Birthday Present
For my RP Partner in crime, my writing hubby @cowboybassett
We didnât have anything over the top planned for your 30th birthday, but still, I wanted you to have the best day. Our lives were soon about to change, a baby on the way, any day in fact. Before that all happened I wanted to make sure you had a birthday that was all about you. A nice dinner, a trip to the cinema to see the latest horror film you were so keen on. Nothing fancy, just us.Â
Two days before your birthday, the baby dropped. A noticeable shift where the weight was settled - deeper - nestled right in the bowl of my pelvis. Of course you noticed. âYour bump is lower darlinâ.â Youâd say. âYouâve got more of a waddle now.âÂ
The day before your birthday I began to feel cramps. Nothing too strong, but enough for me to notice that tensing of muscles beneath the swell of my belly, the dull ache like a period cramp twisting my insides. I wasnât worried, it was our first baby, even if they were real contractions there was no guarantee theyâd continue or be productive. But just in case, I moved all of our plans. Even though your birthday was tomorrow, on some level I must have known what was going to happen. I changed the dinner reservations, the cinema tickets, and moved them a day earlier. You accepted the excuse I gave - about discounts and buy-one-get-one-free offers - not questioning your heavily pregnant wife. Anything for an easy life.Â
The contractions however⌠they didnât really stop. In the shower before dinner I was leaning against the tile and breathing my way through them. My hips moving in slow circles and letting the warm water ease the constant ache in my lower back. They werenât too frequent but definitely more noticeable. Soon my make up was done, my hair was clipped, my dress tight in all the right places, and you were none the wiser that we were getting closer to becoming parents.Â
Dinner went by quickly, even with the regular contractions I was ravenous. As if my body knew that I needed sustenance to keep my strength up. We laughed and joked, recalling memories, planning our future. It was perfect. You had a steak and your favourite bourbon, your smile bright behind the beard as you gazed upon me and my bump.Â
Walking to the cinema from the restaurant took more effort than Iâd hoped. The babyâs head was so low I could feel it with every heavy step that I took, right between my hips. You didnât rush me, allowed me to move at whatever pace I needed and kept your arm firm around my waist. Your thumb affectionately rubbing the side of the bump that was keeping the fabric of my dress stretched to its maximum. When the wave of tightness peaked I kept on walking, breathing slowly and holding you tight. âJust more braxton hicksâ I said airily, before you could question.Â
Sitting in the cinema seat wasnât comfortable. They were large wide seats, so that wasnât the issue, it was the ache in my pelvis making it impossible to sit straight. My legs naturally spread, the evidence of your baby low and heavy between my thighs. You got us drinks and snacks, tapped my belly affectionately before holding my hand, knowing Iâd be scared. You knew I didnât like scary films, but it was your birthday so I agreed to go. Throughout the movie I gripped your hand tight, but it wasnât due to the jump scares happening on screen. The contractions were becoming more regular, more insistent, and each one seemed to shift the baby just that fraction lower. You didnât seem to notice how often I was wriggling in my seat, my hand cradling my bump while the other interlocked my fingers with yours and held you close. I really didnât like scary films, which right now helped to cover the fact that I was slipping further and further into active labour.Â
At the end of the movie the lights came on and you helped me to stand. In my haste to move off the damn seat I knocked my drink out the holder on the arm of the seat, sending it flying across my lap and onto the floor. I was soaked. We both laughed, a soft grunt coming from my throat as I rose to my feet. Neither of us realised that at that moment, my waters broke.Â
By the time we got home it was getting harder to keep the contractions from you. I was so focused on giving you a perfect birthday I didnât dare time them, but even without a clock I knew they were getting closer. Standing in the kitchen getting myself a glass of water I found my hips rocking and I made a soft humming sound. You must have taken that as a cue, not that I was in labour but to put music on. Your hands gently rested on my shoulders, massaging them before working down to my waist and spinning me to face you. âH-have you had a nice day?â I asked, the tail end of a contraction making my breathing heavier than normal. You kissed me and held me close, wrapping your hands around my waist and swaying us both in time to the music.Â
It was wonderful. The moment was so calm and peaceful, safe in the privacy of our own home, knowing your birthday was tomorrow and I could then give you the best present of all. Delivering your own baby on your birthday just like you wanted. Being so relaxed in your embrace my guard slipped. The next contraction that struck made my whole body tighten, my hands lacing behind your neck as I used you as a crutch, rocking and moaning through the wave that pressed right down between my legs.Â
You didnât say anything at first, let me move and moan as I needed, but the look you gave me when it was over - the mix of excitement and worry and scolding when you realised Iâd be actively hiding my contractions. I tried to explain how I wanted you to have all the birthday treats weâd planned, but another contraction happened so fast after the last that my knees buckled. The groan that came from my mouth was low, deep, a sign of just how far the baby had dropped.Â
We were planning a home birth anyway, but all our supplies were either in our bedroom or the nursery. You helped me to move once the contraction ended, knowing we needed to be upstairs. It was slow moving, I hadnât fully realised just how wide my gait had gotten over the course of the evening. Half way up the flight of steps I had to stop, immediately bending forward to grip the carpet and planting my knees wide on a lower step. âHow long have you been in labour darlinâ?â You asked, rubbing my back as I worked through the contraction as best I could. âUnghhâŚ. Allâdayâ ooooohhhâ I breathed out, trying to pant through the pressure that was getting exponentially worse.Â
I had to crawl the rest of the way up the stairs, unable to stand upright with how tight and firm my belly was staying. It felt like there was no break between the waves any more⌠but that couldnât be right, labour was supposed to take days. I wanted to give birth on your birthday, to deliver you the best and most perfect present. I didnât know the time but I knew we were still a while away from midnight. The baby would simply have to wait. Iâd put in too much effort to time this whole thing, they werenât ruining it for me now.Â
I staggered rather ungainly into our bedroom making a beeline for our king size bed. Palms against the mattress I hummed long and deep with another twisting contraction, shifting trying to escape the deep pressure between my legs. You stayed right by my side, hands on my hips as I rocked them, whispering encouraging words in my ear. You didnât panic⌠or if you did you didnât let it show. You were my rock, my iron pillar of strength, and boy was I needing it now.Â
âT-tubââ I panted out, âfill the tub.âÂ
I had meant the birth pool but instead you ran off into our en-suite and I heard water running into our bath. It wasnât what I wanted but perhaps you knew I was closer to giving birth than I was admitting, perhaps you knew we wouldnât have time to fill the giant birth pool we had bought. By the time you came back I was clawing at my clothing trying to get them off. Everything felt too constricted, too tight, the damn dress I had chosen for dinner now felt like a straight jacket. The next contraction was already happening before either of us could get anywhere with the zip on my dress. All I could do was lean into the mattress, shoving my hips right back against you, and growl as the pressure amplified between my hips.Â
God! It felt like I could almost pushâŚ. I started panting through the notion, firmly ignoring the idea. That wasnât happening, not now. It wasnât your birthday yet! I begged you to hold my hips, to squeeze them together against the feeling of my pelvis being widened around the skull of our baby. Your body pressed against mine, I could smell your cologne, the feel of your hands on my hips and your closeness keeping me from spiralling out of control.Â
âI think I need to check ya darlinââ you cooed softly, quietly, as if you didnât want to spook a wounded animal.Â
âNo!â I grit my teeth, circling my hips and panting heavily. âIâm fine!âÂ
âYou sure about that honey? Youâre sounding awfully like you need to pushâŚ?âÂ
Lifting my head I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, sweat dampening my hair and sticking to my cheek. 11:15pm, dammit. âNo⌠donât need p-pushâŚ.âÂ
When the bath had filled you asked if I wanted to move to the bathroom and get in the tub. The idea of warm water cushioning the pain in my hips sounded heavenly. I nodded. But the second I tried to move I shook my head and slammed my hands back against the mattress. Fuck⌠it feels like the baby is going to fall out of me!Â
I bent over the mattress and lowered to my elbows, my hips sank backwards and my feet widened on the floor. âOohhhhhh noâŚ.â I whimpered through yet another contraction that was trying to get me to push. Fists gripping sheets, breath sharp and erratic, I couldnât cope.Â
âHoney⌠you need to push.â You said calmly but firmly, your body encased mine as you stood behind me with your hands never leaving my hips. Your voice was a whisper over my shoulder and your lips nuzzled against the nape of my neck.Â
âItâitâs not your b-birthday y-yetââ I cried into the duvet, feeling my own body begin to betray me. Muscles clenching around the weight in my womb, squeezing it down down down.Â
âWhatâs my birthday got to doâŚ. Oh darlinâ.â An exasperated sigh came from your lips, followed by a quiet giggle. âI only said that as a joke and to make you feel better. To show you I wouldnât mind if you went into labour on my birthday. I didnât mean you had to hold the baby in until then. Is that why you wonât push?âÂ
I was too deep into labour to understand. You were saying words but my mind couldnât process anything except the word push. My uterus contracted, my knees widened, my body bore down without permission. âNo no no no!!!!â I jumped up, a shaky hand disappearing up my dress between my legs, instinctively cupping my entrance. It felt different, the shape, it⌠it was bulging. The head was right there!Â
You saw my struggle, watched as I desperately clung to my plan, attempting to stop myself from pushing. âDarlinâ⌠the baby is coming. You need to push.â You urged. âNo!â I snapped through gritted teeth and pressed up between my legs.Â
I didnât notice your hand moving until it joined mine between my thighs. âItâs okay honey, Iâve got you.â You whispered, nudging my fingers away from the growing bulge of my underwear. The next contraction was starting and I was unsteady with only one hand on the mattress. Against my better judgement I let go of the emerging head and put both hands back on the mattress, trembling from head to toe as the wave of pressure took full control of my body. Your hand cupped gently between my thighs and I heard your sharp intake of breath as you felt the evidence of my labouring. Our baby, sitting just inside my body waiting to come out.Â
âYou can push darlinâ, I wonât let em come out.â Your buttery soft voice completely evaporated any resolve I had left. My muscles were pushing before any conscious decision was made, the act primal and desperate and completely outside of my control. I grunted with effort, the sound gravelled and powerful and I felt your body shiver behind me.Â
Once the floodgates had been opened there was no more holding back. Every contraction had me bearing down against your palm, bringing more and more of the head into your hand. Heavy, undeniable, stretching me wider and wider beneath my underwear. I could feel every millimetre of progress, but I could also feel the counterpressure of your hand as it gently cupped upwards against my skin. The baby was coming, the sheer fact was burning between my legs, and yet you werenât letting too much progress be made.Â
âUnnnghhhâitâsâgonna fall out!!!!âÂ
âNo it ainât, I got you⌠I got the baby⌠and they ainât coming until you say so okay?âÂ
We stood beside our king size bed, fully clothed, wrapped around each other as I pushed over and over into your palm. It was primal and natural and wonderful and intimate. Every sound I made was music to your ears and you kissed my neck and shoulders every time a beautiful grunt of effort slipped from my throat. Time stood completely still. There was only us, our baby, and this moment.Â
And then the moment was broken, a ringing sound coming from my phone in my handbag that had been cast aside when we entered the bedroom. I was confused who would be calling me at this time before I remembered the alarm. I had set a reminder to go off at midnight - when it was officially your birthday. I lifted my head, sweaty and flushed, panting heavily between contractions. Looking over my shoulder I saw your twinkling eyes as you held me.Â
âHappy B-Birthday my loveâŚâ I whispered through a soft giggle. Fully aware of how ridiculous this whole thing was.Â
You kissed me, deep and passionately, one hand around my bump while the other was keeping our baby from crowning. The next contraction began while we were kissing and I grunted into your mouth as my body bore down once more. You pulled away, grinning like the cat who got the cream.Â
âAre you ready to have a baby now darlin?âÂ
Before I could even answer, your hand softened its counterpressure, staying close but no longer holding back the inevitable. Immediately I pushed, wild and primal, spreading my knees wide as I bore down with everything that I had. So full, so heavy, so stretched⌠It was incredible. There was only one way out and I submitted completely to Mother Nature with your strong arms holding me up as I worked to bring forth our babe. Within seconds the head reached its widest point and I cried out as it scolded my skin, white hot flames between my legs. But then it stopped, replaced with sheer unbridled relief as the whole baby came out fully in one go right into the gusset of my underwear.Â
âOh my godâŚ.â My knees buckled and we both sank to the floor beside our bed. Your hands were quick to fish the baby out from the lace cotton and when you brought the wailing newborn up to my chest I whispered âH-hope you like your present.âÂ










