A fetus is loved only until!!

How does it feel to see a new born ignored just because it's a girl?

Its 2 am. There's cool breeze outside the labour room window, thanks to the heavy rain the whole evening. I gazed back at the lady screaming in pain again and again. Fetal heart monitor is not showing any signs of distress. Thank god!!
Its been almost 9 hrs since the lady has been shifted to the labour room due to intermittent pain of contractions. Which ofcourse came up in its frequency and now she is in constant pain and her screams are echoing in the corridors much to the distress of other patients kept in observation. I was on her monitor duty and i had put up with all the tantrums she had thrown ever since she has been shifted,partly out of duty obligations and partly because of the immense respect for a wouldbe mother.
This was my firt case as a duty intern and i was really excited to be a part of this whole process of bringing a new life into the universe. Though as time passed I felt more exhausted than excited. The pain, the screams, the waiting, the tension. Ahh!!
As when I thought I would take a quick ten minutes of power nap while the nurses will keep watch, I heard her scream louder again. Oops!! Crowning. A few staff rushed with the lady to the second stage room while I called up the senior doctor in charge and changed to scrubs. By the time I reached she was already pushing and within a matter of a few seconds the fetus has come out as a beautiful 'GIRL'. She was washed and weighed and was shown to her mommy. A glance at the baby and she asked "is it a boy?". 'Nope, it's a beautiful angel',the nurse replied and then the mom went silent.
For a minute I couldn't realise her reaction. Because I expected her to be excited or at least be happy that she had bring forth a beautiful life into her life after so much of pain and patience. But her reaction was an absolute disappointment!!
We wrapped up the baby in a green sterile towel and took her out to her family. A bunch of people waiting outside came up to the door and eagerly looked at us. Senior doctor announced its a "GIRL". Silence, again! No joy, no words of prayer, nothing. Mere Silence. No one even received the baby until someone from the crowd came up and received the baby for our relief. Because for a fraction of second I thought they were going to abandon 'HER'.
While walking back to the mother I was frustrated as this is not what I have wanted to see after all these hours of rest- less duty and immense waiting. Why do people hate girls? I asked my senior in desperation. "That's a strange curse every girl bears. To be born amidst the people who can neither deny her nor love her".Though she beholds the divine blessing of procreation, the cost of upbringing her is not worth it!! So let's keep sons and let the neighbour keep daughters. Thinks a narrow minded society.

Returning back to the mother, who was now resting finally relieved of all pain, I asked "did your family want a boy?". She looked at me anxiously and asked "why? Did they not receive the baby?". And that answered my question. I felt sorry for the girl child, who is going to be raised just because she was born and will grow up knowing no compassion and will live burying her passions. I felt sorry for the mother who can never love her first born the way she wanted as it's a girl. I felt sorry for the society who will never understand that a daughter is an asset just like or sometimes more than the son. She beholds not just life but also the strength to pull a family together in their sickness and wellness inspite of every insult, every struggle.
She is born to bear. Bear life, pain, hardships, ignorance and what not..Sigh!!

As I retired to my resting room at the end of labour room corridors, I closed my eyes and made a wish " oh good lord please bless me with a girl child".

Author's Note

Hello everyone, this is my first story telling attempt in the public. So bear with me if I fumble and do feel free to give your suggestions and opinions. Thank you :)

Reviews

[Sky Writer]

"That's a strange curse every girl bears. To be born amidst the people who can neither deny her nor love her"
I love that line, I'm pretty sure some Asian civilizations back then can relate since boys always get the "next-head-of-the-family-" title.
As for the story, you did a pretty good job as a whole. :)

[Mind_Reflects]

Thank you :)
Yeah you are right and still in most places boys are the preffered succesors. Sad truth!!