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Chapter 157: The Mother-in-Law Delivers the Baby
Chapter 157: The Mother-in-Law Delivers the Baby
In the modern world, pregnant women regularly visit hospitals for prenatal check-ups. Doctors provide a fairly accurate due date, allowing families to predict when the baby will be born. There's usually no need to worry until the due date approaches, though some babies do arrive a bit early or late. Overall, the due date is quite reliable.
However, in the rural areas of this era, the concept of prenatal check-ups doesn't even exist, let alone the means to carry them out.
Take Deng Shirong, for instance. He is well aware that in the modern world, pregnant women go to the hospital for regular check-ups, which offer undeniable benefits by helping to avoid many potential issues. When his eldest daughter-in-law became pregnant, he considered having her do the same.
But in the end, Deng Shirong decided against it. He felt that going with the flow was just as good, as this was how things were done in this era, and there seemed to be no significant problems.
This wasn't because he was afraid of spending money, but rather due to the poor transportation conditions. To get to the county hospital from Naye Village, a distance of 76 kilometers, would take two to three hours by bus, and the roads were in such bad shape that the ride would be extremely bumpy. For a pregnant woman who might already be prone to motion sickness, this could be dangerous.
After much consideration, Deng Shirong decided to let nature take its course. He knew that other women in the village had given birth to healthy babies despite not having access to good nutrition during pregnancy. His daughter-in-law, on the other hand, was well-fed and pampered, with a varied diet to ensure a balanced intake of nutrients.
Deng Shirong was confident that the baby would be both healthy and intelligent, standing out in the village.
While he wouldn't insist on regular prenatal check-ups, he was determined that his daughter-in-law would not give birth at home like other women in the village. That was too risky. The baby must be born in a hospital for peace of mind.
As Deng Shirong was quietly worrying about his daughter-in-law's upcoming delivery, Guan Yongying, who was now full-term, finally went into labor.
...
In the living room, Deng Changfu paced back and forth, his eyes fixed on the door, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside. His face was filled with worry.
Deng Yunqiang, sitting beside him, puffed on his water pipe and said, "Afu, you must be tired from all that pacing. Sit down and wait. The baby won't be born so quickly."
Deng Changfu couldn't help but ask, "Father, it's been over an hour. Why hasn't she given birth yet? I remember when Zhang Qi gave birth recently, Auntie Ba said it only took about ten minutes."
Deng Yunqiang replied, "That's not the same. Zhang Qi had already given birth to four children before this one, and she's naturally more prone to quick deliveries. It's not surprising that it only took her ten minutes.
But this is Yongying's first time. It's impossible for her to give birth so quickly. Many women in the village take two to three hours from the onset of labor to the birth of their first child, and some even take ten to twenty hours.
So don't worry. It's normal for the baby to take some time."
Hearing his father's reassurance, Deng Changfu felt a bit more at ease and sat down to wait. However, he couldn't stop staring at the door, even though he knew the baby wouldn't be born so quickly.
In the living room, besides the father and son, Deng Changfu's two sisters were also present.
As for Mother Changfu, she was personally helping her daughter-in-law give birth in the house. In modern times, the likelihood of a mother-in-law assisting in such a situation is extremely low. However, in this era, it was quite common. Mother Changfu had given birth to five children herself and had helped with a few others over the years. As long as there wasn’t a difficult labor, her experience was more than enough to handle a normal delivery. So, it made perfect sense for her to help her own daughter-in-law.
...
At that moment, Guan Yongying lay in bed, her legs spread wide as she faced her mother-in-law. It would be impossible not to feel embarrassed, but the frequency and intensity of her contractions were increasing, leaving her no time to worry about her modesty. She was already being incredibly strong by stifling her moans.
Finally, she managed to endure the latest bout of pain. As the intensity in her belly subsided, Guan Yongying, drenched in cold sweat, spoke to her mother-in-law: "Mom, I really want to give you a grandson, but if I end up with a granddaughter, please don’t be disappointed."
Mother Changfu smiled and comforted her: "Yongying, don’t think too much about it. Whether it’s a grandson or a granddaughter, I’ll be happy. Besides, you’re not just having one. In a few years, you’ll have both sons and daughters, so don’t worry about the first one being a boy or a girl."
Guan Yongying nodded slightly. "Yes, Mom is right. I should follow your example and aim for at least five."
Mother Changfu was genuinely pleased. Most women in labor, when the pain became unbearable, would cry and vow never to have another child. But her daughter-in-law, despite the intense pain, was determined to have at least five children. Which mother-in-law wouldn’t be happy to hear that?
"Good, I’m very proud of you."
"Ouch… it’s coming again!"
"Relax, it’s not time to push yet. When the time comes, follow my instructions. Push when I tell you to, understand?"
"Y-Yes, I understand!"
As the contractions became more frequent, about half an hour later, Guan Yongying finally gave birth to her first child under her mother-in-law’s guidance.
With the baby’s cry, Mother Changfu’s joyful voice echoed in Guan Yongying’s ears: "Yongying, you did a great job! You’ve added to our family!"
Hearing this, the stone in Guan Yongying’s heart finally landed. In Bobai County, the most auspicious phrase was "adding to the family and getting rich." While getting rich was self-explanatory, "adding to the family" specifically referred to having a son, and Guan Yongying understood this well.
Even though before the birth, Guan Yongying knew that the gender of the child was determined by her husband’s seed and that both her husband and mother-in-law had said they didn’t care whether the first child was a boy or a girl, living in a culture that valued sons over daughters, she still hoped her first child would be a son to bring honor to her husband’s family.
Now that her wish had come true, Guan Yongying was overjoyed. Just as she was about to respond to her mother-in-law, a familiar sensation hit her again, and her face changed. She exclaimed, "Mom, there’s another one… I think there’s another baby in my belly…"
...
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