Monday, November 9. It's 2am, we are in Tignes. We arrived the night before, Alexis trains for one week for the BE Ski Alpine. We have a lovely little apartment in which we are already installed. But just hours later, contractions lacerate my lower abdomen every 7 minutes. I was squirming on the spot, which eventually wake up Alexis. I told him that the contractions are painful, not really as usual, but you never know, maybe a false alarm. I'll take a hot shower to see if they stop. Meanwhile, Alexis wrote notes on his I-pod "Gaëlle contractions, Mini Rodrigoux Will it happen today? . The shower diminish anything. But I suggest we wait again. Alexis falls asleep, I, I can not. At 6am, it's always the same. We decide to store the apartment. The snow, it will be for later.
6:30, I sit on the seat of the car, covered with a tarp and a sheet; we still had planned it! It left for the long descent of Tignes. Bourg-Saint-Maurice "It's alright, we continue or we stop here to maternity? . No emergency, the next point in Albertville. At this stage, always the same regularity and the same intensity. It was therefore decided to continue and go through Hery-sur-Ugine, because the Arly Gorge are closed. That's our luck. We take a shortcut that ends in a cul de sac, turn around. Then overtaking a truck and a convoy exceptional ... There are times ... And once in the gorge, the next pregnancy is Sallanches! We called our parents to put aware. The midwife, Elizabeth, who has to come home delivery (AAD) is also on the alert. We still have to get the latest blood tests at the hospital, get the bottle of oxygen that the midwife asked to have available for the ADF. It's fun to go to the hospital with contractions but without climbing to motherhood! Alexis dropped me off at the midwife who followed me on Sallanches (as Elizabeth lives Thônes, 1 hour drive), so that she examines me. Him, leading to the drugstore to pick up what we lack. I am to 1-2cm. It's good for today, but I have time. It is then 9.30. I'm going to meet Alexis walked.
10am, we are at home. Alexis landscape apartment, while I manage the pain, thinking of my yoga exercises and relaxation, I mentally breathed by browsing through my body, I breathe out the color, I make sounds, I make sure to stay relaxed. Then I relax deeply between each contraction, thinking of nothing else until now. I look at the least possible time. I talk to my baby. I feel it move. I make movements that pools can find its way. I try to drink and eat some dried fruit. I appreciate, but after the contraction of any jurisdiction. We regularly
Elizabeth on the phone, which considers the sound of my voice when she should take the road. Alexis offers me several times to go to hospital, but I have no desire. He asks several times an ultimatum: if in 1h Elizabeth does not come, we share. Call our parents: they begin to find the time long. Towards
15h, Alexis asks what Elizabeth is joining us. But she has a setback and can ultimately only 17.30. Me, I have more and worse, I need to change positions, I feel like I get to the end of work. Between contractions, I stay focused. In my head, I think that Elizabeth will arrive just in time for expulsion. You bet ...
She squatted beside me and watched me a moment. I do not even try to do well, I have no strength or desire. Alexis starts to go swimming. They fill it with water at 37-40 degrees and I slipped happily. It's dark outside now. With us, only the lights in the corridor and the kitchen are lit, decorated with a few scented candles. Internet radio broadcasts of songs that I can barely hear.
In my head, I still believe that the baby will be here soon and we use plenty of water for not much. A contraction happens, I manage alone. Elizabeth then moved me to open my legs. I'm surprised, because for the expulsion, I know she thinks best to strengthen the knees. But I actually feel better opening. At the next contraction, she makes a sound "hooo" sound much more serious than mine, I am and she said "think of the spiral, that open, that open, as wide as the pool." There I immediately feel the difference. The pain is still there, but different. No less intense, on the contrary, but I finally feel effective. Between contractions, I'm okay, eyes closed, I can not think of anything. Then came a new wave. Come on, we redo the same, sound, visualization. It's difficult, because you have to agree to enter really in pain, it is a bit scary and I sometimes feel I'm on the defensive a few seconds per contraction. Make sounds using to stay focused throughout, to be internalized. I also think the baby, I talk to him, but mentally now. I do not feel like talking. I answer in breath questions. Elisabeth examine myself and then blow: I'm only 5-6 cm. It is 18:30, it's almost 17h it started ... But that I do not calculate that now! For cons, I still have a moment of "Oh no, it is not possible." Then gives me a further contraction in action and I stop to think. Especially not to think, stay in the moment. That's what saved me, being in the present moment only. The thing that I do not usually do. I was a little challenge in this birth. I knew it was the key but also my greatest weakness. The fact that I was in shape also allowed me to stay the course, I slept well and was in a great energy throughout my pregnancy. I've never felt exhausted during childbirth. Instead, I felt a power grow with each contraction, at least, from when I was in the pool.
So I live to the rhythm of contractions: rest, work, rest, move ... As I had advised Elizabeth during the preparation, I try not to think that the contraction has passed, nor to that will inevitably happen. Phases of relaxation, I remain focused in my bubble. As as the end approaches, these periods are becoming shorter and the pain will not let me ever break. But Alex is there, very present. I crushed her hands, I mass, offers me a drink, I put a glove on the fresh face, add hot water in the pool, he encourages me, makes sounds with me. It gave me great strength and I really felt the difference when he accompanied me to the sound. His deeper voice brought a soothing vibration. I remember at one point he asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. "Nooo! "I told him. I am also told that if I were, I would have fallen for the epidural ...
The baby is now engaged. Elizabeth suggested that I change position and put me on the side so that it does not push the sacrum. I spend some time together before going to his knees, his head resting on the edge of the pool. So I put our child in the world. He presses the perineum, more and stronger. I want to push, but for several contractions it will only pretend to leave and then return. And I still grows longer than the contraction lasts. A Every time I think that's good. But no, I will take a good half hour before the last. The midwife helps me focus on openness. I visualize a big door opens, light that accompanies the baby. I also have this image of a beautiful memory paragliding expedition in Nepal with Alexis. We were in a cloud, wind the heat, then we advanced, the clouds tore a breathtaking view overlooking Lake Pokhara dominated by Annapurna. So I view this openness, this immensity, this passage in a loop in my head as the baby descends alone. "Come and touch his head," said Elizabeth. And then, incredible, I feel something soft with very fine hair that float in water. It's magical and it gives me strength. At the end of the next contraction, I can not help but push two major blows. His head is there, the midwife and it clears the shoulder "sblouf" I our child in his hands. You're finally here, my baby. I'm sitting on my heels with the tiny body warm and smooth hands. I repeat, "My baby, my baby." The new Dad cry of joy and emotion. She cries softly. It has almost no vernix. So you'll end up deceived Pitchoune your world: you are almost complete, meaning that you were conceived during a period that is not suspected fertile just before menstruation. After a minute or two, I look at sex. And again, it sends the predictions and theories discarded, it is a girl. Eleanor. We are so delighted. She is already beautiful, with her features relaxed, his eyes deep. She sucks his little fist, so I guide her to my breast heaving and his head eagerly. We are amazed and filled with love for this little piece that we hardly know.
We remain ten minutes while Dad finally called parents who were getting impatient. The work lasted for 20h in total.
But it's not quite finished. It remains the placenta. I leave the pool with Eleanor in my arms as we wrap in warm towels. I'm losing blood before I sit down on the couch covered by a tarpaulin. A deep breath and the placenta is removed, what is unpleasant! But he came over. All is well. The only downside is a small tear quickly settled by two points. With small pieces of placenta, it prepares a preparation matricales. In hindsight, I am sure that motherhood, they have speeded up the work, I asked an epidural and it would have made me an episiotomy because it would not be as well spent in supine position. I also have a slight bleeding. Elizabeth leaves her hand on my stomach for a long time to cauterize the uterus. She takes my blood pressure remains fairly good. In this episode, I will keep only a pale complexion for a few days. But Elizabeth chose to stay the night with us in case. She slept on the couch while we slip all three, almost naked, under our duvet. That The chip is good ... will wake once to nurse and change diapers. Finally, a towel, caught off guard because we had not bought any diapers!
The next morning we wake up together, a beatific smile on his lips, with our gift of life in our arms. I do not know what the weather was outside, but here the sun shone ...
As everyone asks us "... but how a swimming pool?", Here it is!
You have the honor of Eleanor in the first seconds of his life. Admittedly, the picture is not very prudish ... is childbirth!
To give you an idea of what the famous "sounds" that have helped me during delivery.
Eleanor said she will order a beautiful Playmats like this in Santa Claus! 
Kisses hugs ... 
a month already, that time flies! On the other hand, I feel she is with us for so long that life without it dates from another era. Strange, the perception of time ... The 
Our burnet will celebrate his one week! That the time flies! We are very pleased all three. Eleanor is great! It is tonic and has the same legs as his dad who is training for the downhill ski Eurotest! She has a good presence with his eyes wide open who immerse themselves in our eyes. She sleeps well, an unruffled sleep to the sounds of the house and the night against his mother. She loves the arms of everyone. Her head like a glutton and is already more than 400g at birth. She made her first ride in a sling yesterday, 6 days, all attentive to the sound of bells in the meadow. There remains only the exchange and bath where she gives voice ... and what a voice Castafiore Madam! The 
Mr. Bear, baby-sitter. 
with my maternal grandparents. 
