February 6th, 2018:

1:30AM:

I woke up with contractions, 10 minutes apart. I had been having so many false labour signs prior to this, that I didn’t think anything of it. I went back to sleep but knew in my gut that this was it. I’m fine.

3:30AM:

These contractions that were 10 minutes apart, instantly went to 5 minutes apart. Knowing that I wasn’t to call my midwife until my contractions were 4 minutes apart, and 1 minute long, I still gave her a call since the time between them drastically decreased. Of course, she reminded me I needed to wait it out.

For those who don’t know how the midwifes process work, they come to you when your contractions are 4 minutes apart, give you an exam, then you go to the hospital together. My midwife had an hour drive to my house, and then we had an hour drive to the Almonte hospital where I was to deliver. So, even if I wasn’t ready, we still had TWO hours of traveling to consider.

4:00AM:

I walked around the house, showered and shaved my legs, had ALL of the active labour signs happen within 5 minutes, but still told Jeremy to go back to bed since “I was fine.”

6:00AM:

I called my midwife telling her I was going to the hospital. Again, she reminded me that I was fine and to continue to wait it out as “first births aren’t this fast”. I told her I was definitely ready to go to the hospital, but she insisted I wait, considering I was speaking to her through my contractions. I had EXTREMELY intense back labour, so I wasn’t even timing my contractions because they felt like nothing to me. They could have been 1 minute apart at this time, but since I sounded fine, she said I was.

“I have an extremely high pain tolerance, but I know I’m ready to go”

“Call me when it needs to be Jeremy calling me, because you’re on the floor”

For those who know me, know that would never happen. I can take care of me.

7:30AM:

I finally stood up and started walking to the car, but the second I sat down in the car, my body started pushing on its own. My back labour was SO bad I couldn’t even sit down anyways. Jeremy called my mom because I think he was mortified of the noises that were coming out of me, and the midwife to tell her I was having him on the floor now. She hoped in her and was on her way, but I knew she wouldn’t make it.

8:00AM:

My mom arrived to my house, and my water exploded. Not leaked, not broke, literally exploded. Jeremy was on the phone with my midwife, and my mom with 911, because apparently I was “not fine” and they were being given instructions on how to birth this baby themselves.

“Jeremy, get string”

I remember laying on my floor with my mom on one side of me, Jeremy on the other, and saying “mom, I’m the calmest one here right now”. I thought it was super cool my mom + husband were going to birth my child even though my mother kept chanting “we cannot do this ourselves” LOL.

8:13AM:

The paramedics arrived and begged me to go to the hospital. I was totally content with birthing my baby on my living room floor, because I was a little too calm. After asking for the 4th time, I said fine, if you can get me in the ambulance then I’ll go. They picked me up off the floor, and we made our way.

Driving to the hospital, the paramedics kept reminding me that I still had at least an hour, and joked about having time to stop for coffee. By this point I just gave up on telling people how I felt because apparently birth is a checklist and what you’re feeling means nothing because you haven’t had a baby before. An hour, ya. I’m literally doing kegals to keep this baby in, but okay.

8:40AM:

We arrive to the Smiths Falls hospital {there was no way my body was going to make it to Almonte} and I’m rushed upstairs. My midwife met us there, but wasn’t able to deliver my baby since they don’t have access at this hospital. Everyone confused as to who this screaming pregnant lady is, since I had all of my appointments in Almonte. I remember them picking up the corners of the blanket I was laying out and putting me from the stretcher, to the hospital bed. A nurse started taking off my shirt and I was like NO, NOW. They peeked under the blanket and was shocked to see I actually was ready and went “Okay!! Just give me one big push!!”

8:44AM:

Our beautiful baby boy was born. Bentley Jay. Weighing 6lb 13oz and 20 inches long.

February 6th, 2019:

20lbs. 29 inches. Happy 1st birthday to the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me. I would fully labour you on a dog haired living room floor, on my bed duvet, totally alone without a single exam during the process, to being thrown in an ambulance to have a random nurse I’ve never seen before catch you on your way out, a million times over if it meant I got to be your mom. Love you buddy <3

{of course crying the whole time writing this so hopefully it makes sense since I couldn't see through the tears hahah}

Bentley Jay || Newborn || 3 Months || 7 Months || 9 Months || 12 Months