Birth story? Well obviously! Here it is!
Prior to her arrival, I was having sporadic contractions for a couple days. They were mostly in the evening and I was able to time them but they were far from regular and frequent.
However, the morning of the 20th, I was laying in bed and I was timing them at 12-15 minutes. (Gee, doesn’t this sound familiar?...)
By 8 am, I texted Jenn to give her a heads up and that I’d keep her posted. She was at another birth so we were hoping mine would wait out a little. I told her I’d keep my legs crossed! Sure enough, shortly after our brief conversation, my contractions subsided a bit. Jenn could go get some rest and I had some things to do! Easter was the next day, after all... also I wasn’t sure how I felt about my baby being born on 4/20 anyway :P
However, my break from my contractions was short lived. Around 11/11:30, we went for a family walk and this time they picked up again, now around 10 minutes apart. When we got home, we made the kids a quick lunch, put Theo down for his nap, and the girls wanted to play outside with our neighbours' daughter.
However, my break from my contractions was short lived. Around 11/11:30, we went for a family walk and this time they picked up again, now around 10 minutes apart. When we got home, we made the kids a quick lunch, put Theo down for his nap, and the girls wanted to play outside with our neighbours' daughter.
I promised them that we would dye our Easter eggs that weekend so they asked me if they could do that with their friend. I set them up with the dyes, eggs and everything else and they went at it! And yes, I was still in early labour... (I had to pass the time somehow right?) They all seemed to have fun but the contractions were getting more frequent (now at 6-7 minutes apart) and also more intense and I felt a strong urge to go shower in hopes to get some relief. The shower felt better but the contractions and the intensity did not subside.
Around 2:45 pm, I informed my midwife that they were more intense and definitely more uncomfortable but I could still talk through them. We agreed to call my mum to pick up the other kidlets because last time picked up quick after they were taken care of.
And we needed the contractions so I couldn't talk through them and she suggested that I walk up and down the stairs to keep the progression.
And so I did. And I didn't make it very far! From the main floor, I walked down to the basement... to the top floor... and then back to the main floor and now they were 3-4 minutes apart and were consistently like that for about 45 minutes.
At this point, the kids were gone and I told Jenn that (and I quote) "The intensity is a bit higher now. I can talk through them but I think I always can talk through them. I also kinda want to screech through them."
Sooo by 4:00, Jenn was on her way.
I told Justin to get the pool ready. (Whoops, we almost forgot about that part.) We did a trial run a week before to make sure it would be all good to set up but when it came time to put water in it, it was a bit of a different story. We have weird European taps so the adaptors that came with the kit didn't fit. So Justin whipped up some contraption with tubes and such but he forgot to tighten them before he turned the water on and so there was some sprayage (is that even a word??) and puddles on our kitchen floor.
Also, the hose couldn't be left unattended in the pool or the pressure would cause the hose to fly all about, spraying our living room. Let's just say that our living room got a nice shower that day... More than once. 😳
Jenn arrived by 4:45 pm. After she set up her equipment, she checked my cervix and I was 7 cm. I decided to labour some more on land because last time I was quite bored in the pool waiting to progress. I walked around the kitchen island for what seemed like a billion times and by 5:30 pm I got into the pool.
Oh. My. Spa. I love the water. It really is nature's best pain relief.
I don't really remember much of what happened next. Everything was under complete control and I felt very confident with how it was all playing out. I was also very tired. I was actually dozing off in between contractions! This was new.
I was breathing through every contraction, and I was still waiting for my membranes to rupture. With my other deliveries, I knew once my water broke, I would have a wee break to recollect myself and then another contraction. With that contraction, the baby drops, crowns and comes out. So I was anticipating this moment.
However, I did not have that wee break. With one ginormous contraction, my membranes ruptured, baby dropped and came out. BOOM BOOM BOOM. I didn't even push.
And I knew I tore. I could feel a sting. Also, my babies' cords tend to be quite short, so as I was waiting for the placenta to deliver, there was a bit of a tug on my ladyness. Which was....Ouch. 😣
But she was here and she was amazing.
I went upstairs to shower and then Jenn checked to see the damage. It was pretty bad. But not "you-have-to-go-to-the-hospital-because-your-ladybits-exploded" bad. Thank goodness. She sutured me up pretty good. I was so tired though. I think I lost a lot of blood and my legs were shaking really bad while she was suturing. I even felt faint in the shower and when I tried put my sopping hair in a quick braid, just that motion almost made me black out. I had to take a break on the bed. Another first. It was weird.
I also almost fell asleep talking to Amy on the phone while I was trying to tell her the birth story. Which I’m probably going to have retell because I have no idea what I told her.
Anyways, besides the tear, it was another amazing and peaceful water birth. And, not toot my own horn, I am so flipping proud of myself. I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have had to welcome FOUR human beings to this world in this way.
We welcomed baby Maia Willow Boisvert on 20 April 2019 @ 6:23 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and was 21.25 inches long (my biggest baby!) Our perfect Easter gift!
(and yes, this time the ultrasound was right)
