Taylor's POV
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"So when you're breastfeeding" the midwife explains. Shes an older woman, around late fifties. Wearing a pink pinafore with cropped dark hair.
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Jay is sitting behind me on the maternity ball. I'm resting back onto him. Trying to not laugh at the little dolly we've been given for practise. He's already stood up and demonstrated how to burp a baby, it was both the most adorable thing I've ever seen and the funniest.
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"You can choose which position suits you the most" she goes on. Demonstrating several positions with the dummy over her apron.
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"I like the look of the rugby hold" he whispers in my ear and I smirk.
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"I guess we just see where baby wants to lay and what's comfiest" I snicker.
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"There's also the side lying position which is fabulous for night time feeding" the nurse demonstrates.
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The midwife begins discussing birth options and with Jay's hands around bump holding me close I feel ready to have this introduction into what is most likely going to be one of the most challenging moments in my life. The most rewarding and the most life changing. I smile looking down at his hands on bump and wrapping my fingers around his he holds onto me tight.
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"Water births are popular" she begins and I'm already leaning into this option.
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"They are great for uncomplicated births, but sometimes to ensure the safety of everybody we may need to monitor things more closely" she explains.
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"That's when we would require that the birth takes place in a hospital bed. You can also opt for a home birth. However we must remind you that should baby or indeed mother need urgent care we would have to escort all members to hospital." She says softly.
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"No home births" I whisper to Jay and he nods. I can't imagine anything worse than having a complication, with me or baby, and having to rush to the hospital.
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"As midwives, as much as possible we want to make your journey into becoming parents as stress free and painless" she smiles.
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"As possible. We will always opt for what you want and advise you during your birth" she says.
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"So" the nurse says.
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"Pain relief" she finishes.
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"We have gas and air which carries no risk or side effects. The gas takes twenty seconds to work and you can breathe it in just as your contraction begins." She informs us.
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"There are also pethidine injections. These are injections in your thigh. However these are not recommended if you are close to pushing. They take around twenty minutes to work. These should not be administered close to pushing as they may affect babies breathing. Should this happen a second medication will be given to reverse the effect" she explains and I nod.
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"Epidural is a type of local anaesthetic. It offers full pain relief and is injected by an anaesthetist. However these are clearly not available for home births. You will need to be monitored along side baby. With an epidural you may not be able to feel your contractions and therefore we will tell you when to push." She explains.
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"Most importantly, although it can be hard, it's important to remain as calm as possible and to breathe through your contractions. Also having amazing partners" she says looking to the non pregnant people in the room.
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"Is crucial, that they are supportive and active in labour, we have found makes a monumental difference" she smiles.
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"Check" I whisper to Jay and he chuckles.
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"Interventions such as forceps and ventouse can be used too. Ventouse is a vacuum cup and forceps are used by an obstetrician to help deliver your baby" she explains.
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"On occasions and where needed a caesarean section may be required to deliver baby safely. This is often used as an option when we feel it would be most safe for both parent and baby" she informs us.
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"Once baby is delivered, skin to skin time is important and helps with breastfeeding" she explains, and I sigh thinking about having a baby lying on my chest. So tiny and delicate.
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I turn to face Jay and he smiles at me.
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"It's important to take your time navigating parenthood together. To get the rest you need and to enjoy those first moments with your little one" she explains softly.
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Jay collects us some more pamphlets and feeling even more like a beached whale I remove myself from the exercise ball. He guides me out of the hospital and really I feel much more confident about the whole thing, more armed with options and knowledge.
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"Darling" he says in his southern accent and I smile up at him as he starts up the Audi.
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"You're going to be amazing" he says rubbing bump briefly.
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"However baby enters this world, you will have done all of the work and I can't ever thankyou enough for it" he says softly.
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"Jay, I can't thank you enough for putting a baby in me" I smile over at him and he blushes.
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"Now my love" he says and I smirk.
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"Let's go and see your mother" he says laughing.
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He drives us into town. Glancing out of the tinted windows, I take in the palm trees and pulling my sunglasses down I look over at him. The man of my dreams.
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"You know I do miss Italy already" I say softly.
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"You do huh" he smiles rubbing my thigh.
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"Yes, it has a charm about it doesn't it" I say softly and he nods.
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He has booked a reservation at Osteria Vera, he knows it's one of my favourites. The Italian food he said will remind me of home. I blushed and he kissed me.
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"We need to compare LA pasta to Tuscany pasta" I say to him as we walk over to the restaurant.
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"Your pasta is always my favourite" he smiles at me. He holds open the door for me just like I knew he would. Walking in first I take in the rustic feel of the restaurant, remembering it from before. The wooden tables with the roses on them. Soft music playing in the background.
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"Mr and Mrs Gilbert Scott" he says softly to the server at the front of the restaurant. The man, dressed formally, guides us over to our table.
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My mother sits waiting patiently, and as I approach her, a warm smile stretches across her face and she begins to cry. Wiping her eyes, she's wearing a flowing skirt and a white camisole. Her hair combed back into a ponytail, it reminds me of my own. Of how she would brush my hair and pull it into a long braid when I was little girl.
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"My baby" she says hugging me as I reach her.
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"Mum" I say softly looking over her shoulder and holding her tight.
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"How are you my darling" she says holding me at arms length. She moves my hair over my shoulder and smiles.
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"I'm great mum, you look well" I say smiling.
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Mum hugs Jay, he smiles at me over her shoulder and I take a seat down at the table. Resting myself and bump.
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Jay takes the seat next to mine and rests his arm around my back, mum seated in front of us.
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"Taylor you have most certainly popped, my goodness it must be close now" mum begins looking over at us.
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"Well we had a scan, a 3D one in Italy, and we only have four weeks left till I'm due" I say and she gasps, I pull out a picture from my purse and hand her the image of baby.
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"Oh my, that's a boy" she says softly tears falling from her eyes. We both laugh and she looks up at us star struck.
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"Italy you say" she says looking from Jay to myself.
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"We came back from our honeymoon early due to an accident, Ross had a car accident" I say looking down and she watches me.
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"Is he okay?" she asks
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"Yes he will be just fine, he's lucky. So we decided to go to Italy to finish off our honeymoon" I tell her. We also bought a farm house, and we're actually only back for a week or so, I think to myself but let's not give mum a heart attack breaking all the news at once.
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"I'm glad he's okay, the blonde one wasn't he? The one that looks like he could be your younger brother" she says to Jay smirking and he laughs.
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"Yes that's Ross" I say to mum laughing.
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"I'm glad he is okay, and recovering. Taylor goodness you look so well. Radiant and tanned... and happy" she smiles at me and then at Jay.
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"It's all the lying in the sun" I say laughing.
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"And this one here" I say smirking looking up at Jay.
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"Your hair is longer, I think it's a whole shade lighter Taylor" she laughs and I smile at her.
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I tell her all about the Villa, the pool and the surrounding area of the Amalfi coast. She smiles listening to me occasionally looking over at Jay with an expression of approval and love. He sits back watching me talk and get excited about our time away smiling at me.
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"May I take your orders" the waiter asks smiling at me. My first thoughts are can you not see the huge round bump surrounding my tummy.
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"Pappardelle" I say softly and the waiter smiles at me.
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"I'll have the ravioli" mum says and he notes it down.
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"Tagliolini Neri" Jay asks and I smile over at him picking out a positively fish dish.
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"Would you like some water and bread for the table" he says looking at me and I nod yes.
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"Grazie" I say to the waiter and he smirks.
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"Grazie Bella" he responds heading off to fulfill our order. Jay smirks down at me and I chuckle slightly.
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Mum smiles over at us. My mother is not a woman that hides her emotions well, it's usually written all over her face. I decide it's time to break the news to her, after all we will be able to travel to and from Italy very easily.
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"We decided we liked Italy a bit more than just as a vacation" I say softly and she smirks.
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"Jay kind of bought something rather big out there in the form of a farmhouse" I laugh and she looks over at him shocked. We never were able to invest in property. Mum is used to living in the same place, and has done so for most of her life. It's something I think about a lot now, how I can introduce her to new parts of the world with our two interconnecting families.
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"That's wow" she says softly.
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Jay pulls his phone out and pulls up a picture that we took in front of our house. In the snap I'm resting in his chest and he is smiling holding the camera. He hands her the phone and she swoons.
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"Wow Taylor, Jay this is a beautiful place. Especially for the baby" she smiles and a tear drops from her eyes.
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"They're happy tears" she says looking up at me.
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"It's important to add, we're keeping our place here too" Jay says reassuring her and I grasp onto his hand. He holds me tightly as the bread and bruschetta arrives.
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"So there's nothing to worry about. We just felt that we liked the place so much." I say softening the deal.
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"I suggested to Taylor that when the baby arrives it would be nice for you to come and stay?" He says softly to mum and she holds onto his other hand over the table. He laughs slightly, and I look up at him and see the man he was always supposed to be. The provider, the gentlemen and the daddy to our children.
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"That would be truly wonderful" she says sobbing slightly.
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"I would love that mum" I say to her and she smiles at me.
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"We could take the baby to different places, Italian restaurants and the beach" I smirk and she laughs.
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"How are you going to get all of the stuff back" she asks smiling.
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"We bought another pram, cot and everything for the farmhouse" I tell her laughing. I pick up some bruschetta and begin eating. I serve some up for Jay too, it's a reflex by now. He thanks me and I stroke up his arm.
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"You're the first person we've shared this news with" I smile and she returns the expression.
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"You have a vineyard" she smirks looking at the pictures.
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"It's truly beautiful" I say to her and she smiles down at me.
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"I'm ecstatic for the both of you, and I'm even more excited to come and stay" she explains as the mains arrive.
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I glance down at the black inky pasta on Jay's plate and look up at his expression. I chuckle slightly, seeing the shock on his face.
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"Not what you were expecting" I chuckle and mum laughs.
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"It's pasta right?" He laughs and I stroke his face I can't help it, he's hilarious.
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"Yes darling" I laugh.
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"They use squid ink" Mum informs him.
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"Makes it a rich black colour" I add in and he smiles.
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"This is one of those cases of learning the language before you blindly order your food" he smirks forking up some pasta and trying it.
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"However" he smiles.
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"It tastes wonderful" he finishes and we both laugh.
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"Yours looks nice" he scoffs at me, smirking slightly.
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"Pappardelle, originated in Tuscany. Mines got beef and tomatoes with it" I say to him.
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"The farmhouse is in Tuscany" I look up to mum and she nods smiling.
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"This one" he says looking at me and then glancing at mum.
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"Knows a lot about everything" he smirks and I kiss him lightly.
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"Always been the same with Taylor" mum laughs.
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"She remembers things" mum clarifies and I snicker.
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"Oh I remember almost everything" I laugh.
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"Plus I just love my food" I say and Jay stokes my hand on the table.
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I glance up at him, catching his eyes, and he whispers that he loves me. I glance into his eyes felling like the luckiest woman on earth. Whispering that I love him back, and facing back to my food.
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Once we've finished our food, we invite mum to the baby shower/going away party. She holds me just a little bit tighter than normal before we leave and say our goodbyes.
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