When Paul Servat found his soul mate, Barbara Bienvenue, he knew that he had that special one with whom he could spend the rest of his life and start his own family. Up until that point, starting a family seemed like a dream to him. As all of his friends and family had children, he couldn’t wait to become a father. So, when the news finally arrived that Bienvenue became pregnant with quintuplets, he was the happiest person in the world. However, more and more issues arose throughout the pregnancy. And when the day of the birth finally came around, the couple’s trip to the hospital brought shock to everyone. They arrived at the hospital and expected everything to go fine, but they didn’t know that there was an unfortunate surprise.
Too Much and Not Enough
Paul Servat was living a good life in Montreal. Surrounded by loving family and friends, he was happy with his life. However, a part of him felt incomplete, and he thought that he needed more in his life. After all, he was a man in his mid-thirties, working six days a week, and living alone. He was happy for his friends as they all had their families, children, and partners, but it also made him realize that he was alone.
So, he decided that it was time to make a change for good. Deep down, he always wanted a family of his own, and though he took some time to realize it, he was ready. With a stable career path and good health, he was prepared to settle down. But first, he needed to find someone special to spend the rest of his life with. It meant that he had to go out of his comfort zone (something he had never done before) to find his other half.
Time to Try Dating Sites
Servat’s job and hectic life didn’t allow him to go out on hundreds of dates to find his soulmate. He wanted a better solution, and it didn’t take much time for him to realize that dating sites can prove super helpful in his case. As technology is helping those people who do not have the time and energy to go out and meet people in conventional ways, online dating sites seemed like a good option. So, Servat turned to a dating website.
It didn’t take much time before Servat found a woman named Barbara Bienvenue. Although they had a slight age difference, they felt a connection and soon began talking. He fell for Bienvenue’s bubbly personality and started to like how he could make her laugh without overdoing it. As their bond started to grow stronger, Servat began to feel that he had found that special someone.
Start of a Beautiful Relationship
Both Servat and Bienvenue started to feel that they had their soulmate. As both of them were in their thirties, they didn’t want to waste any time. After a few weeks of lovely chatting on the internet, they decided that it was time to meet in Montreal. Their conversations online helped them understand each other’s personalities, and both of them wanted to take it to the next step. The most beautiful part of their meet-up was that they both immediately clicked as soon as they saw each other. So, they dated continuously over the next few weeks.
Before they knew it, their relationship developed into a fleeting romance. Servat truly fell in love with Barbara and started to trust her although he’d only known her for a couple of weeks. Who knew that Servat would find out why you should never fully trust a stranger.
Need for a Serious Discussion
Bienvenue and Servat had been dating for just two months when she told him that they needed to have a serious discussion. They hadn’t known each other for too long, and they were still deciding on whether they were perfect for each other or not. For Servat, everything was going perfect, and that’s why he was a bit surprised when Bienvenue said they needed to talk about something serious.
As he walked into the room, he saw Bienvenue sitting with a big smile on her face. She then went on to give the big news to her boyfriend: she was pregnant. As Servat tried to process the big news, he stood there with no expression on his face. But once he processed the news, his face lit up with excitement. There was a big smile on his face as he knew that he was going to be a father.
Everyone Rejoiced
Servat was dreaming of establishing a family for a few months, and it was starting to seem like it would never happen. However, he didn’t know that life works in mysterious ways as his dream was now becoming a reality. He was becoming a father. Every morning he woke up excited. He couldn’t be happier than that.
So, when Servat’s friends and family heard about the big news, everyone felt happy for the beautiful couple. It was a joyous moment and their friends and family held a small party to show their love and excitement for the couple. Everyone enjoyed the party and had a great time. They even started a countdown to the big day. There was one person at the party who couldn’t control the smile on his face during the entire event; it was Servat.
Ah, Morning Sickness and Mood Swings
When a woman is pregnant, not everything goes smoothly. After all, the body of a woman goes through a lot of changes. As Bienvenue was becoming a mother for the first time, she felt overwhelmed. There was weight gain and sudden mood swings. But the worst thing that she experienced was morning sickness.
Although Servat knew that all of it was a natural part of pregnancy, he still couldn’t stop himself from worrying about his girlfriend and their baby. He tried to help ease the trouble of Bienvenue. He even insisted on her moving into his house so that his family could take proper care of her when he wasn’t around. Bienvenue agreed and soon they started to live together.
More Happiness
As weeks turned into months, the couple started to notice that Bienvenue’s belly was growing and it looked larger than average. That’s when they started to suspect that there might be more than one baby coming into the world. So, when they went to the doctor for a checkup, they discovered that she was carrying twins in her belly. It was the news that made Servat jump out of his seat. He couldn’t control his excitement because he never thought he would be that lucky to become a father of twins in no time. But that’s not it!
As they went on, they received the news that there were not two but three babies. Further ultrasound reports showed that there were quintuplets and not triplets. The couple was looking at welcoming five children into the world. It came as HUGE news for Servat who desperately wanted a family of his own. He never thought – not even in his wildest of dreams – that he would become a father of five children at once. He was super excited at that time, but he didn’t know about the shocking news that would change his life forever.
Luckiest Couple in the World
Servat and Bienvenue truly felt like the luckiest couple in the world. They had every right to feel that way because you don’t usually see a couple getting blessed with quintuplets. They were going to become parents of five children at once and it was a big deal for them as they were going to leap-frog those parents who had five children after starting their families in their 20s.
However, the couple was a bit worried as well. After all, they were becoming parents for the first time, and they had to raise not one, but five children at the same time. And there was the financial issue as well which they couldn’t neglect. Servat started to think about ways he could provide for his new family.
Money Became an Issue
Servat’s income was average. Although he had money, it was just enough to start a small family. As there were going to be five babies in the house, he found himself desperate for the money that was needed to raise the babies. He became more worried with time as the due date started to come closer.
Fortunately for the couple, the family, friends, and neighbors were eager to support them. However, the couple couldn’t stop stressing out on the fact that they were running out of time, and there was still a lot that needed to be done.
The Need for More Aid
The couple was fortunate enough to have the support of caring friends, family, and neighbors. However, they knew that they needed more aid to raise the quintuplets. So, the couple turned to a friend for help. The couple and the friend came up with a different idea to find another source of aid to raise the quintuplets.
They found a way that could help them get the necessary aid without much trouble. Of course, the couple was already worried about the due date and they needed some breathing space. Asking for help on social media seemed like a perfect idea. The couple realized that they had a great shot of utilizing social media to get the necessary aid because their story was genuine and rare. They proceeded with the idea with hopes of getting help from people.
Turning to Facebook
The couple asked their friends and family to share their story on Facebook. They created a Facebook page and shared the beautiful story of how they met, and about the quintuplets that were coming into the world. Servat humbly asked his personal and professional contacts for sponsorships. It didn’t take much time to get the needed help as local businesses started to add to the couple’s cause.
They got the needed aid, and so they started to focus on having a healthy pregnancy. The didn’t forget everyone after getting the necessary assistance. Instead, they regularly posted updates to let everyone know about the pregnancy. From posting photos of gifts, the couple received to important news about the pregnancy, the couple regularly updated the community. Unfortunately, Servat had to take the Facebook page down when he discovered about the past of his girlfriend.
A Caring Partner
Servat couldn’t wait to hold his babies in his arms. He remained positive despite the fact that the mood swings of Bienvenue kept on getting worse every week. He remained patient and positive because he understood that his partner was under a lot of pressure.
He even found activities that could help Bienvenue remain engaged enough so she wouldn’t feel bored. Both of them worked on a room for quintuplets and worked on smaller things to ensure everything was perfect.
It All Felt Like a Pleasant Dream
Servat remained optimistic despite the mood swings of his partner and one of the reasons behind it was that he had never been happier in his entire life. His parents were eagerly waiting to hold their grandkids. Everyone in Servat’s family was trying to ensure Bienvenue’s smooth pregnancy. Servat’s mother quite often stayed at home to take care of Bienvenue.
Bienvenue told Servat that she had picked the names of children and he really appreciated it. The couple, especially Servat, regularly updated the Facebook page with some heartwarming moments. Servat didn’t know at that time that everything would come crashing down.
Preparing for Potential Complications
As compared to most moms-to-be, Bienvenue went into labor relatively early. It was understandable because the due date can be affected when quintuplets are on the way. So, instead of 37 weeks, she went into labor at 34 weeks. As expected by the experts, this caused a whole new set of complications. For instance, there were chances that babies can be too weak, too small, or there can be other medical issues.
The couple knew about the problems, but they did not worry too much about them as they knew that they had to be mentally strong to face whatever came their way. They also had great support that helped both parents-to-be mentally prepared.
Getting Everything Ready
For Servat and Bienvenue, the last few months of the pregnancy offered them a lot of joyous moments to cherish for years to come. They made new memories and ensured everything was ready to welcome the quintuplets.
They also received a lot of gifts and support from friends, family, and even strangers. Now, all the couple wanted was to hold their babies. But first, they had to wait. So they tried to spend the time making sure they had everything ready from clothes to cribs.
The Day Finally Came
It was the 34th week of the pregnancy when the couple and everyone close to them got excited and somewhat anxious. Bienvenue’s water broke and she rushed to tell Servat. As Servat spent a lot of his time preparing for the occasion, he had read a lot of pregnancy books and he knew what had to be done at that moment. He knew it was time to stay calm. He grabbed the essentials and took Bienvenue to the hospital (accompanied by friends and family).
It was the most awaited day of Servat’s life, but he knew he had to remain clam. However, he didn’t know that the sudden turn of events would change his life forever. A sinister surprise was waiting for poor Servat.
Anxious Wait
When Bienvenue’s water broke and Servat took her to the hospital, he couldn’t believe what was happening to him. He was excited and nervous all at once. As he waited for the news on his girlfriend and the quintuplets, he tried his best to compose himself.
He could hardly control his emotions, and yet he had no option than to wait. He assumed the doctors were delivering his quintuplets, but when the doctors finally came out, they had different news.
Something Wasn’t Right
Servat knew something wasn’t right as soon as he saw the doctor walking slowly towards him. There was no happy expression on the face of the doctor and he looked concerned. Servat could feel his heartbeat rising as different questions started to come into his mind.
He didn’t know if something wrong had happened to Bienvenue or if the quintuplets were okay. At that moment, Servat could feel everything moving fast around him. Until that moment, his day was filled with excitement and nervousness. Unfortunately, it was going to turn into a horrible day for him.
Confusion on Doctor’s Face
As the doctor approached Servat, he had a peculiar look on his face. It seemed as if the doctor was trying to tell him something without uttering a single word. Servat couldn’t figure out what the issue was.
The thing that really puzzled Servat was that the doctor’s face didn’t look sad or happy; instead, his face looked confused. But what could possibly confuse such an experienced doctor? The doctor started by telling how Bienvenue and the quintuplets were doing and Servat soon realized what made the doctor so confuse.
Getting Answers
Servat was surrounded by his loved ones and they also noticed the confused look on the doctor’s face. Now, they began noticing that the nurses were also acting strangely, and everyone was clearly uneasy with the situation. What could possibly have happened in there?
The doctor looked around at Servat’s family and then asked to speak to him in private. Servat didn’t hesitate and instantly agreed. He didn’t know that his dreams would be crushed in seconds. The doctor finally provided answers to what was happening there.
Something Was Wrong
When the doctor and Servat went to talk in private, the doctor explained what was happening. The confusion started when the couple first came to deliver the quintuplets. The hospital looked at various locations but could not find records of the pregnancy of Bienvenue. Moreover, they also couldn’t contact anyone who could actually confirm her pregnancy.
Servat felt as confused as the doctor. How could there be absolutely no record of Bienvenue’s pregnancy? After all, he had dropped his girlfriend at the doctor’s appointments numerous times. Then the doctor asked the nurse to take a blood test. The results would later shock everyone.
The Babies Vanished
The doctor revealed the truth that shocked everyone in the waiting room: there were no babies at all. It turned out that Bienvenue was not pregnant. “The doctors told me it was a phantom pregnancy,” Servat recalled later. So, what does phantom pregnancy means? It was difficult for Servat to understand what the doctor was saying.
He composed himself and then asked again. It didn’t make any sense. After all, he and his friends and family had taken her to the hospital several times, and now the doctor was telling him that there were no babies in the womb. Servat felt like he was having a horrible dream, and all he needed to do was to wake up. But it was happening in reality, and it made no sense at all.
Phantom Pregnancy
So, Phantom Pregnancy (also known as pseudocyesis) is a rare psychological condition in which the woman starts to believe that she is pregnant even though in reality she isn’t. In this condition, the woman even convinces herself that her pregnancy is real. But the astonishing part of this condition is that the woman also starts to experience many of the signs and symptoms that a real pregnant woman experiences.
Although the exact cause of this condition is still unknown, experts believe that one of the main factors behind it is the extreme desire of a woman to become pregnant. It is quite difficult to diagnose the condition because it can often be confused with real pregnancy. Moreover, the person with this condition becomes convinced that she is pregnant, and it makes the diagnosis even more difficult.
Difficulty in Accepting the Reality
The doctor explained many times and yet Servat still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was confused and couldn’t understand what was happening. It was because he had seen the signs of pregnancy in Bienvenue. But then the doctor helped make sense of everything. The doctor pressed him on whether he had seen any proof with his own eyes or not. He started to admit that he had never accompanied her to a doctor’s appointment. He was unsure because the signs of pregnancy were so clear, and yet his girlfriend was not pregnant at all.
According to the doctor, women who experience a phantom pregnancy can often have weight gain, morning sickness, and even lactation. In addition, over 20% of women who suffer from this condition are diagnosed by a doctor to be pregnant. Everything started to make sense to Servat and he soon began recounting all the signs his girlfriend had shown in the past few months.
Signs Were Everywhere
It is understandable why Servat felt so confused. After all, he was the one who saw all the signs upfront. For instance, Bienvenue suffered from terrible morning sickness, there were mood swings that started to become worse with time, and her belly starting to grow large enough to easily convince anyone that it was holding five babies in it.
Bienvenue had to go to the doctor because she started to look larger than the average pregnant woman, and she even started lactating. Servat’s mom also never noticed anything wrong or suspicious. As Servat and the family members began to understand what was happening, they kept on wondering how it happened.
Need of Psychological Support
Servat and his friends and family were baffled and confused. The person who was going to be the most astonished was Bienvenue. It is because a woman with phantom pregnancy can find it almost unbelievable to know that there’s no baby inside their womb. That’s why doctors highly recommend people around that woman take charge of the entire situation and provide support and love to the woman.
The doctor told Servat and his family not rush to any conclusions. It is because some think that this rare medical condition could have been due to her dark behavior or she had experienced the same situation before.
She Was Not Alone
Dr. Kimberly Gecsi is an obstetrician from the University of Hospitals located in Cleveland, and she has seen five cases of phantom pregnancy in her entire career. In one of those cases, there was a woman who was brought into the delivery ward as everyone thought she was in labor. Her belly was swelling as if she was indeed carrying a child inside her womb.
But when the nurse placed a stethoscope over the belly of the woman, she struggled to find the baby’s heartbeat. So, when Dr. Gecsi performed an ultrasound they found out that the woman wasn’t even pregnant in the first place. The woman found it extremely difficult to believe that she wasn’t pregnant.
It Fooled Everyone
Servat, along with his friends and family, couldn’t find the truth because the signs were so evident, but what about the doctors. However, the reality is that sometimes women suffering from phantom pregnancy are not correctly diagnosed by the doctors as well. A woman suffering from pseudocyesis needs help from physiological specialists. But it can be challenging to diagnose the condition.
Take an example of two physicians in North Carolina who performed an emergency C-section on a woman only to find out that she was not pregnant at all. As they tried to induce labor for two days, both of them were disciplined, and they almost lost their licenses because they didn’t check for the baby’s heartbeat before opting for surgery. However, the majority of cases are diagnosed long before this happens. Not everyone believed that Bienvenue was a victim of phantom pregnancy. There was one person in particular who even thought that she was doing all of it knowingly, and she intentionally forced a phantom pregnancy.
Someone Had Suspicions
Servat’s close friend, Genevieve Laflamme, was the one who noticed something strange about Bienvenue’s pregnancy. She had recently given birth to triplets, and she thought a few things were weird.
For instance, she found it bizarre that the ultrasound picked up the quintuplets rather late. It was strange because doctors can tell something like this quite early. She also found it odd that Bienvenue didn’t rest much during her final trimester, and she was too active for a woman who was going to give birth to five babies. However, she still didn’t say anything about it as she knew how happy and excited Servat was.
Giving Benefit of The Doubt
Although Servat understood what Laflamme said, he still wanted to give the benefit of the doubt to Bienvenue, although he was extremely hurt. It is because he thought that she might have had a strong desire to have a child, and it led to a physiological breakdown. But no one could neglect the fact that Bienvenue claimed to go to the doctor continually.
Doctors may misdiagnose a phantom pregnancy by mistake in the initial stages. Still, it is difficult to believe that the doctor didn’t figure it out after all the tests and ultrasounds. There was a lot of information Servat had to deal with.
Can’t Ignore the Growing Evidence
At first, Servat felt angry and confused. But then everything started to fall into place after Laflamme revealed her suspicions. It began to make sense as Servat never accompanied his girlfriend to the doctor’s appointments, and she also came back with a different story every time she visited the doctor.
Now, there seemed a possibility that she had faked her pregnancy, and doctors started to agree. It was at that point Servat began remembering something about his girlfriend’s past that would help figure out if she had faked the pregnancy or not.
Figuring out the Final Piece of the Puzzle
There was no denying that the evidence against Bienvenue started to pile up. Servat did admit that he had never met or spoken to Bienvenue’s family. He admitted that he never asked about them as well. All he knew was that she came from Quebec and she didn’t really like talking about her family. Therefore, he didn’t ask about them and respected her silences.
It didn’t take much for the news of the strange pregnancy to end up in the local paper. Perhaps, it helped in finding the final piece of the puzzle. A relative of Bienvenue contacted Servat. What he told Servat was heartbreaking. “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,” he said. Now, everyone was sure that Bienvenue had indeed faked the pregnancy.
Lying Never Stopped
According to the relative, it wasn’t the first time Bienvenue had done this. She also hadn’t told any of her family members about the news of quintuplets. He said, “She cut ties with us in recent months,” and continued to say that, “She didn’t want us to know about her game.” Bienvenue’s family also felt ashamed and devastated to learn what she had done to poor Servat. They even apologized to him and his family even though they had no idea what was going through Bienvenue’s mind.
Another victim, Bienvenue’s ex-boyfriend, also came forward and told the Toronto Sun about his story that was quite similar to what happened to Servat. The ex-boyfriend said that he started dating Bienvenue, and everything was going great. Then one day, she told him that she was expecting twins. Interestingly, at that time, Bienvenue said to him that they needed money for the twins, and that’s why they had to raise funds. He later found out that there were no twins, and it was all just a lie.
Feeling Like a Fool
As new pieces of evidence unfolded in front of Servat, he began to feel like a big fool who blindly believed every word Bienvenue had said to him. He felt overwhelmed, and all his moments of joy and excitement vanished into thin air. He felt like an idiot because he was living under the same roof with Bienvenue, and yet he wasn’t able to figure out that his girlfriend was faking the pregnancy all along.
It started to make him feel disgusted because he and Bienvenue had been asking for funds on social media for months. It was a difficult time for him as he now had to tell everyone about the situation. Bienvenue had not only hurt Servat but also everyone around him who loved and took care of her.
Disappointed Faces
It was not only Servat who was left heartbroken and betrayed, but the ex-grandparents were also left disappointed by the shocking news. “Even my parents, they were so looking forward to having grandchildren,” Servat commented.
The relatives, friends, and neighbors who helped create the Facebook page were also angry and disappointed. Everyone felt betrayed and disappointed because Bienvenue didn’t care about the feelings of people who were so nice to her. It was a selfish act that hurt everyone, especially Servat.
“I Lost Everything”
Servat couldn’t believe what had just happened to him, and he had no words to express his feelings. After all, he spent 34 weeks in excitement to finally become a father. He was sure that he was going to become a father of five children at once, and he felt like the luckiest person in the world. But it was all a big lie. Servat said, “I lost everything. It was my whole life.” He also noted that the concept of finally becoming a father of five children had consumed his life.
He had no idea that she was not only lying to him but was also using him to get rich. He then said that he would give back all the presents or donations. He said, “I’m a good person, and I have nothing to do with these lies.” We hope that he was the last victim of Bienvenue.
A Hard Lesson to Learn
Servat’s only mistake was that he trusted someone who he had known for only a few weeks. He was in love with Bienvenue, and he believed her the most. That’s why he felt like a fool. Servat thought that the mother of his children would never do anything to hurt them.
He is a good, caring man who was unlucky enough to fall in love with the wrong person. Servat says that he has learned from his mistake, and he will be more careful in the future. He hopes to grow from an unforgettable experience.
The News Broke Out
Servat came home from the hospital feeling devastated and heartbroken. He almost burst into tears after seeing the nursery. After all, he had prepared the room for the babies in hopes to see those little bundles of joy in there. He could hardly stop his tears at the sight of baby stuff lying everywhere in the room.
Servat still had a lot of explaining to do for everyone who helped him. He tried his best to explain everything to friends, family, and the online community about how Bienvenue betrayed him. While some people in the community forgave her, others called her a liar.
A Viral Story
As expected, the story of Paul Servat and Barbara Bienvenue went viral and garnered a lot of audiences. It didn’t take much time for magazines such as People, and The Toronto Sun to publish articles about the faked pregnancy.
Many people called out Bienvenue for lying, and some questioned Servat for not noticing anything strange during the 34-week time. One woman commented, “High multiples like quints are extremely high risk, and she’d have been with specialists, getting constant checkups, etc. It’s not like faking a normal pregnancy. Even if this WAS her first stunt, I’m side-eyeing the people who believed this.” Some people asked everyone not to jump to conclusions as it may stigmatize mental health issues. One commented, “She needs help, not criticism! I hope she gets the help she needs, and he can move on with life in a positive way. You can’t blame a mentally unwell person.”
Latest Updates on Bienvenue
Well, after everyone came to know about the fake pregnancy of Bienvenue, she was convinced by her family to seek help in a psychiatric facility. One male relative told the Toronto Sun, “Doctors need to take care of her or else she’ll do it again and again.”
Jeff Hitchcock/WikimediaCommons
Although many people believed that it is best Bienvenue is given treatment in a psychiatric facility, some disagreed. One commenter wrote that there is a possibility this is exactly what Bienvenue wanted (to be made a fuss over). One gynecologist told the Sun that helping people with such mental issues can take years and years of therapy. So far, there are no reports of her release from the psychiatric facility.