It's a GIRL!!!

Yumi's waters broke at 6 o'clock in the morning on Friday, April 14, 2000. We spent the day at the Côte-des-Neiges Birth Center with our midwife Lucie, but things only got interesting after dinner. Lucie had to go home and was replaced by Micheline. The contractions got stronger and stronger, and around 9 o'clock in the evening, Yumi was in full labor.

Things were going really well and around midnight, Yumi was ready to start pushing the baby out. She tried and tried, so many times, but to no avail. The baby had not completely turned and its position prevented it from coming out. By 3 o'clock, Yumi was in extreme pain and the baby still wouldn't come out, so we jumped into our car and drove to Montreal's SMBD Jewish General Hospital.

Yumi was given an epidural anesthesia which allowed her to stop pushing and greatly reduced the pain. Exhausted, we both managed to sleep a bit. Around 6 o'clock in the morning, Yumi was pushing again and after considerable effort, she finally delivered a beautiful baby girl at 6:56 AM on Saturday, April 15, 2000.

Chiyo at birth Montreal Jewish Hospital April 15, 2000

After wiping away the tears of joy that filled my eyes, I cut the umbilical cord and was soon holding our newborn baby girl in my arms. She cried quite loudly for such a small baby; Anaïs weighed 6 pounds and 10 ounces at birth (almost exactly 3 kg).

Yumi, moments after the birth Montreal Jewish Hospital April 15, 2000

I would like to thank the midwives at the Côte-des-Neiges Birth Center and all the staff who helped us at the hospital. A special word of gratitude goes to Micheline for her support and understanding when papa was just about to go bezerk!

Chiyo at home Outremont, Quebec April 19, 2000