The Birth of Charlotte Rebecca Zaycheck Lorenz
September 17th 2013
Written by: Mama (Madelin Zaycheck)
It was early morning on September sixteenth. Three am is the first time that I recall looking at the clock as the contractions I had been having for days caused me to stir from my sleep. They were getting stronger, and unlike the ones I had been having since week 36, these were different, these hurt. I was able to return to sleep and stayed in bed until about four thirty. At that point I needed to move, laying still was too much for me. I had to be doing something. I was pretty sure this was the beginning of my labor. We had made it to 38 weeks.
The night before, Sunday night, Andy and I had been out on the porch at his house, the wood cold and wet below my bare feet, I wasn't cold but I was shivering. I joked, “wouldn’t it be funny if I was in labor...”
It was Monday morning, the sun wasn’t up yet, and I had a lot of things to finish before my little girl made her arrival. Packing my list of needed items into my suitcase. Aromatherapy candles, comfortable clothes, my notebook, and of course the array of tiny items that would be needed for my little girl. I did some sewing to pass the time between contractions, I folded her clothes that were stacked on the changing table, I organized the drawers in her nursery. My contractions were 5-10 minutes apart, lasting around 30-40 seconds each.
I enjoyed my moments of quite as I labored alone in the early morning. As the morning progressed, and the sun started its ascent into the sky, I was ready for company. I made that crucial phone call. Andy was still asleep, so I waited for his alarm to go off and for him to return my call. I told him today was most likely the day, the beginning of my labor to bring our daughter into the world.
Once he arrived, around nine am, my contractions were still varied in how long apart they were and how long they were lasting. Though they were definitely getting stronger.
We spent the day resting as much as we could, I had my one glass of wine, my first glass in what felt like ages. We held each other as we prepared to welcome our daughter. Andy made Chilli, the perfect meal for a chilly september day. The perfect meal to warm us and keep our energy up.
At some point I began to loose track of time. The pain of the contractions had moved. With each contraction, I felt nothing in my stomach. I felt everything in my low back. We slow danced to help me make it through the pain. It helped, but it was pushing on the edge of being too much. We called morning star for help. Heather recommended taking to the bed and piling pillows under my hips as I lay on my stomach on the bed, this was to help baby girl’s spine end up cradled in the front of my stomach instead of towards my spine as she was currently. She suggested doing this for at least 45 minutes. I think I lasted about 15, maybe 20. It was too much, the contractions came stronger, and faster, as my body worked to rotate her into the position she needed to be in. This brought waves of nausea with each contraction. I surrendered and resumed laying on my side. It had worked, I could feel the contractions in my stomach again. On my side, the contractions continued. I slept.
Around 6:30, with each contraction I was dreading riding in the car. I made the call that we were on our way. I wanted to get there before they got closer and stronger than they already were. 15 hours of labor at home and I was ready to take the next step in our journey.
4 contractions on the way to the birth center.
Throughout the day I had been in touch with our doula Julia as well as our photographer Brooke. Updating on contraction lengths and how I was doing. We also kept a couple friends and family members updated as the day progressed. My mom and Julia both arrived at morning star before Andy and I. My mom was there to greet us at the car when we arrived. They led us into our birthing room. The red room. Our midwives Heather and Renee were also there to meet us.
The time was 7:45. I had my first cervical check. almost 17 hours of labor, and I was 90% effaced and dilated to 4cm.
The time was 10:20
After some time of laboring on the bed, bouncing gently on the birth ball, and standing with Andy rocking side to side as the contractions came one after another, I wanted to be in the water. I wanted that weightless feeling and that relief that comes with the gentle pressure of a hot bath.
In the tub, I had lost track of time. Contractions continued, closer and closer together, though I'd stopped keeping track of how long they lasted and how far apart they were when we arrived at Morning Star. I knew my job had changed. My job now was to breath through the contractions that would eventually bring my daughter out into the world.
In the tub, it was too long for me. My legs were throbbing from pushing my feet against the end of the tub, bracing my body as each contraction came. This was a pain no one had prepared me for. No one told me my legs would feel like they were on fire.
Andy, there next to me, was suddenly joining me in the water. He made the tub shorter for me. I wanted him there. I wanted to be held. As my labor continued to intensify, I didn't want to be touched as I rode the contractions, but without relax into him for what now only seemed like moments between.
Time passed. Hours passed.
I exited, and returned to the tub a couple of times.
The time came when I knew it would be my last break from the tub before my daughter arrived. I had been breathing and pushing her down for a while as I sat on my knees at the end of the tub. I was tired. I could feel her getting lower and lower. She was getting ready. I slept between pushing.
Andy assisted me into the bathroom, the contractions continued. I continued to push her lower and with that push, my water broke as I sat there on the toilet. It was like an explosion. Suddenly the contractions hurt less again. There was less pressure. Or maybe they hurt less because the arrival of our daughter was on the horizon.
I needed to lay down.
Laying on my side on the bed, my legs, my body, relaxed. I knew that even though I had only wanted to lay down for a minute, that I would not be returning to the tub. She was so close and I was ready to bring her into the world. The time was ???
A few contractions later I was beginning to push her out and not just down. Andy kept me breathing the low deep sounds. I would scream and he would bring me back. Even though I knew I had Heather and Renee holding my legs, watching for baby as I pushed, checking her heart rate as she made her journey. In my eyes, Andy could have easily been the only person in the room with me. Looking back, I am so thankful for his unending support while I labored.
One more push and her head was out. The first thing I heard was my mom who exclaimed "she is beautiful!" I had been slowly pushing, feeling her head rock out and then back in as each contraction faded. I don't know how many times I pushed. It didn't feel like many though. With another couple of pushes her body joined her in the room that for her I am sure was cold and bright. Even though the only light was dim and accompanied by my candles. There was a rush of action, but only mild concern. Her cord was around her neck twice. As soon as they un-looped it she was in my arms and screaming her first cries. My first words to our daughter were "you’re alright mama's here"
She was perfect.
Skin to skin under blankets, at last I was holding my tiny baby girl.
That is the story of my labor and her birth.
To view the video of Charlotte's Birth, follow this link. I warn you. I am naked, you will see everything. Thank you Brooke for the amazing photos and video!
https://vimeo.com/79983123
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