The Gem In The Shit

You are examined by a doctor and rolled into a dark room about the size of a long toilet stall. It is good to be alone, concentrating and hoping like crazy during the contractions to help the baby into this world. You begin to hear screams and realize there are other women lying in the dark cubbies. These others are screaming, in uniquely different ways. Birthing was hard work and unbelievably painful, unimaginable really, until you are in its midst. You lay on your narrow bed, breathing yourself ready for the contraction, sorry that you don't know more about how to do this. You aren't exactly writhing in pain, but it is impossible to find a comfortable position. When the contractions start it's a big piece of work to stay focused and breathing and squeezing against the pain. Soon, that is all you are thinking about with the exception of wondering why those girls were  screaming so hard, it was embarrassing.  You are taken to a brightly lit room where your feet are placed i...