Emeline did not keep the anxious mother in suspense.
"Clara, look!" Grinning widely, Emeline wiped the baby clean, then held her up. "It's a girl! And as pretty and strong as her mama!"
Clara spoke barely above a whisper, still drained by her efforts, "A girl.............my little girl." Alright Jacob's too but she had done all the hard work.
Carefully, she handed the baby, who was fussing, but not crying, to the new mother.
Clara was wide eyed as she just as carefully accepted the red faced baby, she was truly beautiful. Life was....good...no, amazing! And from this moment on her own life was changed forever. She was a mother now and truly excited and grateful for it.
"Is she healthy? Doctor, does everything look right with her?" of course Clara instantly worried, as mothers should do. Emeline seemed confident but as much as Clara trusted the woman, she was not a doctor.
"Oh and can someone go downstairs and invite Father to come see his granddaughter. If he is not fainted on the floor," she requested.
"Is she healthy? Doctor, does everything look right with her?" of course Clara instantly worried, as mothers should do. Emeline seemed confident but as much as Clara trusted the woman, she was not a doctor.
"She's quite healthy," Jonah commented with a wide grin. It was always rewarding to have a healthy child and see the beginning of a new life. "Her color is good, her breathing is right. Congratulations, Mrs. Lutz."
"Oh and can someone go downstairs and invite Father to come see his granddaughter. If he is not fainted on the floor," she requested.
"I will do that while the doctor attends the rest of the process." Smiling, Emeline gave Clara a soft kiss on the forehead, then headed downstairs.
"So, Mrs. Lutz, there is still the matter of the placenta." Jonah frowned, then explained, in case the young woman didn't know, after all, she had no mother to tell her these things. "That is the organ that gives the baby oxygen and nutrients as it's growing, but it should expel...come out shortly. It's not nearly as painful as delivery, though."
Hopefully, they weren't of the ilk who believed in burying it under a tree, or worse, making stew!
Beaming brightly, Emeline headed downstairs, her hand resting on her gravid belly. She was so relieved and so happy, not that this was the end of it. But actually giving birth to a live and healthy child...that was half the battle!
"So, grandpa," she announced as she entered the kitchen, "are you ready to go see your new grandchild?" She'd leave it to Clara to reveal the baby's gender. "And both are doing fine, Clara is strong." But she figured he knew that.
Aurelian had poured yet another cup of coffee for himself but now that is really was happening up there, he couldn't bring himself to even touch it. He just paced about the kitchen, telling himself he was not nervous, nothing to be worried about, these events of nature happen all the time. Actually he wouldn't have fooled anybody who looked at him, he was indeed anxious. How could he not be? Emeline now came down the steps.
"So, grandpa," she announced as she entered the kitchen, "are you ready to go see your new grandchild? And both are doing fine, Clara is strong."
He smiled in obvious relief and joy. He noted Emeline had not said whether it was a boy or girl. Well, he was about to find out.
"Thank you, Mrs. Pike. And yes, I'm more than ready. So.....up I go I guess," and with that he took those steps very rapidly.
Father and daughter exchanged loving looks, the baby in her arms, so small. So full of new life.
"Thank you, Doctor, for everything you did. You let me know the bill, I'm gonna pay it," he announced to the man then made straightaway to Clara's bedside.
"What is it?"
"It is a baby of course, silly," Clara decided to tease him .
"No, boy or girl. Out with it, child," he feigned a frown.
"Girl and her name is Emeline. Meet your granddaughter, Emeline. Would you like to hold her?"
"I most certainly would," and he took the infant very gingerly into his arms, grinning, "Not much hair. You were born like that too I recall."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Jonah stood back as Grandpa came into the room. It really was amazing to see a new life, to realize how tenuous the whole process was, and how it really was a miracle.
"Emeline is a lovely name." Chuckling, Jonah glanced at the infant's namesake, noting that her cheeks held a tint of red.
"I'm flattered," Emeline muttered, "she's beautiful, like her mama." She knew that, now that the baby was born, Clara was facing a whole different set of issues, and she'd be there to help as much as she could.
"Once you gentlemen are done, I can help Clara with...well, I'm sure little Emmy is probably hungry!"
Aurelian got to hold the newborn now, eager to do so. He instantly remembered the good memories of him holding baby Clara and then later his infant son too. Clara, for once, did not have a lot to say but watched him, them. He had always been a good father to her and Wyatt, she just knew he would be a fine grandpa too.
They spent a short time together before Aurelian decided he should leave Clara and the baby be. He kissed his daughter on her forehead whispering, "As usual you have come thru with flying colors, dear. I love you. I should let you rest now."
Then it was down to just Emeline and the brand new mother with her most welcome new addition to the family.
"I keep waiting for her to start crying," Clara observed.
"They don't always cry right off," Emeline explained as the men headed back downstairs, "but her color is good and she's alert." She chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll have her say at 2 in the morning!"
Newborns seemed to have their own schedule, and it could take a couple weeks for them to figure out day and night.
"So, do you want to see if she'll eat? It's an odd sensation at first, but..." Emeline smiled wistfully, recalling the feeling of having your own child start suckling. "I'm sure you'll find it amazing, even better than it already feels."
Emeline knew what she was talking about, Clara had only heard things such as this so while knowledgeable enough definitely not experienced. Jacob was the only person who had been on her nipples but of while thinking that she would never voice such a thing.
"I have promised myself I will never get angry when she cries. No matter the timing. I hope I can keep to that promise. There are SOME folks who claim I have a temper you know," she smiled at Emeline, well both Emelines.
"So, do you want to see if she'll eat? It's an odd sensation at first, but..." Emeline smiled wistfully, "I'm sure you'll find it amazing, even better than it already feels."
"Certainly we can try. What if she will not take to me? That can happen on occasion, right?" Clara suddenly worried. This child raising was going to be one worry after another.
"One way to find out," Emeline chuckled, "but she'll eat when she's hungry enough. And you need to try to relax, they can tell when you are anxious or upset, and that effects them." Babies had a good sense of how you were feeling, and, like cats, tended not to care! Seemed like the more you were having problems, the more they wanted to be a problem.
"As for the crying, there will be times that it gets to you...when she is wailing so hard, and nothing you do will calm her..." It could be so frustrating! "You feel so useless, then you figure out that she's just looking for the attention. I know it sounds harsh, but sometimes you have to just ignore it, because if she learns that if she cries, she gets picked up, she'll cry just to be picked up."
One of the difficult things with raising children was that line between teaching and coddling, and that could mean the difference between, well, a Clara and an Arabella!
"So, now, just relax and show her where she needs to be!"
Emeline was not sugar coating the future and Clara appreciated that. She was herself a hard headed realist. Babies would act up, they would cry, even scream. They would keep their parents awake. She knew, she hoped she was going to be able to handle it. Her own mother had. And she was determined to be as good a mother as that woman had been, a lofty goal indeed. Clara's mother had literally given her life to save her that time when the Indians attacked.
"So, now, just relax and show her where she needs to be!" Emeline directed.
Clara blinked, what?
"Ohhh, you mean show her where to suckle? Yes, of course, not like she is going to ask," Clara nodded.
"I will have you know, only Jacob has seen these breasts of mine, such as they are," she always believed herself far too flat.
"Least I have noticed they are a bit bigger now. One benefit I suppose of child bearing," she then proceeded to fuss with her gown until her breasts were uncovered and carefully she manuvered the baby close up beside one.