Kowen Scott Gathercoal

So this little boy has been different from the time that he entered my body. I was sick all the time for the first 4 months. Medicine never really helped. I took numerous Gender prediciton test, the Chinese gender chart told me a girl, the lunar chart said boy, the pregnancy question quizzes would go from girl to boy all the time but the percentage would be low from like 50%- 70% chance of whatever. So those things are a bunch of bologne. GOing off the heart rate He started high in the 170's to the 160's. Then after about 6 months the heart rate went to 140-120 each time. SO that gave me my first real hope that it could be a boy. Then as everyine knows this little guy stayed in there much longer than the girls and than I had expected.

So heres the story~~I never really had many contrations until about midnight on September 14 2010. They were stronger but not consistant, maybe 15- 30 minutes apart. SO I just tried to sleep as best as I could, and here and there I would wake up to a contraction. Still not consistant. So Scott went to work and I called him later to say "stay by your phone we will probably have a baby in the next 24- 48 hrs." I was having contractions all morning. I had my regular doctors visit Scheduled for that day around 4:30 and I knew that if I wasnt already in labor that stripping my membranes would do the trick. SO when I woke up I got everything ready for if someone was coming to watch the girls. I laid pjs out cleaned dishes and even set up a dinner menu. Brinley had Piano and Madalyn had dance also. I thought Id make it back. I did pack my bag and put it in the car along with the carseat for when I went to town and the doctors.
So Scott got home and I headed to Walmart to get essentials like toilet paper, diapers for the girls, and dish soap. Dont want to be out of toilet paper. I was having some strong contractions while in the store but I wasnt timing them. I could still walk. As I wsa walking to the car I had a contraction followed by a small gush. not sure if my bladder was just overly full. Then I headed over to the doctors appointment. It was around 4:15 pm this time. As I walked in again another contraction and gush, so I checked in and when I went to go give a urine sample. A larger gush and it was slightly red. Totally forgot about the sample. TOld the nurse I thought my water broke. So I went in to the room to get check and sure enough I sat down on the table and it was a waterfall on the table. and again. Dr. Mcculloch Checked me and I was a 3. As I was in there waiting I got on the phone with scott and said " its my water for sure so just hurry up and get down here" Hi mom was already there with the girls. SO I leave and get my bag out of the car. Then I walk myself upstairs to labor and delivery. ( I think that its so crazy that I just knew it was today and if I had been in walmart 5 minutes longer ~ that would have been interesting.) SO I get settled inup stairs I brought my own tube top and skirt to wear while I had this baby. I even rented a movie on the way out of walmart sinceI thought It was going to be awhile. Scott gets there about 5:30-5:45. The contractions are strong but not too crazy. My brother Jason and Brian came and gave me a blessing. Things got a little more intense. Scott was looking at me like I was crazy. But it hurt. I had a hep lock put in so I could move around but first they needed to get a long reading on the baby's heart rate. So I had to sit and lay to the left. That was the hardest part. I hurt my butt and made the contractions harder. They had stress balls you could squeese on and I guess that helped. I just wanted to throw it across the room. I felt like i needed a bite stick also. I really just wanted to get on the ball and be able to move around and get in a more comfortable position. So finally about 5- 10 minutes before 7pm The nurse came in to say I could move around now and her shift was ending. I asked if she could check me check me it jsut felt like more pressure. So she brought in the new nurse and she checked me. I was a 7+ -8. I sat up to get on the ball and MAN WAS THAT WHEN THEY GOT HARD!!!! SO INTENSE.!!!I sat on the ball for about 2 contractions and had scott Rub my lower back and that helped. I got back on the bed and said you need to check me again. I was an 8+. They paged the doctor to get there.wow the pain was tremedous. I tried the ball again but the contractions were just too strong. I was loud. Other nurses had to come in and help me breathe. THey check me again 3 minutes or so later and i was a 10. they paged the doctor and said hurry. The nurses who were helping me breathe correctly kept saying not to push. That was one fo the hardest parts.WE even had a doctor on stand by incase the baby came before the doctor. THe doctor made it and I was finally able to push. WOW again. That hurt like heck. I was not ready for that, I heard about it but never imagined anything like it. 2 pushes and his head was out. I got to feel his slimy head. Then I believe it was one push later that he was out. He had muconium in the last part of his fluid but he he gave out a nice cry which was good. He was laid on my belly as they cleaned him off and th rest was a piece of cake. i couldnt get over his blonde hair.

SO what did I like th most about my experience.

I loved not knowing he was a boy.
ilove how alert he was when he came out.
I love that I was prepared for the whole natural experince since i probably wouldnt have had a choice with how fast he came.
I love that my water broke so I knew for sure when to go in.
Glad it wasnt at walmart, well like a waterfall in walmart.
I love the recovery i had, only motrin need and not very much.
I like how fast everything went, it made it easier to deal with the pain, I cant imagine being in the hard stage for longer than i was.

NOt so great part~
The pain, if you cant tolerate much pain, i would not recommend it.
I hated that they made me lay on my side it made the pain the worst.
I might of handled it better had it not been for that.
I cant even watch the video yet, it was just too crazy and intense, not graffic.

WOuld i do it again?????
sometimes i say oh no and sometimes I say the the benefits out weigh the pain. But good thingI dont have to make that choice. We are done. Unless an act of God says otherwise.

Our hearts are full of love for this new little boy and couldnt be more happy!

So now so pictures!