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"You probably didn’t notice but your new son has webbed toes" I pause for their reaction and aht away," Lilly tells me "All the Bittman men do! BK and Little BK and Grandpa We just say it ood swimmers"

Retained

How is it that you always notice the tick of a clock when you are waiting? Tick Tock Tick Tock Lilly puts the newborn on the breast as easily as a sighted person BK settles his five-year-old in his bed in the next roouitar and stru, and Lilly and I yawn too

Tick Tock Tick Tock It’s been forty minutes since the birth of their second son

"M to see a gush of blood but there’s nothing "Main and I palpate her uterus It’s rock hard and at the level of her u Do you feel an urge to push?"

"No," Lilly says "But it actually hurts more than s again Still no blood and the cord hasn’t lengthened BK yawns again It’s almost four AM

At four fifteen Lilly sits up on one elbow "Miss Becky, I have to pee Could I get up and use the bathroo worse I really have to do so!" Beads of sweat are on the mother’s upper lip and her normally pale pink skin is chalky She pulls her red hair away from her face and it looks like a skull

I really have to do so, so I check the uterus one more tiood sign Thereup inside

"BK, I think we should let Lilly pee Maybe that’s part of her discoo down the hall SheDo you have an old-fashioned potty, you know, the kind that people use when they don’t have an indoor bathrooht here She used it when she was on bed rest" He pulls a white enaain for any signs that the placenta is cos "Okay, Lilly, just take it slow and I will be right here if you feel woozy"

"I a such a ns before she got up How is it that I know just what to do for a victiical patient, but I’m lost at a simple, uncomplicated home delivery?

I think I know the answer Birth is a potentially dangerous situation, but in this relaxed environ and kids sitting on the bed gets me off track!

Sloe sit Lilly up Sloer her legs off the side of the bed Sloe help her squat over the commode BK and I turn away so she can tinkle But it’s not a tinkle It’s a flood! Lilly pees and pees and pees

"M out of me! If you won’t pull it out, I will Where’s the cord?" Lilly gropes around between her legs

"No, Lilly!"

She finds what she’s feeling for "Uggghhh" Plop The afterbirth drops into the cooodness! But I think I made an awful mess" Lilly stands up without assistance and sits on a wooden bedside chair Her uterus is now back to normal, firm, and three centimeters below the belly button