Every single one of us thinks of growing old with someone at one point in life. Whether you’ve found your soul mate or not, one day you will probably find it and settle down. It’s what a Canadian man thought when he finally met his true love and realized he didn’t want to live his life without her by his side.
He’d never thought things would escalate so soon. After a few months of dating, his girlfriend told him the big news. This man would soon become a father, and while the news was quite unexpected, he was definitely not prepared for what was to come in the next few months. One terrible secret made him regret he’d ever met his soul mate…
Finding Your Loved One
Paul Servat lives in Montreal, Canada and he was in his ‘30s when he realized something was missing. Although surrounded by a loving family and friends, he knew he had to have his own family. So he mustered all the courage he had and decided it was time for him to find his other half and grow old together.
Little did he know it would be a decision he’d regret for the rest of his life!
Ready to Settle Down
Paul had already found stability, he had a good job and was ready to settle. All he had to do was search for the right person. So, he chose the most comfortable option, avoiding tens of awkward dates and going for the best solution: a dating web site. After all, many people have found their spouses online…
The Perfect Match
The man was looking for someone that would be a perfect match and he did find her after a bit of searching. He started talking with a woman named Barbara Bienvenue and they hit it off. Paul made her laugh and she turned out to be the one. Both were in their thirties, so they figured there was no time to waste…
Meeting Each Other
The two chatted for a few weeks and then decided to meet in Montreal. Barbara and Paul immediately clicked and started dating constantly. Soon enough, the two fell in love with each other and Paul trusted his girlfriend, even though they only knew each other for less than a month.
Unfortunately for Paul, he would learn later on why you can never trust others…
Time to Talk
After two months of dating, Barbara told Paul they had to talk about something serious. He wondered what was wrong since everything seemed to be perfect. She walked into the room, smiling and confusing him even more. Then she told him the big news: she was pregnant.
Paul was stunned, confused and happy that his dream of having a family was going to come true. They would be parents!
Telling the Others
Paul had dreamed of having a family one day with the right person and now his dream was about to come true. He was a father-to-be and got ready to share that excitement with his family and friends. A baby shower was held for them and everyone was counting down to the big day.
What they didn’t know was that things would soon get very complicated…
Moving In With Him
As with any pregnancy, symptoms vary and Barbara was noticing all those changes taking place with and within her body. She began experiencing morning sickness and mood swings. Paul didn’t want to let her live by herself and insisted Barbara to move in with him so that his family could help her whenever she needed help.
Is It Just a Baby?
As weeks passed, Barbara’s belly kept growing and growing, and the family thought she wasn’t just pregnant with one baby. She went for a checkup and learned that she was carrying twins! But this was just the first great news she brought to the family. You see, her belly kept growing…
A Happy Father to Be
It was a bit strange that Barbara had such a big belly, so she went again to have a checkup and learned she had triplets. One appointment later, she came home and waited for Paul to come back from work. That’s when she told him she was actually pregnant with quintuplets! They would have to prepare to welcome not one, not two, not tree, but five children!
Paul was getting his family, and all at once! But he would soon learn that he wasn’t as lucky as he thought.
Getting Ready for a Big Family
Barbara and Paul realized that in a few months, their lives would completely change. Most families of 5 children start having babies in their 20s, but these two were having it all at once.
However, having quintuplets doesn’t come without complications. Aside from the financial crisis that would come with caring for five children, the parents were worried about the pregnancy since it was risky for both the babies and the mother.
First Time Parents
The couple would be first time parents and this meant they had to try their hands at parenting on their five babies. And speaking about crisis, let’s not forget that raising five children came with a lot of financial issues. But Paul and Barbara were supported by their family and friends and even the entire community!
How To Get Ready For the Quintuplets?
Paul did have a job and was financially stable, but he was definitely not prepared for five children at a time! His plan was to start a small family and now that the due date was a few months away, he knew he needed all the help he could get. So he found some great solutions, helping them prepare for the first few months after babies would come…
Friends Join Hands in Helping Paul and Barbara
Big families often receive help from the community, and Paul already was counting on his family and friends to lend a hand. One day, a friend suggested Paul to find some extra help through social media. He realized it was the perfect way to ask for help, and any clothing, diaper and miscellaneous items would have been incredibly useful.
Sharing His Story on Facebook
Paul talked with some friends and co-workers to help him spread his story about his growing family and created a Facebook page so they could update everyone on the babies. It was then when Paul began reaching out to local businesses in the community who sponsored the couple. All worries aside, Barbara now had to focus on having a healthy pregnancy.
Updating People on Social Media
The pregnancy was updated on social media, and the couple uploaded photos of the gifts they had received. But what would stun the entire world was when Paul took down the Facebook page and left everyone wondering what happened. Then, it all reached the news and people were completely shocked, confused and angry.
Every Week, Barbara Was Different
Barbara’s pregnancy made her have huge mood swings, but she was positive her babies were fine. Paul was patient and tried to understand her, doing his best so that the mother of their babies was feeling well and comfortable. He even helped Barbara find some activities at home so she wouldn’t be bored all day.
Worth Waiting For
The couple had been also working on the babies’ room, which was completed with five decorated cribs and a wall filled with shelves of diapers and clothes gathered through donations and sponsorships. They were ready, and now they were waiting for the birth.
The Happiest Man Alive
Paul was the happiest man alive, even with Barbara’s mood swings and all the question marks surrounding his parenting skills. He made sure to stay home and take care of Barbara. She made him in charge of picking the names for the children and shared all the details on their Facebook page.
But once Barbara went into labor with the quintuplets, Paul’s dreams crumbled…
Giving Birth to Five Children
As we all know, having quintuplets can make for a complicated pregnancy. Usually, pregnancies of more than two babies affect the due date, so Barbara went into labor at 34 weeks instead of 37.
Quintuplets also risk higher chances of being born with underdeveloped lungs, or other medical issues. Barbara and Paul hoped everything would be all right and were up for the challenge ahead.
Holding The Babies
Barbara and Paul were more than ready to hold their babies. Everything was covered for, the cribs and little clothes were all waiting for the quintuplets, and the family and friends were eager to see the big little family come home. Even the newspaper in Montreal showed up to get an interview in the last weeks before Barbara gave birth…
But the day when Barbara went into labor, Paul received the most unexpected news from the doctors at the hospital!
Her Water Broke!
It was during the 34th week that Barbara’s water broke and she was rushed to the hospital. Paul kept his calm and took all the essential items before rushing Barbara to the Saint-Justine hospital. Arriving there, he made sure to announce everyone in the family and his friends about the big day.
What Paul didn’t know was that day would include an incredible turn of events nobody had ever heard, not even the doctors!
Finally Happening!
It was finally the day when Paul would be able to see his children for the first time. As Barbara was in the delivery room, Paul paced the waiting room, but his friends and family were there for him. Everyone was praying things would go smooth and both the mother and the babies would be unharmed.
But as the doctor came out of the delivery room, his face looked as if something went utterly wrong…
What Could Be Wrong?
The doctor walked towards Paul and the soon-to-be-father knew something was wrong. Instead of getting out of the delivery room with a smile on his face, the doctor looked concerned. Paul’s heart began to beat faster, and hundreds of questions rushed to his mind, wondering what happened. Was Barbara all right? What happened to the babies?
A Day Paul Will Never Forget
Unfortunately for Paul, all his luck turned into misfortune once the doctor began talking. The heartbreaking news was going to devastate the man that was waiting to hold his babies. When the doctor finally found a way to tell him the news, it was impossible for Paul to keep his calm anymore!
The Doctor Was Confused
The doctor meant to deliver the quintuplets headed towards Paul and looked at the concerned family waiting for some good news. It was essential for him to find the right way and tell Paul what was wrong, but it was a case he’d never had a chance to experience before.
Paul noticed the nurses also acted strange, but he wasn’t prepared to hear what happened to his girlfriend and the babies.
Dreams Crumbling Into Pieces
What happened to Barbara and the quintuplets? Paul imagined all kinds of problems, and when the doctor asked him to talk in private, he expected the worse. That day was when Paul’s dreams of having a family crumbled into pieces…
It’s a Complicated Pregnancy
The doctor tried to find his words and explained Paul what was wrong and why everything seemed so complicated. He didn’t tell him the news right away, but thought he’d better show some of the evidence he’d gathered from the hospital and tell the father-to-be the entire story of this pregnancy.
Taking a Deep Breath
First off, the doctor was puzzled that the pregnancy wasn’t recorded in the hospital, although Paul stated that he and his family brought Barbara there for appointments.
Since nothing was found on Barbara’s past visits, the doctor had a nurse take a blood test when the pregnant woman was brought to the delivery room. He had the results and could now confirm the news that left Paul speechless.
You’re Not Going to Be a Father
The doctor explained to Paul that what Barbara had was called a phantom pregnancy. It meant she didn’t have any babies, but how was it possible? She had a big belly, she had the symptoms and she even started lactating. Could the doctors be wrong? Paul felt like the room began to spin with him…
Did Barbara Indeed Go Through a Phantom Pregnancy?
“The doctors told me it was a phantom pregnancy,” Paul recalled later. They went through ultrasounds, blood tests and confirmed that no children were in the womb. How could this be real?
Later on, Paul would learn that this phantom pregnancy was actually Barbara's scheme, and she's done it before. Had she been lying all those months?
Experiencing Symptoms of a Real Pregnancy
Even women with phantom pregnancies sometimes are diagnosed pregnant by a doctor… Paul did admit he never went to her appointments to see the proof.
As you can imagine, he felt betrayed. First, Barbara lied about her appointments and the entire pregnancy, but how could she even make up the symptoms of a real pregnancy?
What if Barbara Convinced Herself She Was Pregnant?
It seems that the mind can convince the body that it’s pregnant and a woman can actually experience those symptoms. Blood tests and ultrasounds can spot if someone is lying.
Barbara was definitely hiding, and she knew all along she wasn't pregnant. Proof against her pile up and there's no denying...
Everyone Was Shocked
It’s safe to say that everyone that knew about Barbara’s pregnancy was shocked to learn it wasn’t real. But while everyone believed Barbara was pregnant, there was one person that remained suspicious. It was a woman that had given birth to triplets, and she was also Paul’s friend…
After Hell Breaks Loose
After finding out about the fake pregnancy, some doctors recommended Paul and the family not to rush to judgment. What if Barbara didn’t even know she wasn’t really pregnant, thought Paul and the others?
It turns out Barbara wasn’t as innocent as she seemed!
A Mother Knows
Genevieve Laflamme was Paul’s close friend, and when she learned that he’d become a father, she was excited. She herself is the mother of a set of triplets, and that’s how she realized that Barbara’s pregnancy was odd. The first hint was that the ultrasound picked up the quintuplets too late, since doctors spot them earlier than they did at Barbara, which is proof she never went for ultrasounds. And that was just the beginning…
She Needed Rest
It was also odd that during the third trimester Barbara didn’t need more time to rest. She was too active for a mom-to-be of quintuplets. Laflamme had her doubts but didn’t want to ruin Paul’s excitement. What if she was wrong?
Was Barbara making it all up, considering she claimed she went to appointments but had no proof of those visits?
Blood Tests and Ultrasounds
Paul had to deal with the fact that his girlfriend lied to him, realizing that all her stories from her fake doctor appointments were a bit odd.
Then Paul remembered something about her past, and the pieces to this puzzle were finally into place…
Never Knew Her Family
All along, since he’d met her, Barbara had never talked about her family. He knew she was from Quebec, but didn’t ask more after she said she didn’t like talking about them.
After the news of the fake pregnancy ended up in the local paper, Paul was contacted by one of her relatives, who said: “This isn’t the first time she’s done it. But honestly, we never would have thought she was sick enough to do it again.”
Pulling the Same Story Again
“She cut ties with us in recent months. She didn’t want us to know about her game,” added the relative, saying they are all devastated by her actions. Later on, a man called the Toronto Sun and said he’d been her boyfriend and he went through the same thing. She lied to him that she expected twins as an excuse to begin raising funds, only to find out there were not twins.
Hurting Everyone Around Her
Barbara broke Paul’s heart and fooled everyone around her. All the things Paul did to make sure he’d provide well for his family were now making him sick. He looked around in the baby room at all the things he’d gathered through sponsorships and donations and decided to reach out once again to the social media community with a heartbreaking message.
A Heartbroken Man
Months on end Barbara lied everyone and now Paul had to fix things. He was heartbroken all his dream family was tainted by Barbara’s fake story, and his parents were deeply upset since “they were so looking forward to having grandchildren,” said Paul.
It was Paul’s hardest moment of his life.
“I Lost Everything”
“I lost everything, it was my whole life,” said Paul. He reached out to social media to express his feelings and promised all the presents will be sent back or donated, adding:
“I’m a good person and I have nothing to do with these lies.”
The Nursery Room
As he was entering the nursery room and saw all those tiny clothes, he broke into tears. It was something that would mark him for the rest of his life, and Barbara probably didn’t even care since it was the second time she did it.
It will be tough for Paul to start all over again. He carried on with his quiet life, away from the media. It’s best to let time heal all his wounds.