Delivering article after wife returned (8)

I believe the answer is:

birthing

'delivering' is the definition.
('birth' can be a synonym of 'deliver')

'article after wife returned' is the wordplay.
'article' becomes 'thing' (I've seen this before).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'wife' becomes 'rib'.
'returned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'rib' in reverse letter order is 'bir'.
'thing' after 'bir' is 'BIRTHING'.

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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