“Lean on me. I’m right here; I’m not going anywhere,” Julia murmured against her wife’s temple.
Hilary was kneeling on the ground in their home, grunting as a contraction tore through her, and leaning against her wife for support. She breathed through the contraction, matching Julia’s breaths, hearing her whisper sweet words of encouragement into her ear. Hilary had been laboring for nearly 26 hours now, the first pains having started in the early morning hours a week before her due date. With twins on the way, Hilary and Julia were becoming mothers for the first time.
Married for three years, their fertility journey had been emotional. Hope and uncertainty layered the process of finding a donor, and the choice of who would carry the baby was both practical and deeply personal. After extensive conversations and medical checks, Julia gently encouraged Hilary to carry first, knowing how much she’d dreamt of experiencing pregnancy. As a child, she had imagined her arms cradling her own baby, but Julia’s doctor recommended she undergo hormone therapy for a year before trying to get pregnant herself. Their initial IVF attempt was met with disappointment, and Julia began her hormone regimen, her hope quietly bruised. Then, just a month later, Hilary appeared in the kitchen, hands trembling as she held out a positive pregnancy test.
They were both elated at the news, but Julia’s happiness was laced with a quiet ache—one she tried to keep hidden. She wanted Hilary to savor those early days of pregnancy, their secret held close between them and Christopher, Hilary’s college friend who’d become their donor. Christopher’s offer had been immediate and generous, and after some hesitation, they embraced his gift and dove into preparations, but their first pregnancy ended in heartbreak at 10 weeks. From that moment, Julia suggested not telling anyone if they got another chance. When Hilary eventually became pregnant again, the joy was accompanied by a fresh wave of Julia’s jealousy—a feeling she struggled to admit, even to herself.
Thankfully, Hilary sensed Julia’s unease. One evening, curled together on the couch, Julia finally let the words tumble out. She confessed her fears: that she felt like a bystander, that she worried she’d always be on the outside looking in. Hilary squeezed her hand, her voice steady with promise. She’d make sure to keep Julia as involved as possible, and when the time came for Julia to carry, she’d let her savor every step, every flutter, every ache. For now, this was their journey, together.
When the ultrasound revealed twins, the world seemed to tilt. Hilary’s past miscarriage made things feel even more precarious, and the knowledge that she was now carrying multiples set anxiety humming beneath every moment. Still, at 28 and in good health, Hilary tried to trust her body. The first trimester crawled by, each day a quiet test of hope. After a reassuring 15-week appointment—and after deciding to keep the babies’ sexes a surprise—they finally shared the news with their families.
One night after dinner, Christopher snapped photos as they handed their mothers gifts of a dainty gold bracelet with two pearls on the chain, and their fathers engraved drink coasters that said, “Make it a double.” At the same time, Hilary unzipped her jacket to reveal a graphic t-shirt that read, “There are two peas in this pod!” with a smiling pea pod on the belly. The room erupted in joy as all four grandparents jumped up, and Julia and Hilary were pulled into a group hug that was filled with tears, shouts of excitement, and laughter. Then both mothers immediately started hovering over Hilary, forcing her to sit and rest as they waited on her hand and foot.
It was a while longer before they told their friends. They waited until Hilary was well past the 20-week mark—her belly unmistakably round, the secret impossible to hide. When they finally shared the news, their friends showered them with love. There were squeals and tears, handmade cards, and offers to help assemble cribs and paint the nursery walls. Plans for a baby shower began almost immediately, and their home buzzed with visits and excitement. The steady stream of support made the wait feel worthwhile, filling their home with warmth and anticipation for the twins’ arrival. That warmth and anticipation carried them through the final weeks, even as anxiety built.
Now, the nursery was ready, and the waiting had given way to the reality of labor. Julia kneeled next to Hilary, her heart pounding in time with each of her wife’s contractions. She brushed sweat-soaked brown hair from Hilary’s brow, her own voice trembling. “You’re almost there, love. We’re getting so much closer to meeting them.”
Hilary sobbed as the contraction reached its peak, her grip on Julia’s arm desperate. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” she choked out, her voice raw with exhaustion. For a split second, the room spun. Was this the moment she’d break?
It was then her midwife intervened. “I think I should check you, my dear. It’s been a while since I last did. You’ve got to be further along now." The older woman was crouched on the other side of her. “Let me know when your wave has passed.”
Hilary nodded with her eyes closed, and then a moment later, the contraction eased. “Okay,” she blew out a breath. “It’s over.”
“Right,” the midwife said. “Help me lift her, Julia, and bring her to the couch.”
Julia put one arm around Hilary’s waist as the midwife took her other side, and they helped her to the couch. She lay back against a small mound of pillows and rested her hands on top of her belly.
“Lift your knees, dear,” the midwife instructed.
Hilary did as she was told, and Julia knelt beside her, taking one of her hands.
The old woman sat on the couch at her feet, a pair of medical gloves on her hands. “I’m going to check you now,” she informed Hilary with one hand on her thigh. “Are you ready?”
Hilary nodded silently again, hissing a bit when the midwife’s fingers were inserted into her cervix. She grimaced as the old woman’s fingers gauged her progress, and she turned her face towards Julia, locking her eyes with hers.
“It’s okay,” Julia told her, lifting her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles.
“Well, I’m sorry to say, but you’re only 6 centimeters dilated.”
“No!” Hilary cried, clutching onto Julia with both hands.
“I know, Hilary. I am so sorry, but you’re doing so well.” The woman stated, removing her gloves and reaching for her portable heart monitor in her bag. “I need to listen to the babies now.”
“Is there something you can do for her to speed things along?” Julia asked as she watched the woman turn on the machine. They had done everything Julia thought possible at this point. Surely there had to be something else?
“I’m afraid not. What she’s been doing are all the things I would suggest for anyone. But I can give her something to help her rest, something to help her body relax so she can progress.” She looked between Hilary and Julia. “That’s the best I can offer for now. Of course, she’s always welcome to get back in the tub, but I think, more than anything, she needs rest. She’s starting to fight the waves, and that will only prolong this further.”
Julia nodded. “What do you want to do, honey?”
“I want to sleep,” Hilary whined. “And I want my mom.”
“Are you sure?” Julia asked, wanting to be certain. They had discussed having their moms in the room but ultimately decided against it. Instead, their mothers would be staying at their hotel, waiting to hear word that their grandbabies had been born. But days ago, Hilary had made her promise that if she got to a point where she felt she could no longer labor, Julia was allowed to call her mom. “You want me to call her?”
“Please,” Hilary sobbed.
“Alright,” Julia nodded, reluctantly letting go of her hand and standing to grab her phone while the midwife listened to the babies.
While Julia called Hilary’s mother, she heard the midwife declare, “Both babies sound great. No one is in distress, so there’s no reason why you can’t continue laboring here.”
“Thank you,” Hilary replied quietly.
A few minutes later, Julia ended the call. “Your mom will be here soon, love, but she wants you to rest.”
The midwife was giving Hilary a sedative now as Julia went back to the couch, kneeling beside her again and taking her hand. Within just a few moments, Hilary was asleep. Julia stayed by her side until her mother, Joanne, arrived and then relinquished her hand, letting her mother-in-law take her place.
“You need rest too, sweetheart. You’ll be no help if you’re exhausted as well.”
Julia nodded but stayed standing next to the couch for a moment, debating if she should really go.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got her,” Joanne told her.
Finally, Julia gave in and went to their bedroom, where she curled up on the mattress and fell asleep. A few hours later, a scream woke her. She jumped out of bed and rushed into the living room, where she found her wife squatting on the floor, her mother next to her.
“It’s time,” the midwife announced. “She can start pushing.”
Julia went to her wife, gently rubbing her back. “Did you hear that, honey? It’s time to meet our babies.”
“Fucking finally!” Hilary exclaimed. “I’m so ready to be done.”
Before Julia could reply, a groan rumbled from Hilary’s chest, and she emitted a deep growl as she began to bear down.
Julia’s eyes filled with tears as she watched her wife, hating to see her in pain but thrilled at the prospect that they were about to meet their first twin.
The midwife kept a watchful eye on Hilary from a distance, having agreed to help only if the situation called for it.
Hilary’s world shrank with each push. She grunted through the pain, collapsing against Julia’s shoulder as the contraction faded. Joanne’s warm arm grounded her from the other side. The next wave built, and Hilary cried out, the sound half anguish, half hope, as she bore down again.
“Come on, baby. Come on,” she urged. “We’re ready to meet you.” She grunted as she pushed and sucked in a breath. “Fuck, it burns!”
“It’s alright, sweetheart. That just means the baby is coming,” Joanne told her daughter, brushing her hair back.
“Shit!” Hilary said as she adjusted herself, the contraction easing up. “I’ve always heard how bad the ring of fire is, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad.”
Joanne chuckled. “It’s awful, but once the head is out, it’s the best feeling.”
Julia’s hand moved in slow, soothing circles on Hilary’s back. “Do you want me to check?” she murmured. Hilary’s nod was barely perceptible, her eyes squeezed shut. Julia leaned down, looking in between her legs. “The head is almost halfway out, love. You’re incredible.” She pressed a trembling kiss to Hilary’s temple. “You can do this.”
“Okay,” Hilary breathed, and just then, she groaned as another contraction started. “Ugh,” she grunted, dragging the word out. “Come on, baby. Come on. You can do it. We can do it.”
Julia’s stomach flipped hearing her wife champion their baby. As she leaned down to look between her wife’s legs again, she saw Hilary place one hand on the baby’s head to guide it out and one on her perineum, applying pressure.
“Yes, honey. That’s it. You’re doing it. The head is nearly out!” She exclaimed.
With a final push, Hilary grunted as the head fully emerged. “Oh, fuck! Thank God!”
Julia and Joanne shared a laugh, and from the opposite side of the room, the midwife said, “Take a break. Baby can sit there a moment as they adjust to rotate to help you with the next part.”
Hilary nodded and looked up at Julia. “I’m doing it. I’m having a baby.” Her thumb brushed back and forth over the baby’s head between her legs.
“You are,” Julia beamed.
“It’s almost here,” her wife added, her eyes welling with tears.
Julia nodded. “Yeah.” She lifted a hand to Hilary’s cheek, catching a tear with the back of her finger. “Our first baby.”
“I can’t believe it,” Hilary stated in disbelief, and soon, she was sucking in a breath. Another contraction had started.
“Alright, Hilary, take it slow. Let the baby lead on this one.”
Hilary was silent as she pushed this time, feeling her baby work with her. “Ah, shit!” She shouted, placing her hands behind herself so she could lean back, giving the baby more room.
Julia moved to kneel in front of her wife’s legs, placing her hands under the baby. “You want me to catch, right?”
Hilary could only nod as she continued to push long and hard, a close-mouthed grunt the only sound now. The shoulders appeared, and then the lower half of the body, but the feet still remained inside. Hilary gave a tiny extra push, and the baby slid out, in Julia’s hands. A shrill cry erupted in the room, and both women sobbed as they looked at their baby. Julia carefully held the wet, slimy infant, letting Hilary look between the legs.
“Oh my god,” she cried, "it's a girl!”
“You got your girl, love,” Julia stated as she helped Hilary lift the baby up to her chest.
“I can’t believe it!” Hilary continued to cry. “I’ve always wanted a daughter.”
“I know, honey. I know,” Julia agreed. She rocked forward on her knees and moved to sit next to her wife, placing an arm around her shoulders to hold her and the baby.
“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart,” Joanne cried, pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head as she stood up. She gave Julia a towel so they could clean the baby, then moved across the room to give the mothers a moment with their newborn.
The two women sat in silence, observing their daughter as she continued to cry, and Hilary began to gently rock her from side to side. It wasn’t long before her cries quieted to tiny whimpers, and then the midwife came over, standing in front of them with a stethoscope around her neck.
“Mind if I listen to her heart?”
Hilary shook her head and watched as the older woman placed the stethoscope in her ears and then placed the metal part against her daughter’s chest. A moment later, she was draping the instrument across her neck again.
“135 beats per minute,” she stated. “Absolutely perfect.” The woman stood and gave them a clean towel to wrap the baby in to keep her warm. “In a moment, I’d like to listen to the other twin so I can figure out what position it’s in.”
The mothers nodded and then turned their attention back to their daughter.
“She looks like you,” Hilary whispered, taking in the soft tufts of blonde hair on the baby’s head and her button nose.
Julia lifted a brow. “Does she?”
“I think she does,” Hilary said, nodding.
“Well, she’s absolutely beautiful, so I take that as a compliment.”
“You should.”
“So… she’s Emma, then?”
“Yes, Emma Victoria. If that’s alright with you?”
“You just gave birth to her, my love. Of course it is." Julia leaned over to kiss Hilary on the lips.
When they broke apart, Hilary sucked in a breath. “Shit! They’re starting again.”
“Okay,” the midwife said, moving back over to her, the portable heart monitor in hand. “Let me know when it’s finished, and we’ll listen to the other baby.”
Less than a minute later, the pain receded, and the thumping sound of the second twin’s heartbeat filled the room.
“It sounds like the baby has flipped,” the midwife informed them, removing the doppler from Hilary’s smaller bump. “Now, it’s perfectly alright for you to deliver a breech baby. But since you’re already exhausted, it might be better for you to try to encourage Baby to flip.” She stood up. “There are some techniques you can try, or I can do it manually, though that can be painful.”
Hilary’s eyes were wide as she listened to her midwife, and then she turned to Julia. “What do you think?”
“It’s your decision, honey.”
Hilary bit her bottom lip as she thought for a moment and then said, “I want to try to deliver breech.”
“Alright,” the midwife conceded. “But I should warn you, it can take time. It could be another hour or so of pushing. Do you think you can handle that?”
“No, but I don’t think I can handle trying to make the baby flip either.”
“Then it’s settled. When you next feel the urge to push, go ahead.”
It was a while before the urge returned, and as they waited, both mothers cooed to their daughter. When Hilary felt the agonizing pressure between her legs, she resumed her squatting position as she began to push. After the first contraction, the midwife clamped Emma’s cord, now that it was done pulsing, and let Julia cut it. She handed the baby off to Joanne and positioned herself behind Hilary again.
An hour passed, where she labored in the tub again, and there was still no sign of their second baby. As such, the midwife suggested that Julia hold her up, letting her dangle in her arms, using gravity in a different way.
Hilary bent her knees as the next contraction ripped through her, clinging to Julia’s arms like a lifeline. Everything inside her screamed to stop, but she pressed on, heart pounding, vision swimming. The line between pain and fear blurred; she felt herself teetering at the edge. But giving up wasn’t an option. Somewhere inside, a flicker of determination caught hold. She would do this for her baby.
She screamed as she pushed, not even having the energy to encourage this baby to come out. The room was quiet save for Hilary’s sounds. She had long since run out of tears, emotionally spent. The contraction ended, and she stood up straight, letting Julia sway them back and forth. She closed her eyes, screaming as she bore down again, determined to deliver this baby.
Without even noticing, the midwife had listened to the baby again, but Hilary felt out of her body. Like she was watching the scene from above. She was becoming frustrated. She had been laboring for over 30 hours now and pushing for what felt like just as long, and the baby hadn’t even budged. She whimpered as the next contraction started to build and instinctively bore down, feeling as her body pushed for her. Hilary was past the point of exhaustion. She was past the point of caring if she tore. All she wanted was for this baby to fucking come out.
“Get! Out!” she eventually screamed, pressing down on her belly. She thought counterpressure might help.
“Careful, Hilary,” she heard her mother exclaim from across the room
“I’m trying. I just want this baby out.”
“Why don’t you try getting on your hands and knees? That might help.” Julia suggested and helped lower her to the ground, sitting behind her, and adding pressure to her hips.
Once again, Hilary screamed as she pushed, and finally, finally, this position seemed to work. She felt the baby inch down, her mother stating that the buttocks were emerging, and without warning, Hilary retched on the floor. The midwife moved quickly, placing towels over the mess as Julia popped up and grabbed a trashcan, setting it in front of her wife in case she needed to be sick again. Between the pain and the exhaustion, Hilary’s body was done. It was often the way her body reacted when exerted past its limit.
Hilary pushed with a guttural sound, her mind dissolving into fog. The room receded—faces, voices, and even her own name blurred. She was nothing but body and will. Afterward, she’d be told it took thirty more minutes, but time meant nothing. With a final, primal push, the second twin slipped free into the world, caught in the midwife’s hands.
“Another girl,” the woman declared as Hilary collapsed forward. Joanne had placed some pillows around her (out of the way of her sickness on the floor) so that she could rest once the baby had come.
“Ohhhh,” Hilary cried quietly. She tried to sit up, but her body wouldn’t move. Instead, she stayed where she was.
Julia moved and cradled the baby in her arms, Joanne now covering their second daughter with a towel. “You gave your mommy such a hard time, little one. What was that all about?”
“I think it was a glimpse into your future of what she’s going to be like when she’s older,” Joanne joked.
The midwife was checking over Hilary, having helped her roll onto her back so that she could feel her stomach and determine if the placenta would be born soon. She clamped the cord once it had turned white, and Julia cut it again, breaking the tether between mother and child.
A short moment later, the midwife instructed Hilary to give a small push, and then she was finally done with labor.
Hilary lay sprawled on the floor, pillows tucked under her head, both twin girls cuddled in her arms. Julia, half-reclined at her side, gazed down at the tangle of their new family, eyes shining with awe and disbelief. The air buzzed with the quiet, overwhelming joy of arrival.
“We didn’t have a name picked out for a second girl…” Julia murmured.
“What do you think of Eloise?” Hilary asked.
“Oh, I like that.” Julia responded with a nod and then bent down to place a kiss on the baby’s blonde hair. "Charlotte, for a second name?”
“Yes,” Hilary responded. “Eloise and Emma.”
After checking over Hilary one last time an hour later, the midwife left, promising to pop in tomorrow. Joanne called Julia’s mother to tell her the news, and then she kissed both women goodbye and went back to the hotel to take a nap. She would return that evening with her husband and Julia’s parents so the other three adults could meet their granddaughters.
As Hilary and Julia were left alone after moving to their bedroom to rest, they watched their daughters tandem-feed.
“You’re definitely doing this next time if we decide to have another,” Hilary said quietly. “I cannot go through that again.”
Julia chuckled. “Of course, honey. I can’t watch you in that much pain again. It was awful. There wasn’t anything I could do.”
Hilary turned her face to her wife. “You did everything. You kept me calm as long as possible, encouraged me, and reminded me I could do it. You never left my side. Not once.”
“That’s not true,” Julia stated. “I took a nap while you were resting. After your mom got here, she ordered me to bed.”
“Well, it’s good that she did because I would not have made it through the birth without you.”
“I would never dream of leaving you alone,” Julia replied. She smiled, noticing that Emma had released her mother’s breast. “She’s looking at you.”
Hilary looked down at her daughter. “Oh, hello, sweetheart. Did you have a good lunch?”
The baby cooed, and her twin whimpered, their tiny hands curling against their mother’s skin. Julia and Hilary pressed their heads together, watching their daughters’ chests rise and fall, letting the warmth and wonder of the moment settle in. Eventually, they drifted to sleep—a tangle of limbs, heartbeats, and dreams—content in the hush of their new family.
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