The Mother gives the gift of life,

[lifeisnotasong]

When Sansa woke, it was pitch dark outside and she'd been so deeply asleep it took her some time to realise what had woken her. She snuggled into her blankets and a moment later had an answer when a pain rippled through her abdomen. Oh, she thought, that again. She reluctantly sat up and tried to remind herself that she had read false labour

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[lifeisnotasong]

Comforted by Susan's presence Sansa tried not to let herself panic. Panicking would not help and it might even upset the baby, the baby who would be here soon. Sansa was going to be a mother tonight, not two weeks hence, tonight. She'd thought the child might come late even because she'd read it was common for the first child to be so. She'd thought she would have longer to prepare and though she's made clothing and has everything she needs she does not feel ready to be a Mother. She looks to Susan and opens her mouth to say something, a courtesy or a trivial comment. Anything to take her mind off it. She might even ask Susan for a story as if she has not been demanding enough to drag her to Summerfell in the middle of the night. Then another contraction happened and instead of words Sansa felt her breath leave in a small gasp as she stuggled not to double over. Just as it passed there was a noise from downstairs. Not that it was easy to hear over the alertness of the direwolves. Sansa hadn't meant to cause such a fuss.

[claire_fraser]

After speaking briefly to Sansa's parents, Wilson and I went upstairs to Sansa's room. I could tell that she was in the middle of a contraction when we arrived, so I waited until she had relaxed again before I spoke. "Hello, Sansa," I said, putting my things down and moving over to her. "Your brother came for Dr Wilson and I, and we came as quickly as we could. How are you doing?"

[real_buzzkill]

Wilson checked his watch and marked the time so they could get a good idea how deep into labor Sansa was. He knew this could take hours, but there wasn't any reason to frighten Sansa right now. He set the armful of linens down and moved to the head of the bed to smile at Sansa. "Didn't I tell you the wolves would know when it was time?"

Then he covered her legs and belly with a clean sheet, folded to the right size. "You're doing well so far," he said in a reassuring voice.

[lifeisnotasong]

"Alright so far," said Sansa, to Dr. Claire, hoping if she says it it will be true. She looks between Dr. Claire and Dr. Wilson and is very grateful to Robb, two doctors are better than one surely. "My waters broke," she said. "So I knew it wasn't like last week." She listens to the racket the wolves are making. "And it hurts more," she adds feeling silly because of course it does that's normal.

[claire_fraser]

"That's definitely a sign that this is the real thing," I told her. It had taken us some time to walk down from the compound, so Sansa had to have been in labour for a few hours already. "I'm going to check you now, just to see how things are progressing. It won't take but a moment, but it might be a bit uncomfortable, so try to relax. I know that's difficult, though." I didn't plan to do very many exams, as that would help keep the risk of infection to a minimum especially since her water had broken. I turned to Susan and asked her if she would step out a moment and ask someone downstairs if they would put some water on to boil, and she went right out to do it

[real_buzzkill]

He nodded in agreement, backing up the other doctor's suggestions. This long wait was the hardest part. More than likely, the sun would be up by the time Sansa gave birth, which she might appreciate. "It's important for you to relax as much as you can right now, so you'll be able to focus when the next contraction comes."

Wilson shoved his hands in his pockets and exchanged a significant look with Dr> Fraser. It said "this is going as well as we can expect so far, possibly better."

[lifeisnotasong]

Sansa endures the exam a little horrified by such a thing but glad to hear she's halfway there, she can do the same again can't she? Then Dr. Claire gives her advice which she has a brief internal struggle over, it doesn't seem very fair that things should be more painful because her waters have broken. Life is not fair though because she doesn't really want to get up but she should listen to the Doctors. And moving things along sounded good as did helping the baby move down easily. So she gets to her feet and Lady follows suit, if Sansa has to pace the wolf will as well. So she gets up and walks and tries her very hardest to relax. "Before I was dizzy," she tells them just in case it matters, she isn't now though so she can walk and she will because it will help and though Dr. Wilson's comment is not directed at her she's still relieved to hear it.

[claire_fraser]

"That's normal," I assured her, "and you may even be ill. Your body's working very hard, and sometimes it reacts in unexpected ways. Just let Dr Wilson or me know if you have any kind of pain or dizziness that's suddenly very different than what you feel now."

[real_buzzkill]

"Dr. Claire is right," Wilson said gently as he moved to stand next to Sansa. "So it's best that you not eat or drink anything until after the birth, not even water." He dipped one of the washcloths into the bucket of cool water and handed it over. "If your mouth is dry, you can bite on this."

Her mouth would be dry, obviously, but they had no ice chips. In the mean time, more waiting. And more waiting. And... Wilson started to think he ought to have brought a book.

[lifeisnotasong]

It had been hours and hours and though that was normal and Dr. Claire and Dr. Wilson seemed to think things were progressing well, Sansa just wanted it to be over. She was tired and everything hurt even between contractions. Sansa did not feel walking around was working really. She would have just sat down and cried if it had not been for the thought of making it last longer. It felt very strange biting on the cloth instead of being able to have a drink and it was morning now, she thought from the way the light has changed and she wondered how much longer it was going to last.

[claire_fraser]

I could see that Sansa was getting tired and discouraged, but she was so close that it was very important to keep her motivated. "You're doing great, Sansa," I told her. "You've only got a little further to go, and then I think you'll be ready to start pushing very soon. It won't be long now."

[real_buzzkill]

The latest contraction was starting to look like the real thing. Dr. Fraser's last exam indicated full dilation, and they managed to get Sansa to the foot of her bed, with her knees propped up. The sheet provided some modesty for her--at least she wouldn't have to watch as the doctors messed with her.

"OK, remember how we told you not to push? Well, you can push now."

[lifeisnotasong]

Sansa had become almost used to the pain of labour though used to was not the right terminology at all. At least she had felt she knew what to expect after so many hours, the work of pushing however was different entirely. Between pushes she felt like she could not possibly do it again and then it would start and she could not do anything but push.

She had noticed vaguely the arrival of more things, hot water and more towels and she'd felt self conscious until she realised it was Mother. Then she was pushing again and if her entire family had traipsed through the room she would not have noticed. At some point she had begun to cry and she held tight to Susan's hand. She was never aware of shrieking really but at some point she knew she must be because her throat was raw. She is shrieking when someone says they can see the head. Likely Dr. Wilson as he is attending to her there which should embarass her but doesn't because the baby is coming and then someone else is shrieking and she realises who and she bursts into tears all over

[real_buzzkill]

Wilson looked up while as he eased the baby's head out, supporting it in his right hand. The look on Sansa's face, shared by her mother and her friend, whose name escaped him at the moment, was nothing short of beautiful, though they were all exhausted from the night-long vigil.

She made her last push, and the shoulders slipped out; the torso and legs followed quickly.

Wow.

Wow.

Carefully, Wilson cut the umbilical cord, the stroked the baby's nose to help clear its lungs of fluids. "Hi, little one," he said softly. "Welcome to the outside world."

OK, now was not the time to get all teary eyed. He held up the baby so the new mother could see her, and then handed her to Claire, who was waiting to check her over.

[claire_fraser]

"Congratulations, you've got a little girl," I said, taking her carefully from Wilson and moving to Sansa so she could see her a little better as I quickly checked her. The baby's skin colour, heart rate, reflexes, muscle tone, and respiration were all excellent, and after I cleaned her quickly and wrapped her in a blanket, I placed her in Sansa's arms. She seemed a little shaky, but her mother was right there with her with an expression I knew well, from the birth of my own first grandchild. "She's a very healthy baby," I assured Sansa. "You did wonderfully."

[lifeisnotasong]

Sansa stares at her baby, her daughter, did she do that. She supposes she must have and yet it does not seem quite real. Then Sansa shifts and she realises with a pang that yes she did do that with help from the doctors and Mother and Susan. "Hello Eddara," she whispers. She feels another flood of relief when Dr. Claire says she's healthy. Then Sansa makes the effort to tear her gaze away from Eddara if only for a brief moment to say "Thank you," to Dr. Claire and Dr. Wilson.