It's a Boy!

Since Chrysalis's parents, Farjah and Marjah, and younger brother, Brarjah arrived, the place has been a hive of activity. It felt like we were in constant motion for two days, driving around the island, shopping, having visitors...

Chrysalis was having regular braxton-hicks contractions through it all, but she seemed like she still had at least a few days if not a week to go. But Chrysalis came and woke me up a bit before 2am this morning, saying that she thought she was in labour.

Of course, my first thought was, "yeah, maybe she's in early labour, but the best bet is to go get some rest while there's still some time". I told Chrysalis as much and she went to wake up Marjah.

I tried to nap for a bit, but within a few minutes I could hear Chrysalis groaning through a contraction, and realised that it was indeed the real thing!

She had pretty much jumped right into a fast flowing active labour, with contractions coming three minutes apart and rapidly increasing. She instinctively got herself into an open-knee chest position, on the tiles in the bathroom doorway

After a little while on the floor, Marjah and I got her into the bed, I was keeping busy checking the fetal heart rate, setting up the birth kit and helping Farjah to fill up the birth pool while Marjah was supporting Chrysalis.

After maybe an hour, the contractions were getting under two minutes apart and lasting around 80 seconds, so we got Chrysalis to turn around to check the baby's heart. All was going fine, and she was coping really well. When Farjah said the birth pool was full, Chrysalis jumped up and ran to it... instant relief.

Well, just for a moment. Though getting into the pool helped Chrysalis to relax, the contractions were soon coming hard and fast again, and she started sounding pushy.

(note the swanky birth pool a friend lent to Chrysalis!

Chrysalis was in transition already, and needed our full attention. within about half an hour, she said she could feel the baby's head coming down, and lo! A healthy little boy was born :) at 4:06am, on the 3rd of April.

He came out so fast, and was swimming under the water for a few moments before Chrysalis brought him up. He was breathing on his own and absolutely fine and healthy - after just over two hours of labour!

Littletree had woken up and sat quietly to watch, and Kesem had arrived with a friend just in the nick of time to see the birth.

Chrysalis got out of the pool to birth the placenta, and we got her into bed to rest and clean up.

Chrysalis got to eat some mashed potatoes while Marjah held her new grandson. Littletree and Kesem fell asleep while I assessed Chrysalis for tears and blood loss, checked her blood pressure and made sure her womb was contracting.

Chrysalis' blood pressure was getting on the low side, and she'd lost a bit of blood, so we made her an energising high-protien smoothie, which really helped to pick her up again

Then we spent the rest of the day chilling, cleaning up, and revelling in the gorgeousness of the new baby boy