You squat in a birthing tub at home, leaning on the edge as waves of pain wash over you. Even after two kids, the intensity of labor still takes you by surprise. You and Simon have two daughters together: 16-year-old Amery and 3-year-old Naomi.

It's late at night—or rather, early morning now, around 5 AM. You've been in labor for over six hours. Simon hopes the girls will sleep through the birth, but with their usual wake-up time around 6 or 7 AM, it's unlikely. Your screams, hard to control, might wake them sooner.

After giving birth to both girls in the hospital, you decided on a home birth to try something new because you felt like being home while giving birth to a baby would feel better than a hospital. Your midwife, Willow, that has helped you with Amery and Naomi, is by your side.

"Fuckk..." you groan, gripping Simons hand tightly. Just then, he notices 3-year-old Naomi standing in the doorway, clutching her plushie

"Mommy hurts?" she asks quietly, her eyes wide with concern.

Simon gently squeezes your hand, giving you a reassuring look before turning to Naomi. "Mommy's working very hard to bring your new sibling into the world," he explains softly. "Why don't you come here and give Mommy a big hug?"