Bethenny Frankel has spent the entire season preparing for marriage and motherhood, and now motherhood has apparently decided to arrive ahead of schedule.
With only a few weeks left before her due date, Bethenny is beginning to realize that she might not be quite as prepared for the baby as she thought. She’s got the nursery, the business, the assistants, and approximately 47 other things to manage, but there’s one small problem: she doesn’t actually know how to take care of a newborn.
Enter Rosie Pope, maternity guru and professional baby-preparation expert.
Bethenny signs up for a crash course in childcare, learning everything from infant CPR to the proper way to install a car seat. The car seat, in particular, becomes an engineering challenge. Bethenny has written bestselling books and built a business empire, but apparently attaching a baby seat to a car is where the wheels come off.
She also meets with a new mother to ask some important questions about what life is actually going to look like once the baby arrives. Will she ever sleep again? Will she ever have time to herself? Is there any possibility of maintaining her current lifestyle?
The answers are not especially encouraging.
Meanwhile, Bethenny is still trying to keep her staff functioning. Max is getting some attention of his own, and Bethenny offers him advice about picking up women. Because nothing says professional development like relationship coaching from your boss.
But the real emergency is about to begin.
During the childcare class, Bethenny’s water breaks. Four weeks before her due date. The baby has apparently decided that the nursery is sufficiently decorated and the car seat has been adequately tested. Time to go.
Jason immediately goes into action, calling his parents and preparing to get Bethenny to the hospital. Back at Bethenny HQ, Julie and Max scramble to organize everything. Suddenly, all those baby preparations become very real, very quickly.
There’s a flurry of activity as everyone tries to get ready. Bethenny and Jason even manage to squeeze in a shower before heading to Lenox Hill Hospital. Priorities, people.
Bethenny is also very clear that she doesn’t want the baby news broadcast to the entire world. She tells Jason not to call everyone, hoping to avoid the media circus that could accompany the arrival of their daughter.
At the hospital, the labor begins, and Bethenny discovers that contractions are considerably less entertaining than wedding planning. She tries to manage the pain, Jason tries to support her, and the hours start piling up.
There are snacks, phone calls, medical decisions, and plenty of opportunities for Bethenny to express exactly how she feels about the whole experience. At one point, she wonders how teenage girls manage to give birth in bathroom stalls. It’s a reasonable question under the circumstances.
After some deliberation, Bethenny opts for an epidural, which initially seems like a wonderful development. Finally, some relief! The two soon manage to get a little rest, although the medical team eventually determines that a C-section is necessary.
And then it’s time.
After all the anticipation, the preparations, the wedding, the honeymoon, and the countless discussions about becoming parents, Bethenny and Jason are finally about to meet their daughter.
Baby Bryn is on her way.
The woman who has spent the entire season trying to control every possible detail of her life is about to encounter the one experience that absolutely refuses to follow a spreadsheet.
Bryn Hoppy has officially decided that she doesn’t need to wait for her scheduled arrival.
And Bethenny’s next chapter is about to begin.
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