Toby accompanied Melinda to her first appointment with the new doctor. She was nervous about meeting him, but he came well recommended. The receptionist had her fill out all the forms, then showed Melinda and Toby to the exam room. A nurse entered and told Melinda to remove all her clothes and put on a robe. She glanced at Toby but started undressing. Within minutes the doctor knocked and entered.
"Good morning, Melinda!" The doctor was young, probably not more than five years out of school, but would know all the new techniques and have newer equipment. Melinda relaxed.
"Good morning, doctor."
"So, you've moved here, and this is your first visit with us. Thank you for choosing us to serve you. We will do our best to earn your trust and deliver a healthy baby." The doctor smiled and began the exam. He spoke calmly through the exam, describing every test and procedure. He warmed the speculum and lubed it before inserting it in Melinda's vagina. She relaxed more every minute.
"Well, everything looks great, Melinda. Your womb, baby passage, and vital signs are terrific. You have taken very good care of yourself, so there should be no complications. The baby is positioned well, and vital signs are wonderful. Do you want to know the gender, or be surprised?"
"I think I want to know," said Melinda, looking at Toby. "What do you think?"
"I agree it would be fun to know, so we can plan specifically."
"We want to know," Melinda told the doctor. He lubed her belly and began moving the wand over it. The heartbeat sounded loud in the small room, and Melinda teared up. She reached for Toby's hand, squeezing it, smiling through her tears.
"You are carrying a baby girl, Melinda!" Melinda squealed and squeezed Toby's hand harder.
"I wanted a girl!"
"I love it!" said Toby. "We will have the prettiest and smartest girl in the world!" The doctor chuckled along with them and placed the instrument on the table. The nurse cleaned Melinda's belly, told her to dress, and left the room. Melinda stood, pulled off the paper robe, and reached to hug Toby before dressing. They held each other a while.
"Thank you so much for coming with me," Melinda said to Toby. "You will never know how much this means to me."
"You're family, Melinda! We will do anything for you, and for our baby girl!" He kissed Melinda tenderly and helped her get dressed.
***
At home Felice and Naria celebrated with them.
"We have a girl! Wow! I can't wait to buy clothes and decorate her room." Naria was jumping with joy.
"First, I want your help choosing a name. I want my new family to be part of that," said Melinda.
"Really? We can help pick a name?" Felice was overjoyed. "Where do we start?"
For an hour each person suggested names; Melinda had a few suggestions from her birth family. She liked her great-grandmother's name, Mila. And she had an aunt named Amara. Melinda liked both names. After all the suggestions, they chose five names to put in a hat and pick anonymously. Melinda reached in, picked out a folded piece of paper, and read the name; Mila!
Toby found a bottle of sparkling water, poured four glasses, and held his up.
"Here's to our sweet Mila!" The others joined the safe toast.
"Ok, the next step is to decorate the room and go shopping! Yeehaa!" Naria was ready to go right then, but stores were closed.
"And the birth classes," said Melinda. "The first one is in two days. Are you sure you want to go with me, Toby?"
"Yep! Absolutely! I need practice for when we have other children." He looked at Naria and Felice, smiling suggestively.
"We do want more children, don't we, ladies?"
"I do," said Naria, and Felice agreed. "But all in good time. Let's get Mila here safely, then we'll think about more."
***
Melinda and Toby arrived early to the natural birth class. They met the teacher; she gave them some material to read at home and introduced them to the other couples as they entered.
"Ok, partners, stand behind your pregnant lady. I'll show you something she'll love you for. Reach around her, place your hands under the baby, and pull up slowly. Hold the baby up for several minutes. You are now carrying the baby for your partner. Ladies, does that feel good?"
The women loved the relief from the weight of the baby and relaxed for the few minutes.
"Now, ladies, sit on the floor, with help from your partner, cross legged if you can. Partners, sit behind them, your legs around them, and hug them from behind." The leader walked the couples through breathing exercises, and talked about the process they would experience at the hospital. After a round of discussion, the session was over. Melinda and Toby chatted with another couple, the woman also seven months along, and agreed to keep in touch.
The next day was shopping day. Naria and Felice had waited all they could and were anxious to get started. They let Melinda have the final say in room color and decorations, but they each chose clothes and accessories. Then a stroller, crib, changing table; everything needed to welcome Mila into their lives.
As Naria, Felice, and Toby talked with friends the following days, several of them offered to help. Billie and Luci, with their expertise in building theater sets, offered to paint the room and hang curtains and decorative items. Steve and Jeremy offered to install a new rug.
Carlos offered a photography package, before and after the birth. And he would video the birth if Melinda wished. Melinda discussed the video with Toby and the ladies, and they all agreed it would be a good idea, so the delivery room wouldn't be so crowded. Naria and Felice really wanted to see the birth, but agreed to let Toby help, and they would watch the video later.
The next day Carlos invited Melinda to his studio; she brought Toby along. Carlos discussed possible poses, clothes, and locations with them. Toby suggested the campsite the group had used recently, and Carlos and Melinda loved the idea. Melinda agreed to go home and choose outfits and meet Carlos the following morning.
Naria and Felice helped Melinda choose several outfits, and she tried them on, making sure they fit.
"I can't wait to see these pictures," Naria said. "You will be one sexy pregnant lady!"
"I don't feel very sexy," Melinda responded.
"Well, you are!" Felice and Naria surrounded Melinda in a group hug. "And you will be a wonderful mother to Mila," said Naria.
"And we will all help you," added Felice.
***
Carlos was unloading his equipment when Toby and Melinda arrived. Melinda was already dressed in a long, flowing, white robe. Carlos posed her in front of the woods and snapped pictures; he had her facing the camera, then at different angles and poses. He gradually opened the robe to show Melinda's legs and some more cleavage but didn't push too far.
Melinda went behind some bushes and changed into a conservative swimsuit, one which covered her baby bump. She sat on the large boulder jutting into the hot spring waterhole. Carlos had Toby stand beside her, also in swimming shorts, to steady her, then sit beside her in other poses. Melinda agreed to jump from the boulder, and Carlos caught the action, then she swam to the edge. Carlos photographed her coming out of the water, dripping, her nipples hard.
Finally, Melinda, Felice, and Naria had chosen a racier outfit, and Melinda wanted to have photos of her in this back in Carlos' studio. They helped him pack his equipment and drove to town. In the studio, Melinda, still shy with Carlos, went behind the curtain to change, and came out in a short, sheer, red, silk nightie. Her full breasts bulged out of the bra section, and the hem barely covered her red panties. Melinda glanced at Toby to see his reaction, and blushed.
"Is this too revealing?" she asked Toby.
"No! It's perfect! It shows your gorgeous body to perfection."
Carlos started Melinda out sitting on the bed, legs crossed, arms crossed over her legs. After a few shots, he had her lean back on both hands, legs uncrossed. Click, click. She pulled up the hem on one leg to her panties. Click. She held tits in both hands, pushing them upward. Click, click.
"Can Toby get in some shots, please? Is that ok, Toby?" Toby nodded.
"Of course! These are your pictures. You tell me what you want," said Carlos. He had Toby sit behind Melinda and wrap his arms around her, just below her breasts. Melinda laid her hands on his arms. Click. Toby took a tit in one hand and laid the other on Melinda's naked leg. Click, click. Then Melinda surprised them both by pulling the nightie off her breasts, down to her waist. Toby took a naked tit in one hand, pinching the hardened nipple. Click, click.
Carlos had Melinda turn to kiss toby and took more shots, then had her sit cross legged, her red panties now showing and her naked tits in Toby's hands. Carlos took a few more, then asked Melinda if she was satisfied with what he had taken.
"Well, uh, I, uh, I would like a few more. I've always wanted pictures of me pregnant and naked and didn't have anyone to take them. Do you mind?" She looked at Toby first, then at Carlos.
"That would be the perfect ending to your session, Melinda. What do you think, Carlos?"
"I agree. You get ready however you want, and I'll gladly take them."