A long labor

A long labor can be very laid back but have a certain tension at the same time. A long labor the other day. A lot of hanging out: midwives snacking, mother snacking a little, father dozing, mother moaning, mother resting, midwives gossiping, father massaging, doula pumping milk(!), midwives wondering, mother swaying. Midwives wondering. There is a certain intensity to the wondering and the helping and the evaluating that we do. There is even a certain tension to the studied calmness. And then, of course things develop and the mother is pushing and then the baby is visible and the release of tension and excitement is huge. And then the baby slips out into his father's arms with his crazy long head and his big cry and it's all messy and the relief and the release are immense. That's the way it is sometimes.