want you to lie on your back, then wriggle down so your bum’s right at the very edge of the bed. Can you do that for me?’

‘I think so.’ Sophie panted a bit, clearly trying to hold back on pushing, and then moved down the bed according to Ella’s directions.

Charlie came in with Jennie, followed by the anaesthetist and neonatal specialist. Ella introduced everyone to Sophie. ‘Charlie, I want to try the McRoberts manoeuvre first,’ she said quietly. It was the most effective method of getting a baby’s shoulder unstuck, and would hopefully avoid Sophie having to have an emergency section.

‘That’s a sound decision,’ Charlie said as he quickly assessed the situation. ‘I’ve got another delivery, so if you’re confident with this I’ll leave you and the team. I’ll be in the birthing suite next door—my patient’s waters have just broken.

‘I’m good, Charlie,’ Ella said, then turned her attention back to Sophie as Charlie departed, leaving her to manage the birth.

‘Sophie, I’d like you to bend your knees and pull your legs back towards your tummy,’ Ella said. ‘Jennie’s here to help you. What that does is to change the angle of your spine and your pelvis and that gives the baby a little bit more room, and then hopefully we’ll be able to get her shoulder out a lot more easily. You’ll feel me pushing on your tummy—it shouldn’t hurt, just feel like pressure, so tell me straight away if it starts to hurt, OK?’

‘All right,’ Sophie said.

While Jennie helped move Sophie’s legs into position, Ella pressed on Sophie’s abdomen just above her pubic bone. It wasn’t quite enough to release the baby’s stuck shoulder, and she sighed inwardly. ‘Sophie, I’m afraid her shoulder’s still stuck. I’m going to need to give you an episiotomy to help me get the baby out.’

‘I don’t care,’ Sophie said, ‘as long as my baby’s all right.’

Which was what Ella was worried about. There was a risk of Sophie tearing and having a postpartum haemorrhage—but more worrying still was that the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves in the baby’s shoulder and arm, could be stretched too much during the birth and be damaged.

‘OK. You’ll feel a sharp scratch as I give you some local anaesthetic,’ Ella said as she worked. ‘And you won’t feel the episiotomy at all.’ Swiftly, she made the incision and then finally managed to deliver the baby’s head.

‘Here we go—I think someone’s all ready to meet her mum.’ She clamped the cord, cut it, and handed the baby to Sophie while mentally assessing the baby’s Apgar score.

‘Oh, she’s so beautiful—my baby,’ Sophie said.

The baby yelled, and everyone in the room smiled. ‘That’s what we like to hear,’ Ella said softly. ‘Welcome to the world, baby.’

While Ella stitched up the episiotomy, the neonatal specialist checked the baby over. ‘I’m pleased to say you have a very healthy little girl,’ she said. ‘She’s absolutely fine.’

Ella helped Sophie get the baby latched on, and the baby took a couple of sucks before falling fast asleep.

‘We’ll get you settled back on the ward, Sophie,’ Ella said. ‘But if you’re worried about anything at all, at any time, you just call one of us.’

‘I will. And thank you,’ Sophie said, tears running down her face. ‘I’m so glad she’s here.’

Oliver called in to one of the side rooms to see Hestia Blythe; he’d delivered her baby the previous evening by Caesarean section, after a long labour that had failed to progress and then the baby had started showing signs of distress.

‘How are you both doing?’ he asked with a smile.

‘Fine, thanks.’ Hestia smiled back at him. ‘I’m a little bit sore, and I’m afraid I made a bit of a fuss earlier.’ She grimaced. ‘I feel so stupid, especially because I know how busy the midwives are and I should’ve just shut up and let them get on with helping people who really need it.’

‘You’re a new mum who needed a bit of help—you’re allowed to make a fuss until you get used to doing things,’ Oliver said. ‘Nobody minds.’

She gave him a rueful look. ‘I needed help to get my knickers on this morning after my shower and it was so, so pathetic. I actually cried my eyes out about it. I mean—how feeble is that?’

‘You’re not the first and you definitely won’t be the last. Remember, you had twenty-four hours of labour and then an emergency section,’ Oliver said. ‘I’d be very surprised if you didn’t need help with things for a day or two. And the tears are perfectly normal with all the hormones rushing round your body.’

‘That’s what that lovely midwife said—Ella—she was so kind,’ Hestia told him. ‘She said it was the baby blues kicking in early and everything will seem much better in a couple of days.’

‘She’s right. When you’ve had a bit of sleep and a chance to get over the operation, you’ll feel a lot more settled,’ Oliver agreed. And, yes, Ella was lovely with the patients. He’d noticed that even the most panicky new mums seemed to calm down around her.

‘May I have a look at your scar, to see how you’re healing?’ he asked.

Hestia nodded. ‘You kind of lose all your ideas of dignity when you have a baby, don’t you?’

He smiled. ‘We do try not to make you feel awkward about things, so please tell me if anything I say or do makes you uncomfortable. We want to make your stay here at Teddy’s as good as it can be.’

‘I didn’t mean that,’ she said, ‘more that you don’t feel shy or embarrassed about things any more—you get used to people looking at all the bits of you that aren’t normally on view!’

‘There is that,’ Oliver agreed. He examined her scar. ‘I’m pleased to say it looks as if you’re healing very nicely. How’s the baby?’

‘He’s feeding really well,’ Hestia said. ‘I found it a bit tricky to manage at first, but Ella sat down with me and showed me how to get the baby to latch on. She was really patient with me.’

‘That’s great. May I?’ He indicated the crib next to the bed.

‘Of course.’

Obviously she saw the goofy smile on his face when he looked at the baby because she said, ‘You can pick him up and have a cuddle, if you like.’

‘Yes, please.’ Oliver grinned. ‘This is one of my favourite parts of the job, cuddling a little one I helped to bring into the world. Hello, little man. How are you doing?’ He lifted the baby tenderly and stroked the baby’s cheek.

The baby yawned and opened his gorgeous dark blue eyes.

It was always a moment Oliver loved, when a newborn returned his gaze. But today it felt particularly special—because in a few months he knew he’d be doing this with his own baby. ‘He’s gorgeous, Hestia.’

‘You’re a natural at holding them,’ Hestia said. ‘Is that from your job, or do you have babies of your own?’

‘My job,’ he said. Though now he was going to have a baby of his own. And, the more he thought about the idea, the more it brought a smile to his face.