Post by chantalrose on Jan 21, 2009 17:37:20 GMT -6
Chantal: "What do you mean they are missing?" That was the sentence that had started the times of stress for Chantal. With Mikhail in town, it'd been step one and then finding out her children had been missing had been the next. Now, everyday after, she asked for news of her children. Still none had told her of the blood found or of the suspicion that Mikhail had not truly been involved. Laying abed, Seamus's policy that she not move much in effect, Chantal was bored out of her mind. She knew it was only out of care that they guarded her doorway day and night, worried that ex-husband of hers would strike, but to be handled as if made of glass was annoying. Watching the sun, high in the sky, as it was noon, Chantal tossed the book in her hands down on the bed and readjusted again. The constant back ache had started yesterday evening and persisted into today, as nothing worse had come of it though she had told nobody. Except now the other pains had started,"Seamus! Send for a healer!" And soon it came- the breaking of water.
Avery: While stress grew around the island, lovers tiffs, talk of war, winter wolves and much more, inside the infimary walls, seemed a world all its own. A world of illness, of ailments but also of cures and comfort. While the stresses of the world would sometimes creep into the infirmary, they were not the cares of the sick, not the cares of the healers who's soul devotion was the sick and needy. While Avery's hands helped where they could, surgery, stitching, common ailments such as seasickness and chickenpox, her heart lay in the tending of children and the tending of women who brought life into the world. Which was probably why when the guard approached her about the Lady Chantal's condition, her things were gathered quickly, her other patients put into the hands of the other capable healers and off she went with her singular assistant trailing behind. Truly Avery didn't need the man to deliver a child, if all went well, but he was a help if things did not. She prayed they would not. A smile was offered in comfort to Chantal as the door was opened, assistant in and then the door shut in the guards face. No need for him to see Chantal's girly parts. She had all the help she needed. "Hello my lady, I am Avery.."A calm voice followed as she moved towards the bed, rolling her sleeves back before her hands came to the swell of the womans belly. "Your baby is ready to say hello to the world hmm?"*
Chantal: Now, this wasn't Chantal's first child- it was her fourth to be exact, though only the third time being in such a delicate condition- and so she was a bit calmer than most women. One of her own women, a young girl named Ellie, was sitting by the bed where Chantal laid. She'd just been ordered to it, again, after they'd seen her up and walking around! Having taken the time to change into a clean white night dress, giving Ellie orders for what to bring- clean linens, basins for hot water, and other such things, and braiding her honey blonde hair, she'd laid down to wait. Teeth gritted with each pain that came, face contorted, Chantal's sapphire eyes flew open upon the sound of the door opening. In came a woman, a stranger, but she knew it was the healer. Who else would they allow in? Giving a strained laugh, and smile, she whispered,"Oh, I do believe so. Doesn't want to stay hidden away any longer."
Avery: Experience told her this was not the ladies first, as her calm exterior told Avery silently within. Good, at least she did not to preen that the pain was natural and to scream if she wanted to. Her hands cupped just so and ever so gently pushed to feel the position of the baby within her, to see how low the baby had dropped and if the baby was indeed in the right position to come out into the world. A smile touched pale rose colored lips. She could tell it was not the womans first by also the items ready and waiting, hot water, rags. Good. One gray eye and one blue eye turned to the maid, who seemed to shy back at the different eye colors, but Avery was used to it. "M'lady, will you find extra pillows to put behind your Mistress back, and we need some to put under her legs for position and so she does not need to hold them up..."Avery could not tell if the girl had ever been present for a birth but the girl nodded and left the room to find extra pillows as instructed. Lifting her hands from the lady's stomach, she rubbed them together to warm them. "Do I have your permission to examine you? I need to see how open you are to birth the baby, I do not want you pushing to soon." There was no need to explain that pushing to soon and not being open enough would mean the baby would get stuck and likely sufficate. Her attention turned briefly to her male companion. "Bison, use that table there, to lay out my tools...please.." The man was a trusted companion, one of the first to really gain admiration and return it to the Healer, hopefully the lady would not mind a male presence, he would never go past the ladies head. Not even he wanted to see THAT.
Chantal: Chantal had no qualms about the woman's unusual eyes. Instead she was only concerned with her ability to deliver the babe within. All the pushing to feel gave a clue that this was not her first time doing such and put her at ease some. As Ellie left the room to fetch pillows, she murmured,"Young lass. Hasn't seen a babe born yet. Though she's seen a sheep give birth." Chantal was keeping herself calm, there would be no hollering like a banshee- that had happened at her first birth with the twins and left her throat raw for days. "Oh, you do. He can even stay. Wouldn't be the first man to see my parts. My second child was delivered with a handful of men, part of my husband's bandits in the Libyan Desert, and they all thought it some honor to watch." Snorting, Chantal shook her head and readjusted slightly.
Avery: Bison went to setting out the tools his lady needed in order to assist with the delivery of the baby from her bag he himself carried. Rolling back the womans covers, she gently eased each leg up so her foot would press against the bed before gently easing her legs apart. As Ellie returned with pillows overflowing in her arms, Avery had to supress a snort of laughter. "Very good my dear, place however many she needs behind her back and two under her legs in the space.."she instructed the girl while Bison brought over a bowl of water, balancing in one hand with soap in the other and a towel over his arm. Avery quickly washed her hands and dried them before rubbing them together to keep them warm as she kneeled at the foot of the bed between the ladies legs. "Here we go, you might feel a little pressure and discomfort, its only me.."Even though the woman had children before, as clearly stated by the woman herself, Avery explained, if only to ease the lady she had done this before. "You are a very brave woman then, birthing in a room full of men, I would of killed with looks.."A hand settled against the womans leg as she reached up with the other to feel the womans cervix to see how open it was.
Chantal: "Of course, of course." She allowed Ellie to make her more comfortable with the placement of pillows and then took to considering the snow out the window as Avery went about her probing. Laughing softly, she murmured,"Oh, do not think I didn't try. They were not to be dissuaded though. Bandits are likely use to such looks from angry women." Biting her bottom lip just a little, the pressure feeling weird more than anything, she released a little breath. Offering a smile, she teased,"Well seeing as how you are becoming to know me...intimately...perhaps I should know your name."
Avery: A small hum of a laugh left Avery lips at both statements though she seemed to be staring at the lady's headboard rather then the lady herself. It allowed her to feel without distraction. Slowly her hand removed and new water and soap were brought over as she removed herself from the bed. "Avery...Avery Thorn.."She offered in reply. Bison removed the bowl of soapy water as her hands were once again cleaned and the towel was rubbed into her hands to dry them off, a nod of her head at him, told him it was time. "All right my lady, you are fully dilated." She spoke as her hands were offered out to Bison as he rolled her sleeves further up her arms before the apron over his arm was shrugged up her arms. She turned to face the woman as he tied it behind her neck and behind her back. "Now, I realize you've done this before, but I'll explain once more. Since your contractions are close enough and you're open, when you feel one come on, I want you to push as hard as you can..you my dear," The latter she directed at Ellie. "I want you to count to ten, openly for your lady. When she reaches ten my lady, stop pushing, remember to breath and we will start the process all over again.." She gave a nod of her head as if asking silently, if this was understood. "If it gets to hard to push on your own, grab at your knees and bear down. Ellie if your lady needs it, sit behind her and direct her back up so her cervix points downward, this will help too.." She turned again as Bison pulled up her hair and wrapped it in cloth before tying it behind her head. A string was placed over one shoulder and a towel on the other before he was moving to cover the womans legs with a smaller blanket and then away to stand by the table of instruments. Climbing onto the bed again, she settled on her knees and pushed her hands against the womans knees to keep her legs open. "When you're ready my lady..."
Chantal: "A pleasure to meet you Miss Thorn. Though I'd have had the situation be more...pleasant." Chantal knew that this would not be. Babes did not just fly out and into the arms of a midwife, unfortunately. No, they had to take their sweet time and make their arrival into the world a bit of a challenge. Nodding her head, Chantal blew a strand of blonde hair off her cheek and waited. When the next contraction came she began pushing, gritting her teeth and focusing, while the sound of Ellie's voice came to her. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine....ten. A breath drawn, she leaned back again, sighing softly. Sweat had begun to bead upon her forehead a little.
Avery: "As a healer, introductions will always be awkward. Think nothing of it my lady."A smile touched at her lips. As Chantal leaned up and the twist of her face came with pushing, avery nodded with each beat of a number, mouth moving in silent count as well till Chantal relaxed. "Very good my lady...very good.." She shifted the blanket over the womans legs, reaching a hand up, "A little pressure, relax.." Avery felt a moment, her hands pushing against Chantal stomach gently to find the position of the baby, if it had dropped any from the first push, even a millimeter would be good. A smile touched her lips and she nodded, everything was progressing well. Her hand removed and wiped against the clean apron. "I can only assist my lady, this is all up to you, everything is going well..."
Chantal: What would follow for the next hour was pushing and breathing. The sound of Ellie's counting sounded in the room with the mingled grunting of Chantal. She'd taken to leaning forward, bearing down, for it seemed this babe was to be a little more stubborn. Her body felt exhausted and her face was covered with sweat. It was a good thing that labor was not a beauty contest. No woman ever looked lovely during it or right after! After Ellie hit ten, she leaned back against the pillows, releasing a slow breath and looked at Avery quietly. After a moment, she murmured,"Is it going well?" Chantal couldn't see what was going on down there.
Avery: Bison had taken to wetting a cool rag for the womans face and neck, dapping ever so gently as if hard pressure would see the woman break and over the hour, the breathing, pushing and grunts continued with continued encouraging words of the Healer Avery. A smile touched her lips as Chantal leaned back once more. "Very good.."Encouragement for her continued effort to bring her baby into the world. Again a hand settled against the womans knee and a hand inched up but there would be no pressure for Chantal to feel now except the child coming out. "The baby's head is crowning, give me one big push Chantal.I'm going to help the baby's shoulders free and then one big push for me after, no counting this time and your baby will be born, can you do that for me?"
Chantal: Well, that was a sweet relief! Chantal could have, if not in the current situation, jumped for joy. It would be nice to hold her child and not feel like some waddling cow. Nodding her head, giving a grateful smile to the man, Chantal took a deep breath and leaned up again. This time when she pushed it was with every ounce of energy left in her body. Jaw clenched, eyes closed, she pushed as hard as humanly possible. It was her duty to push, but Avery's to free the babes shoulders and she knew the Healer could do it. The woman had shown that she was definitely capable.
Avery: The blanket was shifted again along with the womans nightgown, up past her knees so it slid down freely. Thankfully, even if someone were to walk in now, all they would see was Avery backside between the womans legs. A smile touched her lips, comforting, encouraging as Chantal lifted again and pushed. Both hands now fell between the womans legs as the babies head came free of its mothers opening, Avery hand grasped the babies head and neck and turned, it might seem, to any watching she was being unusually harsh with the baby but really she was not. The shoulders began to emerge and Avery fingers pressed and worked till each was freed of the birthing canal and the child came sliding out into Avery's arms. Bison had moved to her side, removing the towel and holding it open as Avery adjusted the baby to it. Fingers worked nimbly to take the string from her shoulder and tie the cord before taking the baby from Bison and sliding off the bed. Bison moved quickly once handing the baby back to retrieve a metal rod which was used to break up the mucus in the babies mouth. Even some sucked up into the hollow end and spit into the towel till the babies airways were clear and the child sucked in a breath and howled hello to the world. "You have a baby girl my lady!" She spoke cheerfully the cord was cut and the baby was laid, even bloody and mucus covered onto mommy's chest. Avery blieved firmly in bonding time between mother and child BEFORE the child was washed. Besides, Chantal had been through this before and with little children, this no doubt would not sicken her.
Chantal: A little girl! The freeing of the baby into the world was met with a deep breath of relief and Chantal leaned back. She opened her eyes to watch Avery and her assistant move about, tending to the little one, with joy. This would be her fourth child and the happiness was just as overwhelming with her arrival into the world. Though weary Chantal kept herself awake, smiling, sapphire eyes locked on the little one and she happily took the babe into her arms. The little one was messy, but beautiful, at least in her eyes,"Thank you, Avery." Looking up at the healer, she smiled warmly. The issue of what to name the child was tricky, and she honestly did not know. Though ideas came to mind. Another daughter! The other children would love her. It seemed that her skin was lighter in color than Haji's and yet it was clear she was Astennu's daughter.
Avery: "You're welcome," Avery spoke with a smile still on her lips as her head popped in a nod. After a few minutes, she took the baby from Chantal, promising to return her and let Bison clean the baby up. He was as skilled as Avery, he just had no will to do the birthing part himself while Avery tended Chantal in the removal of the placenta which was wrapped up to be tossed into the fires later. Once the baby was cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket, Avery handed her back to her mother, whispering a happy birthday to the little one before moving about to clean up the mess. "I'd like to see the both of you in a day or two..to check on how you are healing and how she is progressing. Unless of course, you wish another physician to attend you, then I can arrange it.." She spoke as she cleaned off her hands and began to remove the wrap from her hair and her apron.
Chantal: Allowing the man to tend to the babe while Avery did her, Chantal took a moment to relax. All that pushing was enough to make one wish for a nice, long nap and a soak in a hot bath. She'd have to arrange for both afterward. Taking the now cleaned little one back, Chantal listened to Avery and nodded,"I will let Seamus know that you will return then. He is protective of me." An understatement really. She could imagine his edicts now that she'd actually given birth. Men. Tired sapphire eyes watched Avery's movements,"I do not wish another. You did a wonderful job delivering my daughter." Indeed, she had. The baby was breathing and looked to have every toe, and finger, in place.
Avery: "Thank you my lady, it is very much appreciated." Her soiled things were handed off to Bison before she turned her attention back to Chantal. "I do not need to lecture you on what comes next but try feeding her soon and then let the both of you rest. Keep the curtains drawn over the light, her eyes still need time to adjust. Send word if any trouble arises, I am not far off..and I shall see the both of you soon. Congratulations my lady.."Avery smiled once more as Bison gathered her belongings and then Avery was off, back to the infirmary. Another day in Paradise as always.