Évelyne Julie Lefebvre
A birth story

Where to start. Well, I was due october 8th (Friday), but nothin’ was happening then. The next day (satiurday) I had a few contractions but nothing regular, just enough to get us all anxious. Then nothing until Monday afternoon. At around 3:00PM I started timing BH contractions, as they didn’t hurt, they we’re just consistently coming back. This went on until about midnight, when they started hurting a little. This is a little confusing to me as I don’t know if it was actually the contraction that hurt or the fact that after each contraction I would have back pain.

I kept timing them for the next 3 hours. At 3:00 AM I decided it was time to call labor and delivery and see at what point they wanted me to come in. The nurse told me the contractions had to be less than 5 minutes apart for 2 hours before I could be checked in. Being as they we’re still 6-7 minutes apart, we waited still. From 4 ’till 5AM, I got really excited because they had now been 5 minutes apart for the whole hour, but then they went back to 8, then 7, 6, 5, 8, 7, 6, 5. At which point I was completly frustrated, crying because this wasn’t going anywhere and I was exhausted as now it was 6AM. I went back to bed (my Lay-z-boy) and tried to sleep. I kept waking up at every contraction but may have had a couple minutes sleep in there.

When DH alarm came on, (I let him sleep so he could be there for me in the morning) I promptly told him he wasn’t going into work. That I really needed him to help with the pain. So from 7Am to 10AM he proceeded to strongly massage my back and put heat on it when the contraction started and especially at the end with the back pain. At 10AM he decided it may be a good idea to eat breakfast and prep himself a lunch to bring with him to the hospital. I then got up to eat myself as I was mildly hungry. Half an hour later I went to the bathroom to pee and lo and behold, mucus with a tinge of blood! On top of that, just the walking around to eat and go pee made the contractions come every 2-3 minutes as opposed to 5-6 minutes they’d been since 7AM. I then called back L&D and they said to come on in. I think it took less than 20 minutes to get everything and leave, most of our things we’re already in the car.

Around 10 - 10:30 I’m checked in and get something to get a good BM. (enema??) I’m so happy for that, it meant no poop on the table, and boy did it make me feel better. At 12:30 my Dr decided they should rupture my membranes as it hadn’t happened yet, so the on call resident proceeded to do so. I was pretty ok with the pain from check-in until they broke my water, after that the contractions intensified or I should say, the back pain after the contraction intensified to the point I thought I was going to pass out. I asked for the epidural. I think the guy was there and done inside 20 minutes, but heck was that the longest 20 minutes of my life! Somewhere in there they started me on Pitocin because my contractions weren’t strong enough to dilate me enough. I think I got the epidural I was barely 2 cm and 80% effaced (something like that). They usually wait until 4cm before giving the epidural, but I couldn’t take anymore.

During the afternoon, they had to stop the pitocin because they’re wouldn’t be a resident in the hospital until 5pm. So they started it up again at 5. Things weren’t progressing very fast with my nurse. While she went to eat supper, the head nurse came in and decided she was going to do it her way, upping the meds more, even though Évelyne’s HB went down after the contractions. It got the other nurse fuming, and me stressed. But it still had the desired effect because in about an hour I had openned up a few cm. By 9PM I was almost 10 and completly effaced. By then my Dr had shown up and decided it was time to push. The on call resident (a defferent one) was also there. I pushed for an hour, and it was really hard pushing at the right place, because they never stopped the epidural. They had to cut twice, once down and then diagonnaly so I wouldn’t tear.

At 9:54 Évelyne was born. Yannick (DH) was supposed to pull her out and on top of me, but the Dr’s hesitated about what to do with the cord as it was around her neck. Yannick got confused but snapped out of it in time to cut the cord. He was a trouper. The coolest thing is she really started wailing at this point and Yannick took out his “Oh Baby the places you’ll go (in utero)” book he’d been reading since father’s day and started reading it to her. She stopped crying instantly and was very aware that this was something she recognized.

All in all, a very good delivery.

Well, this is the “last week”. I’ll be 40 weeks pregnant this friday. Of course, we must all keep in mind that this “date” is only a formality, since it’s still all up to her and my body as to when she’ll be joining us.

I have been feeling a little crampy, mostly yesterday. I think I might have had a few contractions during the day yesterday, but since this is my first time, there is really no way to be sure. Of course I have a Dr. appointment later this afternoon, so if they we’re contractions, I should have made a little more progress then at my last appointment. Heres for hoping! This is technically my last appointment. If nothing seems to be happening, I’m thinking she’ll tell me to take another one for next week. As for induction, they want to wait untill I’m 41 weeks, they say many mothers go into spontaneous labor between the 40th and 41st week.

We’re both, DH (Dear Husband) and I getting anxious to meet our daughter. This is still surreal, I’m guessing that reality will hit like a train once labor starts. Especially since so many other mother’s from my support group on Babycenter have been having babies lately. I think there are offially 22 new mommies as of today, but I know a few are still MIA (Missing In Action) and 2 are in labor or still at the hospital as I type. This makes the hype feeling of wanting our little one a little more urgent.

I’ll be blessed with my sister’s visit sometime after the birth, she’ll be spending a few days here to help and of course to meet her niece! I have no clue about the rest of the family, just remembered I wanted to ask my mother about my dad’s parents. Being a long weekend ahead, there supposed to be making a visit. There coming from a little far away, I wish they’d waited ’till she was here, since they might miss her alltogether if she’s not here yet. Oh well, she isn’t going anywhere afterwards, so they’ll have plenty of time to visit another time if thats the case.

Only 2 days to go until friday. Wonder how long she’s going to make us wait, a real lady already! Must take after me if she’s late, after her father if she’s early or in time!

Well, haven’t written much in the last month. Finished work at the end of august, and been home getting things ready and running errands ever since. Busy, busy. I’ve had internal exams my last 3 visits, and although I’d progressed the second time, sadly nothing new happened for my last visit. The Dr did reassure me saying it doesn’t rule out spontaneous labor. So I could deliver anyday. Of course, I haven’t had any other symptoms since my last progress. I’m thinking she must be very comfortable in there. Other than that, I guess the waiting game has started. Everything is pretty much ready for her to arrive.

I have to mention I’m very glad to have a great big online pumpkin mommies family to get support. Especially since these last few weeks are very emotionnal, in part because we all really want to be mommies soon, but at the same time we’re all a little anxious about actually being responsible for another human being. The feeling of not being the only one to get all weeppy over everything is the best. Thank you all for your support ladies

Hey hey! I’m already up to 32 weeks Yesterday we had a routine ultrasound. Our little girl is measuring just right and they estimated her weight to be approximately 4 lbs. I also finally found out why it is I seem to be feeling her move almost in my back when I’m sleeping on my left side. She’s sleeping sideways herself. She’s head down, but her back is to my right side and her hands and feet on my left. It also explains why only my left side seems to move so much when she starts dancing in there. I also posted an U/S picture in our photo album. It’s a picture of her profile (head) her nose is the little bump at the top.

Other than that, things are pretty calm still. I’m getting anxious to buy stuff for her. My last day of work before maternity leave is the 3rd of september, so then I should have enough time to finish getting everything ready. I’m just exited to go buy stuff specifically for her. I haven’t bought any clothing or toys or anything yet. And I’ve been seeing sooooo much stuff, I just couldn’t buy it though. As if it’s too early or something.

Anyway, we still have 2 prenatal classes to attend. I have to admit, the last one we went to was VERY informational, it was about breastfeeding. There are so many little things you don’t think about that can really help and are really easy to do. I hope it’ll be easy and natural, like everything else I guess

Time sure flies. Already at 29 weeks. Seems like just yesterday I found out. Only 11 weeks left, give or take. Right now this pregnancy is very uneventfull, which is perfectly fine by me. Little Évelyne is rocking around in my tummy. I keep stopping whatever I’m doing to simply watch my belly move around. Sometimes it’s kicks but nowadays, it’s mostly turning around that I feel. I guess she’s starting to run out of space to actullay kick or punch.
Next Doctor’s appointment is wednesday, I can’t bare to hear them tell me I’ve put on too much weight. Although they haven’t said anything up until now, I’m just hoping it’s because I’m eating too much or retaining alot of water. Still wearing my wedding ring though, which was tight to begin with. A well, can’t do much about the weight I’ve put on so far, as long as it’s not putting her in any kind of trouble. I should also get my glucose test results. Let’s hope for the best and that I don’t have to worry about anything more than just extra weight, water or otherwise.