Kaedence Marie Thomas

 This little beauty joined the outside world at 7:50 am on July 11th :)

Laneah and Rhycherd both ADORE her :) Nay always wants to hold/play with her and Rhych always says "She's so adornable" :)

Birth Story:
I had been having prodormal labor for weeks, so when contractions would come on I would not get overly excited and time them for a while. But the little boogers would always go away. At 3:00 am I woke up to the most painful contraction I had felt. It lasted about 1 1/2 min. Then another one came 5 minutes later. They kept coming every 5 minutes and lasting 3 minutes each! All the "exercises" we had been practicing for labor pains (rubs, massages) made me mad! They made the pain worse! So I had Bo put a hot washcloth on my back during contractions while I was in bed or had him pour the hot bath water on my back, stomach, and thighs while I was in the tub. I tell you, I did NOT want to be touched! We timed the contractions for about 2 hours before calling the midwife. She asked if she should come or if we wanted to labor alone for a while longer. We wanted to be alone. At this point I am groaning through these things. They HURT! We called our friends to come get the kids. They live about an hour away and have 4 kids to get ready so we knew it would be a while before they could make it. About 7 am I got into the tub again and felt a new pain, only what could be described as transition contractions. Oh my heavens, I couldn't even get enough oxygen to moan they hurt so bad! Thank heavens, I only had to endure 4 of those before I felt like I had to go to the bathroom, got up, sat on the toilet, and my water broke! Immediately I looked at Bo and said, "Call Rhoda, I feel like I need to push!" Bo called her and she was on her way... But no amount of speeding could get her here in time :P 10 minutes of me saying "Honey, I can't do this!" and Bo calming me down saying "Yes you can honey. It is almost done. You can do this!" and little Kaedence was delivered by her daddy in our bed with her siblings in the next room :) Needless to say, Bo called our friends and told them nevermind :) My midwife and her nurse showed up a few minutes later :) The kids were not freaked out at all, they were actually in awe when they saw her :)

I am so proud of myself for having made it through all natural. It was amazing to feel and see how God has this process happen, BUT I have also realized I am a woman who does not mind being numb from the waist down (I have never had complications from an epidural) and will NOT do childbirth natural again :P

Some Great Labor Quotes!

Throughout this whole pregnancy I have watched TONS of natural labor videos on youtube. Today I watched one with some AMAZING quotes I wanted to share:

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding - Khalil Gibran

Birth may bring you face-to-face with your insecurities, doubts, inadequacies, and fears. It may also bring you face-to-face with your joy, determination, willingness, and courage. -The Pink Kit

The power and intensity of your contractions cannot be stronger than you because it IS you -Unknown (I agree this is true with NATURAL contractions...)

2nd Baby Appt With Midwife

Went wonderfully again!

I had brought up how my exhaustion had not gone away since the first trimester ended. She said even though I was "clinically" not anemic (numbers in the normal range) that she was going to do with me what she does with other moms who have anemic symptoms in the normal range, she was going to treat me with Hema-Plex pills. They have worked wonders so far! I have only been on them for 3 days but I feel a difference :)

I cannot gain weight with this baby! I was 176 before I conceived, then I lost a pound after the 1st trimester sickies and have stayed at that 175 since. Baby is doing great so far, 131 BPM and my uterus is measuring right on track :) So she said not to worry yet, but gave me a list of things to eat to help me gain weight. (I am NOT used to be told to eat good fatty foods during pregnancy, I have usually gained 5 or so pounds by this point :P)

We see baby at a clinic Feb 19 and will tell you guys what he/she is :) (By the way, we are thinking girl)

Follow Me On My Journey With A Home Birth

Before eyebrows are raised, jokes come to mind, or horrifying stories come to you; stop them. You will need to keep an open mind when I write posts about getting ready for this next birth, which will be happening at home with my midwife.

First I feel I should address the reasons why I have chosen to have a home birth:
- I have gone into labor ON MY OWN both times, but when I got to the hospital they felt the need to augment my labors with either Cervidil or Pitocin (Shooting me into pain unimaginable)
- I will get to eat and drink if I feel I need to during labor! By the time I would reach a 10 and need to push, I would already be shaky from low blood sugar because I was NOT ALLOWED to eat in the hospital
- I will get to sit in a bath, walk around, bounce on the exercise ball, WHATEVER I need to do to get through the contractions
- I will NOT have an IV in my hand
- I will not be forced to give birth in the lithotomy position (on back with hips and knees flexed with thighs apart)
- It will be much more intimate, I will only have my hubby, midwife, and nurse there
- I am very much wanting a birth the way it has been done since the beginning of time
- It only costs $2700 for the whole thing, from prenatal appts to post partum

I will keep you all updated with appointments and eventually of course, the birth :)