"Push, I can see the baby's head. Push harder" the midwife exclaimed. Lexine screamed unable to take it anymore" I can't the pain is too much. Please take the baby out of me. Save my baby, save my baby". Amid the chaos, Dr. Malwin enters the delivery room with a Ventouse and is extremely mad at the midwives for their lack of urgency.
NB: A Ventouse is a vacuum extractor that uses suction to attach a soft or hard plastic or metal cup onto a baby's head.
Turns out the baby's head was slightly out but Lexine was too exhausted to push because of that the baby's neck was being strangled but the midwives were oblivious and still wanted Lexine to push. Using the Ventouse Dr. Malwin easily got the baby out within minutes. Lexine was relieved but a mess. She couldn't stop her tears. "You did good Lexine, Well done," Dr. Malwin said.
"The baby, Dr. Malwin the baby isn't crying" one midwife screamed, panicking. Dr. Malwin turned to check on the baby. Lexine turned stiff. She didn't know how long she held her breath. Dr. Malwin started robbing the baby's back, hands, and legs in a circle when that didn't seem to work, he started slapping the baby's bottom. At this point, blood was drained from Lexine's face. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Her baby, her baby can't die. Her baby can't die. Not after everything she has gone through, not after wanting to have a child for so long". Her mind was a mess. "This can't be happening; this can't be happening" she kept saying to herself.
Dr. Malwin continued with his onslaught. He knew how badly Lexine wanted a baby; He was well aware of what she had gone through. He was like a father figure to her after all. He couldn't bear to think of Lexine losing her baby. He was going to do everything he could for the baby to live. "The baby must live. Please cry, just a little scream baby please" he kept thinking whilst taking turns in robbing and slapping. The baby's nose and mouth were suctioned as well in case of a blockage.
The baby's skin was so red by now and Lexine had lost consciousness. A nurse checked on her as Dr. Malwin kept going on with the baby.
After what seemed like an eternity. A baby's cry was heard. It was piercing and so sad. She was so red and the sight of her was heartbreaking yet despite this, there was joy in the air. Dr. Malwin was beyond happy. As grim as he was, you could see that the cries of the baby brought him joy. The midwives and nurses couldn't hide their joy. This was surely one delivery that they would never forget. Some nurses couldn't help but shed tears of joy. One midwife, in particular, had lost her baby during delivery some time ago and still decided to work to help others not go through that. Despite the trauma that came with it, she stayed strong. But seeing the baby like this, she couldn't hold back her tears. She was so happy and sad at the same time.
Dr. Malwin took a look at her and gave the baby to her to clean. He then placed his focus on the unconscious Lexine. She was sweating profusely and had a fever. He gave orders to the nurse on what to do and went to clean himself. He trusted them to take care of the rest.
About an hour later, Lexine woke up and started looking around her. She was alone. Turns out she was in the VIP ward; must be the work of Dr. Malwin. It was painted purple with a drawing of a tree painted beautifully with its branches extending to the other side of the walls. There was a side table with a vase containing white roses in it. Lexine loved white roses.
Just then a nurse entered. As if suddenly remembering something, she asked the nurse in a panic, "Where is my baby, nurse I want my baby." "Please calm down miss, your baby is alright you will see her right away" the nurse assured. "She is a girl. I gave birth to a girl?" Before the nurse could answer her, tears ran down her cheeks. The nurse was confused. She didn't know why Lexine was crying. Unbeknownst to her, Lexine was overwhelmed with her happiness. She couldn't believe she had given birth to a girl just like she had always wanted and prayed for. "Nurse please I want to see my baby, please bring me, my baby". She begged. The nurse nodded and left after telling her to rest.
Moments later, instead of the nurse, Dr. Malwin came in with the baby in his arms covered in a white cloth. She looked so serene. Dr. Malwin had this unreadable look on his face, yet it was full of warmth. Lexine got up from the bed and sat. She stared at Dr. Malwin and the baby in his arms. She was no longer crying but her eyes had gone red from the previous tears. Dr. Malwin approached her and stretched his arms to hand the baby to her. She took the baby in her arms, and she felt full. She is a mother now. Nothing else mattered. All the pain and insults were a distant memory now. What mattered was that moment, sitting on the hospital bed with no one but Dr. Malvin and her dear one, she was content. She had no family member with her, no one to go through this process with her not even the baby's father, yet she was content. She couldn't ask for anything more.
"Have you thought of a name?" Dr. Malwin asked. "Yes, Yes I have. I will name her Tara. My hill, my star." "That's a good name Lexine. Tara, it is" Dr. Malwin said looking like a proud grandfather. "Thank you Dr. Malwin. Thank you so much for saving my baby" "Well you know I can't allow her to just go without meeting me first, right?" Dr. Malwin joked. For some reason, it brought a smile to Lexine's face, and it was nice to see that she was happy.
Lexine stared at baby Tara after the exchange with Dr. Malwin and realized the baby was sleeping peacefully. She was looking forward to the start of a new life with her baby.