Baby for the Midwife. Fiona McArthur

thought she was going to speak. She held her breath but Del only waited for the crushed tablet before closing her mouth again.

      ‘When the doctor comes, he’ll want to examine you to see if your cervix is opening. That makes a difference to what we do next. OK?’

      Del nodded.

      ‘We’ll probably give you an injection to help your babies’ lungs mature in case they are born too soon.’

      Del nodded and Georgia found herself nodding too. It all began to feel like a farce with all the headbobbing.

      Georgia selected the cortisone injection from the tray and set it aside for Max to decide on. They’d need to liaise with whatever referral hospital had beds for premature twins but MIRA would set up the conference call between the parties as soon as Max rang them.

      MIRA, standing for Mobile Infant Retrieval Australia, would fly mum and babies wherever they needed to go with expert personnel—as long as the mist lifted and they could land.

      ‘Can you give Del’s doctor’s name to Flo and she’ll get him to fax what info he has to us here?’ she asked Shannon. Shannon nodded and followed Flo out.

      Max arrived sooner than was prudent, considering the road conditions, and Georgia was glad to see him safe as well as have access to his assistance.

      ‘This is Del.’

      ‘Hi, Del. I’m Max. I’m the doctor. Georgia says you’re in premature labour. You must be pretty scared at what’s going on.’

      Del looked around for Shannon and Georgia held off answering for her to see if Del would speak.

      She nodded.

      Georgia did Shannon’s job. ‘Del’s not much of a talker. She’s having contractions three minutes apart, third pregnancy, quick labours. One antenatal visit, one ultrasound at eighteen weeks. They’re faxing it through as soon as they open the surgery, I guess.’

      ‘Good stuff.’ He held his hands up. ‘May I feel your tummy, please, Del?’

      Georgia nodded along with Del and then realised what she’d done. She was going mad.

      She left Max to jot down what she’d found so far and by the time she’d finished Max was ready to examine the patient.

      Afterwards he pulled the chair up beside the bed to talk to Del. Georgia leaned out the door and called Shannon to come back in.

      ‘Shannon is spokesperson and she does a great job. It might be worthwhile waiting for her.’

      Max raised his eyebrows and looked at Del. ‘Is that what you want, Del?’

      Del nodded vehemently but she didn’t say anything.

      Max sat back and Shannon hurried back in with Flo at her heels.

      Georgia took Flo aside. ‘Can you switch both humidcribs on in the storeroom? Probably won’t need them but if it looks like we will then we’ll move them to the power points outside the door. Just leave them where they are for now as long as they are warming.’

      Flo nodded and left.

      Max had introduced himself to Shannon and then spoke to Del. ‘You’re four centimetres dilated and your babies need to be looked after by paediatricians when they are born.’ He paused to let his words sink in.

      ‘That means they’re too little to be looked after here at Meeandah. In fact, they’re too little to be looked after at the base hospital so they’ll have to go to Newcastle, if they have the neonatal beds free, or Sydney.’

      Del’s eyes filled with tears and Max rubbed her wrist in sympathy. ‘I know it’s scary to think of going a long way away but you have to for your babies’ safety. When your babies are bigger, you will be able to come back here for them to finish growing up.’

      Del nodded and looked at Shannon, who asked the question. ‘How long before she would come back?’

      ‘That depends how Del’s babies grow and the treatment they have when they are born.’

      Max went on, ‘It is much better for babies to be transferred while they are still inside your tummy. It takes a lot of very sophisticated equipment to make an environment close to as good as your uterus is for your babies. We need to get you to a big hospital before your labour gets any further along. Do you understand?’

      Shannon, Georgia and Del all nodded.

      Max smiled at the three noddies. ‘I’ll be speaking to a doctor who will find where and when you’ll be going and when I know I’ll come back and tell you.

      ‘In the meantime, Georgia is going to give you two more tablets twenty minutes apart. Maybe later also an injection that will help the babies lungs mature for when they are born. Let Georgia know if you think your labour is getting stronger, OK?’

      ‘Than’ ’ou.’ Del’s quiet voice stopped Georgia as she turned away. So Del could speak. Trust Max to have elicited a response when she couldn’t. Were any women immune to the man?

      ‘You’re welcome, Del.’ He gave the young girl one of his special smiles and Del smiled mistily back.

      Max stood up and examined the CTG tracing. ‘Your contractions have slowed a little to fiveminutely so the first dose of drug is working. Georgia will give you another tablet now.’

      He looked up at Georgia. ‘I’ll be in the office on the phone if you need me.’

      In the next twenty minutes Del’s contractions slowed to ten-minutely but they didn’t stop. Flo had been outside to see if the fog had lifted but the mountain still lay shrouded.

      Georgia sought Max out as he finished the admission letter for whichever hospital would finally take her.

      ‘Del’s contractions are strong and very regular, sitting at ten minutes apart.’

      He spread his hands. ‘There’s a chance one of the outlying Sydney hospitals may take her, otherwise she may have to go on to Canberra.’

      ‘If they don’t decide soon, she’ll get her wish and deliver here.’ Max seemed very calm considering they might have premature twins on their hands. ‘We’ll send her out by road ambulance to the base hospital until the fixed-wing aircraft can land.’

      Georgia frowned. She’d tried that. ‘They refused her.’

      ‘With the airfields shut, they’ve OK’d it now. They said they’d even send the escort. But if she’s in strong labour they won’t take her on the plane either so she’ll have to go somewhere.’

      Georgia smiled. Max had really done some ringing around. ‘You wanted the joys of rural obstetrics.’

      He grinned at her. ‘Aren’t you having fun?’

      ‘The more the merrier.’

      Max looked at her. ‘You may have spoken too soon.’ The screech of tyres could be heard coming hard round the bend into the hospital and they looked at each other as another screech heralded the arrival of someone in a great hurry.

      A tall, bearded man rushed in, his eyes panicky with emotion. ‘Help us. My wife, Susie, is in the car, and she’s having the baby right now.’

      Georgia tapped Max’s arm. ‘You go. I’ll get the emergency kit and a warm blanket and meet you there.’ Max nodded and jogged after the man.

      Georgia hurried to collect the small tray, a warm blanket and infant rug from the hot box and a wheelchair in case they could move the woman to a more comfortable place for delivery.

      By the time Georgia arrived they needed the warm blanket for the baby and the cord clamp and scissors.

      The husband was calmer now that he wasn’t alone to cope and it was a very relieved family that moved into the ward to ensure all was well.

      Susie clutched her baby to