Well to begin, the week of October 3rd, I was still sick with a cough that was torturous. A about a week prior I had dilated to a 7 and was effaced to 90% and still walking around. Half the time I coughed I half expected to go into labor or have my waters break at any minute. The right side of my uterus hurt when I coughed so we think I tore a muscle of sorts too.

This cold and the coughing fits were making me feel even miserable. Coughing caused migraines and I couldn't take anything for it this late in pregnancy. One night I realized that my hands were really swollen too so I had DH check my BP and it was up significantly to 140/90. After discovering this We immediately put me back on bed rest to help lower it. I also increased my iron intake, vit C, and protein intake. I was able to lower it and stabilize my BP to 130/80. Still on the high side for me but better than before.

By mid week I was extremely uncomfortable from all of the coughing, and a thought had occurred to me about how some women can laugh a baby out or cough a baby out. I actually witnessed a birth where the mom who was in labor kept coughing and she explained to the doula that the same thing had happened with her first birth. It was just the way her body worked. Well it had been a long while since I had my cervix check so I asked Dh to check for me again. Shockingly enough he couldn't find it. It didn't disappear or anything I was just fully dilated and fully effaced. I didn't believe him at first. I'm like there is no way anyone can be "complete" and still not in labor. But there I was, living proof that labor is far different from dilating and effacing. Ironically my one sister never believed that I or anyone could actually be walking around dilated to a 7-8cm or effaced 70/80/90%, until it happened to her! With her 3rd baby she went in to see her MW at 36 weeks for her first vaginal check and lo and behold she herself was 8cm and 90% effaced with no sign of contractions. My mom is also living proof as she was walking around in the hospital trying to get labor started (aka contractions) as she talked with the nurses in the halls, never even realizing that her baby was crowning! So I guess we just got lucky and got my mom's birthing genes! No complaints here!

Any ways that was a Tuesday I think. Thursday was coming up and I was debating back and forth on whether or not I should do my pay day errands or not being so dilated and effaced. Well I did decide to go ahead and run them with the whole family in tow, JIC. I figured maybe it would get things going one way or another, and besides we had a birthing kit in the car JIC we were out and couldn't make it home in time. We finished out errands and still no sign of labor! No contractions while we walked around all day, nothing!DH went to work later that and I rested.

October 8th, 2004

Things still hadn't happened yet by the time I woke up. Lunch time was rolling around and I was in need of a nap. Then while laying in bed I had a coughing fit. I sat up to try and hold my painful belly "in" and felt a little gush I knew my water had broken and looked over at the clock which read 12:10 pm. I called Joe in and told him to start setting things up, as my water had just broke. I got out of my pants and placed towels in between my legs and waddled out into the living room.

My kids of course were asking tons of questions as to why mommy had to sit on towels, and what was happening. We kept telling them that mommy was going to have the baby today, but it took a few more probing questions from them before it all sank in for them. Once it did they were very excited.

As I waited for labor to begin I tried moving around as much as possible to help drain some of the waters out to help start labor. I sat on the birthing ball and bounced and rocked as much as I could. Every now and then I had my oldest DD, Sariah, rub my back. Joe was setting things up around the house. He pulled out birthing supplies for the living room and as he did this I knew I wanted to labor in the tub so I had him start filling the bath, because it takes a few minutes for the tub to fill (crappy water pressure) so I could get in when things really picked up.

I started getting a little crampy around 1pm but the first contraction really hit at around 1:35pm. not too much longer and I had to use the bathroom. I labored on the toilet for a while as I waited for the tub to fill more. When the contractions got a little more intense and my bowels seemed to be cleared I decided to get into the tub.

With each contraction I had Joe pour water over my belly as it really helped "wash away" the pain and helped me to concentrate. All the while I labored in the water Sariah, Rachel, Mason and Liam would come in and out. Rachel and Sariah constantly asked questions and we answered them as best we could. Most of the time it was repetitive question asking. Is mommy having Kaden? Is Kaden coming today? Are you okay mommy?

When Liam or Mason were into something Joe would have to leave and take care of them, and Sariah or Rachel would take over with pouring water over my belly. Sariah also let me hold onto her a few times through a contractions and she would rub my arm or back.

As transition neared I began to vocalize more and more. I knew I was getting really close as I began to tremble more and more. I was proud of the girls who understood why mommy was making so much noise and would offer to help any way they could. It didn't take much time before I felt like pushing with each contraction. When this started I informed Joe I felt like pushing so he could get ready. The kids kept distracting me as they kept coming in and out of the bathroom, talking and making a lot of noise. I started to get frustrated at all the noise. I started to push harder and Joe informed me that I would need to reposition myself better to allow Kaden more room to come out. I already knew this and was irritated by him telling me, but then everything was irritating while I was in transition, LOL.

As I was pushing I found it weird that it didn't feel like my other births. Kaden's head must have been really low to begin with because I never felt a difference from beginning to end. I kept waiting for the feeling of his head going under my pubic bone and filling the birth canal. Instead I just felt this bulge starting to exit my body. After about my second push Joe informed me he could see Kaden's head. That is when the kids came in and started to make more noise and at this point I had had enough. I just loudly told them to get out of the room. (I later regretted this) With the next push Kaden's head was out. Joe checked for a cord and informed me to slow down that there was a cord. I was just overwhelmed and hurting so I just screamed at Joe to "Pull him out! Pull him out!" and before Joe could get the cord from around his neck or help pull Kaden out I was pushing yet again and that is when I felt his shoulders release from me and out he was! We immediately called the kids back in who were all standing just outside the door.

Joe had to move fast and untangle Kaden from the cord which was only halfway around his neck (not a full loop) and tucked under his arm. Joe then lifted him out of the water and onto my chest, then placed a towel over us as we coaxed Kaden to cry. Joe then looked at the time to mark the time of birth. Kaden was covered in vernix and was quite slippery. After a few good rubs and a cry later Kaden nestled in as we waited for the placenta to be birthed.

During this time Sariah did her "job" and placed Kaden's hat on him. Rachel anxiously awaited her turn to cut the cord. We ooo'd and ahhh'd over Kaden. We answered the kids questions as they came. Joe unplugged the tub and Rachel just gushed over Kaden and commented on how cute and tiny he was.

About 20 minutes later I had a big contraction and felt the urge to push. As I pushed this huge burst of blood came out of me. I was taken a little a back by this as it was quite unexpected. I pushed again with the next contraction and out came the placenta. Soon after the placenta was birthed the cord turned white. We tied our homemade cord tie to his umbilical cord and had Rachel help daddy cut the cord. We assured her it wouldn't hurt Kaden and without fear cut Kaden free.

Fascinated with the placenta, the girls wanted to know what it was. I handed Kaden off to daddy as I began a small little biology lesson on what the placenta is and how it housed Kaden and helped Kaden to grow big and strong. Soon after Liam was whining to be with me so I pulled him into the tub with me and kept him up on the ledge as I hugged and cuddled him for a few minutes. After the brief lesson and Liam cuddle daddy moved the clan out into the living room to clean Kaden up the rest of the way and to weigh and measure him.

I was left to finish cleaning myself up. I took a brief shower and got dressed, and joined my "new" family out in the living room. Joe informed me of Kaden's stats (which we altered later because the scale wasn't calibrated correctly.) and then presented me with a freshly clothed and diapered Kaden. Kaden and I nestled into the couch for our first nursing session.

All in all it was a nice fast birth that wasn't too painful. It was nice to have the kids present even though I ended up pushing them out of the room at the last minute. They really enjoyed it and I know they will remember Kaden's birth.

The only thing I would probably change is trying to keep my cool at the end and not force the kids out of the room so they can see their sibling born.