On the crest of a wave
She came in, in quite advanced labour, saying that she was going to practise yoga and didn't want to be disturbed unless it was absolutely necessary. It was her second baby and everything was fine, so I left her to it. "I'll tell you when I'm ready to deliver." With that, she folded her legs in the lotus position and withdrew inside herself.
After a couple of hours she suddenly opened her eyes and announced: "I'm going to push the baby out now!". She slid down the bed into a semi-sitting position, opening her legs very wide. Taking some deep, controlled breaths she focused herself and then, with one concerted push, the baby's head emerged - his face softly cushioned against her perineum by a still intact bag of waters. With the next push the waters broke and the baby glided out as if carried on the crest of a wave, a gorgeous glistening infant with a shock of black hair, full of vitality and alertness from the very start.
