That moment, that very moment, when the culmination of everything I had meditated for…..everything I knew I was capable of…..became a reality. Heather O’Neill was born in Fort McMurray in 1983 to Kelly & Luke O’Neill. Luke was a steamfitter with Syncrude and they lived in Abasand. Kelly had three daughters (Christine, Heather & Stacey) under Dr. Wong, right here at Northern Lights. Heather’s roots began here and so did her family’s. After 10 years, her Mother and Father moved back to Ontario to be closer to their extended family, but they never forgot the booming town that gave them their start in life. Her father, Luke, is set to retire next year after 30 years with Sanofi Pasteur in the greater Toronto area, where he was able to transition his steamfitting trade. Heather met her partner, Jake Chester, on New Year’s of 2009/2010. He was at the tail end of a week of celebratory homecoming from his last tour in Afghanistan. They fell deeply in love. When they conceived their first child, an opportunity came for Jake to work as a firefighter in Fort McMurray. They were thrilled to be returning to the same place where Heather had been born, and now where their son would share the same birth certificate! Jake works for Nexen out at Long Lake and Heather is our Head Doula of Higher Health Doula Cooperative and a Yoga Instructor with Higher Health Yoga & Wellness. Here is the story of the birth of their second child this past week on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014 @ 11:18 a.m.! “On the day you were born!” Dearest little one, as I sit here in the weeks prior to your arrival, I am reminded of how precious life is. At night, I find myself listening to my heart thud and pump blood, giving my placenta life which is helping you to finish growing. Soon we will be separated by blood and vitality (my Qi) and all that we will have will be sound (your cry and attempts to communicate and my voice/ujjayi breathing to soothe you), taste (my milk will nourish your growth), sight (we will stare into one another’s eyes and you will carefully watch myself, your father and your brother), smell (I will lovingly nuzzle your scent and you will recognize mine) and touch (I will place you skin to skin as often as possible). I promise to nourish all 5 of your senses my love. Your Father and I welcomed your brother less than 2 years ago. His birth was fast and beautiful. Just like him. He often lays in the rocker in his room with me, a hand on my belly and feels your movements and kicks. His little mouth cracks crooked smiles of excitement and he inhales as he goes “Huhhh” and his big eyes grow wide with your movements. It is some of my absolute favourite moments with him. You and he will be great friends, I already know this. He is an old soul at heart. He loves to jibber jabber on, read pensively and quietly, run quickly and excitedly and he has a mischievous and dare devilish demeanour. You will learn much from your brother, and your father and I are so excited, for your growth together in our family. His pregnancy was easy, yours, my love, got off to a rough start. I was very sick with you through the first (and even part of our second) trimester. Don’t worry, this is a good thing, studies say so. It just means that there was a great surge of hormones helping my placenta and my body to build you. I was often sick to my stomach, and while your father was away much at work, your brother often witnessed my nausea and subsequent vomiting. I can’t wait to re-enact the stories of your brother pretend gagging into toilets. It was really quite funny and the laughter often helped me to overcome my nausea a little easier. You have been MUCH more active than your brother. I think because my life has been that much busier. You are easily quieted though. I am a Yoga Teacher and a Doula and these two traits have served both of us well. I often meditate, breathing slowly to soothe you. Sharing my positive thoughts, relaxed brain waves and deep breath to calm you and let you know that everything is ok. You respond to the sound of your Father’s voice at night vigorously. It’s as if you missed him as much as I did while he was away at work. He loves to put his hand on my belly and feel your movements. He too can’t believe how busy you are! As we approach the end of my pregnancy with you, we are so EXCITED to meet you and find out who you are. I must cease writing until then, as there will be much detail about the day of your birth and the first few days of your life, which I must capture for your story. On the evening of September 22nd, your Dad and I had pretty much completely finished our “To do list before baby”. I had just put the lid on the pot of your Grandmother’s soup and stored it in the fridge in the garage. We had stockpiled soups and sweets for my postpartum and I felt completely ready to welcome you. I went to bed with your Dad and said that I was feeling like things may happen…and that if they did, he was not going to work. As your Dad slept, I felt rushes emerge from what had been weeks of strong Braxton Hicks. I used my yoga breathing and I soothed myself to sleep until your Dad’s alarm went off for work @ 4:30 a.m. – immediately prompting me to tell him to call it in – he wasn’t going to make it…..because you were on your way. I decided not to get up for some time, as I was trying to stay calm and relaxed since it was the wee hours of the morning, and we were needing to get someone to the house to care for your brother. I was worried about leaving Jaxon. I don’t spend a lot of time away from him and the thought is always hard for me. We began to line up his care and I began to busy myself to enjoy rushes as they came and went. Your Dad and I excitedly tidied the house and finished our packing. He busied with Jaxon throughout the morning while I enjoyed rushes, listening to one of our favourite albums on the living room surround sound, Drake’s “Nothing was the Same”. By 9:30 a.m. my body was picking up slightly, but I still thought I had time. Around 10:00 a.m., I started to get a little lucid. I laid down on the couch and actually napped between a few rushes. When I awoke just after 10:30 a.m., I told your Dad I was going for a bath. He was adamant that I had endured rushes every 4-5 mins for the past half hour and that we should get ready to go. I told him I would go run a quick bath and call the sitter to come over, Genna Sharp, a woman I trusted and loved and who I knew would take good care of your brother. I wasn’t really making sense. I was yawning and a little bit out of it. As I went into the bathroom upstairs, I felt a surge of stuff release from my body. I had been waiting to see a great deal of mucous plug, like when I had your brother. I had lost his plug for 3 days before his labour came on. I think this is what was holding me back from leaving for the hospital, as I thought I needed to see that to ensure you were on your way. As I looked down, I panicked. Your whole plug along with bloody show was staring at me. And I as I moved through another rush, I felt a great deal of pressure. I yelled for your Dad and he went into emergency preparedness mode. He had already started the car. He had it packed. He was calm in the face of my rapidly evolving labour. He used a low and slow voice and he got me downstairs and ready to leave. Two minutes before Genna arrived, my water broke in the front hall. You were COMING! It was a very warm September day for the first day of fall. Your Dad and I put the windows down in the Cadillac as I was sweating and I stuck one foot out the window towards the rear view mirror. I gripped your Dad’s bicep with my left hand as he drove fast and furious to the hospital. When we pulled up Dukes of Hazard style (as your Dad calls it) your Doula. Meranda Bos, was waiting outside emergency. She had gone ahead of us when I had “got quiet” via txt, because she is a woman who has incredible intuition. She was an absolute trusted and much needed partner in your birth. She helped guide me through the emergency entrance and down through the lobby as I tried desperately not to push, but you were literally falling out of me. We approached the center of the lobby and I could feel your head crowning. Instinctually, I tried to drop my pants. Meranda held onto me and even placed a hand on your head. When I think about how calm she remained in this situation, we really cannot thank her enough. A wheelchair was placed under me and I was whipped up to the 2nd floor. As we turned a corner, my wheelchair crashed. I was quickly put back on course and was headed for my room, which Meranda had alerted the nurses to prepare, since I was likely going to arrive ready to give birth (seriously, how did she know??). As I stood, I tried to pull my pants off and this time Meranda helped. I crawled on the bed and all I could think was how sorry I was that I waited so long at home, how much pressure and quick action I had put on so many people and how your Dad (who had to register) was going to miss your birth. I cried out that “Jake is going to miss it”. He had rushed so fast, leaving his car outside emerg (which security actually ended up parking for him), and so he had been right behind us. Everyone cried out “no he isn’t!”. He came close to me and repeated he was there. I could now do it. I pushed and felt your head emerg. I pushed again and felt your shoulders and body emerg. The nurse, who had used a facecloth on me in Jaxon’s birth (little details I put together later), told me to turn over and meet my baby. I quickly did so and pulled you to my chest. Your Dad announced you were a GIRL!!! That moment, that very moment, when the culmination of everything I had meditated for…..everything I knew I was capable of…..became a reality. You were creamy, creamy white with vernix and so very lovely. We named you promptly. Hannah Gloria Chester, each name coming from a grandmother on both sides of your family. In these days postpartum, you are an absolute joy. You sleep long lulls, love to feed and caress me and you cuddle with your Dad at every chance. You look at us with adoring eyes and a mind that seems so peaceful and yet so inquisitive. Your brother loves you. He says, “Baby! Baby!” when he sees you. He likes to hold you and rub your head. Though occasionally when he’s in a playful mood, he throws a toy your way, almost expecting you to play with him. I’m pretty good at playing goalie and making sure you don’t get hit!!! He also tries to pick you up as if you were a doll. It’s always very gentle and very sweet. We are so excited to watch you grow. We can only hope you have your Father’s courage, kindness, calmness, sense of urgency and timing….and that you have my free spirit, loving heart and trust in all that happens as it comes. We love you always and we couldn’t be more thankful for your safe arrival into our lives. We have many thank you’s to say to those who contributed to your birth preparation and who mean a great deal to us: - Dorothy Guerra of the Yoga Birth Method for all that she taught me and that I am able to teach to others - Chad & Amanda Gergely for founding a Doula Cooperative through Higher Health Clinic, without which, we never would have had the opportunity to have Meranda attend our birth - Amanda Gergely specifically for all the wonderful prenatal acupuncture treatments. I now fully understand what the term “acu birth” means!!! Thank you for also coming to our home postpartum and moxa’ing my uterus while Hannah slept. Those moments are very special to me! - Meranda Bos for being the amazing and incredible person, mother and Doula you are. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Jake and I love you very much!! - Kayla Lushman for being by my side in hospital. Your presence is so calm and warming. Thank you for just being there, the mark of a great Doula! - Genna Sharp & sweet little Ty for caring for Jaxon! We love you!!! - All the Doulas of the Doula Cooperative for their love and support leading up to Hannah’s birth (especially the thoughtful dinner/shower!). You are all amazing women and I am so grateful to know each and every one of you! - Sierra Troutman of Belly Bubbles for everything. Especially for the birth bracelet that touched my heart and that I wore proudly as I worked through welcoming our daughter. - Jackie Watters, Jen Ahern & Rachel Leggett for their incredible prenatal massages @ Higher Health Clinic - Connie Legate & Laura Laforge for taking such good care of Jake - Doctor Onwukwe and Nurse Cinnamon for all their excellent prenatal care. Cinnamon especially, you are a wonderful woman and I am so thankful to have had your support prior to both of the birth of my children. Please become a midwife!....lol - Dr. Phiri (my OB) for his dry humour, always being so thorough and for respectfully considering all of my wishes - Dr. Rhemtula for visiting me (us) during an NST, sitting at my feet and always having the BEST bedside manner a patient could ask for! - Dr. Khan (resident) and Dr. Javed for attending to our birth and my after care. You are both so wonderful. - All the Nurses of Northern Lights Maternity/Child ward for all you do each and every day. You know how much I appreciate your support!!! - Designer Tips Nail Studio for making me feel like a princess in my spa treatments before birth - Laurie Spa for her amazing esthetics, kindness and funny demeanour!! - Courtney Long of Luminous Designs Photography for the absolutely INCREDIBLE birth photos! Thank you for memories that will last a lifetime! You are so wonderfully talented!!! - Nexen Emergency Services for all of their support and the basket of goodies from Chocolates & Candlelight that Jake and I devoured on our second night at home with our newborn! You are a wonderful team of Firefighters and we are grateful to be a part of the Nexen Family! Last and most certainly not least, to all of our friends, family and colleagues for your support! All of you make our life rich and full with laughter and love. Thank you for your unwavering support as we look forward to many memories together in the future with our new little family and dear sweet babes – Jaxon & Hannah! Xoxo My only wish through this birth story is that more women seek the supportive care they need to believe in themselves and enjoy pregnancy and birth (however it may unfold). Get a doula, book massages, go for acupuncture and commit to yoga and meditation. Each has supported my self-care, relationships, my prenatal and my postpartum in ways which will forever having a lasting impact in my family. Find what ignites your regime for self-care and follow it, so that in turn you can pour your energy into what matters most. Namaste.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:00:39 +0000
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