Anyone who's given birth knows that a first childbirth is often not easy.
Some women endure three days and nights of labor before delivering.
Qu Fulan herself has never given birth, but she's seen how difficult it can be. Take Ren Hua, for example; she was in pain for a day and night before her child was born.
Fulan doesn't know how long hers will take.
The pain began subtly one afternoon, and experienced mothers advised her to eat more to gather strength for the delivery, warning that as the pain intensified, eating would become impossible.
Yet such advice, while easy to give, is challenging to follow.
She couldn't manage to eat much; she had no appetite at all.
But Fulan knew she couldn't be wilful, and forcibly made herself eat a considerable amount.
As night approached, the pain became excruciating.
She thought she could deliver, but the midwife informed her that she was only dilated one fingerbreadth, needing to reach ten before she could give birth.
