Jeyan’s Birth Story

Dare I say this is my last birth story…Lord willing lol. Anyone who knows me knows my desire for four kids. However, I didn’t think they would come seemingly back to back. After baby number three, J and I had discussions on whether that was the stopping point up until weeks before discovering number four was conceived. I didn’t bother taking a test. I waited 2 months before calling my midwife to let her know I was most likely pregnant. After her confirmation through bloodwork the journey began.

Labor Day

My midwife pin pointed my due date to a Tuesday of 39 weeks based on the pattern of my last few births. On the Monday morning before, I was called to cover a shift at work but declined in order to prepare for the birth. I decided to stay and “nest” as many would call it. While cleaning and preparing I felt uncomfortably swollen in my lady part. I decided to get off my feet and rest. 

Around 4am the next day I started to have contractions. I tapped J and told him Mimi was right the baby is coming today. Around 8 am J decided to drop the kids off and head to work. I remained home with Jubal, our 2 year old son, and continued laboring while logging the time. At this point the contractions were 15 minutes apart. J got home from work around 7pm. I took an evening primrose oil capsule to help increase dilation. Next, we decided to go for a quick neighborhood walk. I informed him things were getting closer as contractions were 7 to 10 minutes apart. After returning home, J started to fully set up our bedroom for the water birth while I continued to labor in our bathtub until my midwife arrived. 

Here’s where things got a little funny. While laboring I was silent with little moaning or squirming, only mediating through each contraction. When I told J to call Mimi he didn’t think I was close enough because I didn’t seem to be in agony. So he waited and tried timing the contractions himself. As he sat next to me I would gently pierce his thigh with my finger as each contraction began. After 3 had past, I asked him for Mimi. He looked at me surprised and confused because he hadn’t clocked any contractions thinking they had somehow slowed down. I couldn’t muster up the energy to get upset so I told him it didn’t matter “…call Mimi!”. 

Once she arrived she checked me before guiding me into the birth tub. A few minutes after I felt the need to push and began doing so. I wasted plenty of time breathing through some of the contractions instead of pushing. I was becoming very anxious so I started crying and begging Mimi to just pull my baby out. I can admit now I was being very dramatic. By 11:01pm my baby boy had entered the earth. In a sigh of relief I exhaled “…thank you Jesus, thank you GOD, thank you Mimi…thank you baby… but WE ARE DONE!!!

After Labor 

Mimi weighed my baby and performed some of the necessary examinations. We delayed the cut of the umbilical cord and its attachment to the placenta. Immediately I began breast feeding my baby and then realized the “fourth” trimester was going to be brutal. The pain did not stop. These uterine contractions known as involution were unbearable. They say the more kids you have the more intense the pain becomes. Breastfeeding stimulates the hormones that help contract the uterus which resulted in the abdominal pain I was experiencing. To help combat the pain I popped over-the-counter pain meds around the clock.

To prevent myself from psychologically slipping into postpartum depression. I tried to keep positive thoughts, I expressed everything I was feeling and needed at the time. I also did not want to be alone at any point. I thought I’d done enough for everything to be over but it seemed there was more to come. 

I also relied on the cultural remedy known as a “Bain”. My mother in law came over to perform our traditional Haitian Postpartum Steam Bath and made hot tea from the same herbs for me to drink. The tradition is said to help increase blood flow to prevent any hemorrhage and help with hormonal balance. I hope to continue this beautiful tradition with my daughter. 

Have you ever heard of or experience the “fourth trimester” of birth? If so what have you heard or how was your experience? Comment down below I would love to know.