Stella’s pregnancy was a combination of my first two. I was really sick the first trimester then felt pretty good the second and really good the last trimester. It just kept getting better. I had just finished my first module at the Artemis School, ending with the full moon on the Summer Solstice and was on a total high from the training. I came back steeped in sensuality, totally connected and turned ON. I was actually a bit sad when I found out I was pregnant because that meant I would not be able to graduate from the program since the baby was due the week of the last module. But my teacher assured me it would all work out and I quickly got excited for number 3.
The kids were so excited too. Most mornings they would ask to watch the “baby video” on the baby center app informing us of baby’s growth progress. Basia was certain she had a baby inside her too and had Yelena, the midwife, check her at every appointment. Just as I started feeling better, the Polish cousins arrived for their 6 month stay. The EDD was a week after their departure day. But both of my first babies came 10 days “early” so there was a good possibility that the baby would arrive before they left. Małgosia, my cousin, and I spent every other Wednesday at the spa taking photos of my growing bump. We really had a great time and got some great photos. We planned to have her take photos at the birth and prayed that the baby would come before they left.
Starting at about 35 weeks, I started to get really crampy Braxton hicks contractions. There was even one night that I dreamed I was in labor and I woke up with intense contraction for about an hour. I just kept telling myself and baby to relax and that it was not time yet. I think I messaged Yelena at least 2 other times telling her about contractions but told her I would settle them down and see her at the next appointment. As the weeks went by we got everything ready. I had all the birth supplies and bags for all of us packed. We prepped the kids about the mini vacation we were taking to Abuelita and Grandpa John’s house. My parents had arrived home from all their trips and I set my intentions for the birth at the full moon circle on Sunday of the week the cousins were scheduled to leave.
The next day (Monday), at 38 weeks pregnant, I taught my regular yoga class and was feeling fantastic. I even said to the students that maybe I would be there to teach the next couple weeks since I felt so great and felt I could be pregnant a lot longer. I was feeling so good that I decided we should go up to Mountain View (an hour away) for the goodbye lunch with all the family which we had not planned on going to. We went to the boat house at shoreline and walked around all the parks and ran around and played. We got back home around 3 and Małgosia and I hung out while the kids rode bikes and played outside. It was a beautiful day. I mentioned to several neighbors that I was feeling great and that maybe baby was going to stay in a bit longer. Then around 4pm I went in to get dinner started.
I started to feel crampy but many times it was in the evenings that I started feeling crampy, so I didn’t really think anything of it. We ate dinner and got the kids to bed. Before I went to sleep I messaged Yelena and told her that I had been having contractions since about 4 but it didn’t seem any different then before and that I would see her at our regular appointment the next day.
At 1:30 AM, I got up to pee and I was still feeling the contractions. They were more intense but still not anything too concerning. I tried to go back to sleep. Then, I figured, since they were coming pretty regularly and not letting me sleep, that I should start timing them so I started using the app on my phone. In the midst of trying to get back to sleep but still timing the contractions, Basia woke up and decided she wanted to sleep in her bunk bed. This is the one and only night she has ever slept there. So crazy. As I got up to get her situated I could tell that the contractions were just getting stronger but I still tried to go back to sleep. I was so tired. And I wanted the midwives and my parents and Steve to sleep. But at 2:30 I looked at the phone and noticed that it said that the contractions were coming about 3 minutes apart. I knew I had to go to my parents. And I knew that once I got up and started moving, it would all move faster.
I woke up Steve and he got all the bags in the car. I drove over to my parents house and unloaded the majority of the bags taking at least 3 trips up and down their 15+ flight of stairs until I couldn’t do it anymore. I got the crock pot out and called Yelena and told her it was time. She heard me breathe through a contraction and said she would be there in about an hour but that Hope, the second midwife, would be there soon. I went upstairs and woke my parents. My dad brought the rest of the bags in and then left for my house so Steve could come. I got all the birth supplies out and tried to get everything in place and ready and my mom helped until I just had to get into the water. I filled the bath and got in and sent a text out to all my sisters awaiting the call. I called and texted Małgosia over and over hoping she would come to take the pictures. It was 3 AM.
It felt so good in the water, but the surges were pretty intense. I totally under estimated how far along I was. Steve arrived and Hope arrived soon after. I was already feeling pushy. I asked Hope when I should get out of the water, and she said I didn’t have to get out of the water. At 3:15, my water broke and we informed Yelena and she heard me through another wave and said to just keep my breath slow to slow it all down. She was on her way! I tried to breath slowly. I kept telling Steve to breathe with me so I could remember what I needed to do. I remember Hope telling me to feel to see if I could feel the head. I reached down to feel but I couldn’t tell. Yelena arrived at about 3:45. I was so happy to see her and she was SO happy she hadn’t missed it.
It was clear that Małgosia was not going to make it, so I asked Steve to go get my mom so she could take some pictures. The moment he left I felt a huge push with the surge and yelled for Steve to come back. I didn’t want him to miss it. He came running back and the head came out. I remember thinking about all the water birth videos I had seen where the baby’s head is just hanging out of the mama under water. It felt like a really long time until the next surge came and the body came out. I reached down to grab my baby, it was 3:51 AM. It was totally surreal. I brought her up to my chest and we checked if it was a boy or a girl and it felt so good to finally know and I was so excited to be able to use the name Stella Risa, laughter of the stars. And it was so perfect that our little Pisces was born in the water. It felt so complete and perfect.
They helped me out of the tub and I delivered the placenta on the birth stool. Then we moved to the bed to rest, Stella nursed the whole time. We got to sleep soon after all the normal new born weighing and checking. I woke up to the sounds of Leonardo and Basia coming up the stairs. They were so excited to see their baby sister. And that was that, I was a mother of 3, we were a family of 5, and there was so much LOVE.
