An Overdue Birth Story (Part 1)

At 6:30 am on October 16th I was awakened by my first contraction. I wasnt for sure if it was the real deal or not so I tried to go back to sleep. After about 5 contractions coming at ten minutes apart, I started to get giddy. I laid in bed watching the clock and counting my contractions all the while trying to tell myself "theyre just more braxton hicks, dont get excited." When we got out of bed I told Zach I wasnt feeling very good, I was feeling a little achy and crampy, so I was going to stay home from church. I didnt want to say "Hey I think I'm in labor!" because I pretty much spent my whole third trimester thinking I was in labor, even making a few trips to labor and delivery, and hadnt been.

I didnt want to get any hopes up...again.

I tried to go back to bed but was unable to due to my growing excitement. Around 10 I texted my doula (like I had everyday for probably 3 days) and told her that I wasnt for sure but I was having pretty regular contractions so I could be in labor.

I decided to try and speed things up and went on a mile walk (it was more of a disgraceful waddle), pausing every ten minutes for contractions. I was getting strange glances from people going by as I stopped and put my hands on my knees huffing and puffing. When I got home I got in the tub and....my contractions stopped. I was so disappointed and texted my doula to tell her it was another false alarm.

This went on all day long. My contractions would start, stay consistent, and stop. After each break they would start up closer together and a little bit stronger. I got in the tub again and told Zach to pack his hospital bag because I had a feeling the baby was coming.

Around 5 or so, my doula came over. I was laying on blankets on my living room floor, in my swimming suit, shaking when she got there. I wasnt in a lot of pain but  we decided we would go ahead and go to the hospital.

By the time we got there my contractions had stopped again and I was feeling embarrassed for thinking I was in labor. The doctor checked me and I was only 2 cm dialated and 60% effaced and baby Charlotte had actually moved up out of my pelvis a little bit. He then told me I wasnt in active labor and that they wouldnt admit me.

Zach and I headed home and I kept appologizing for getting his hopes up. We decided the only thing to cure our dissappointment was Del Taco (to be regretted later).

I ate two tacos andddd my contractions started again.

This time 4 minutes apart and strong. Zach helped me labor in the living room for a couple hours and then he told me we needed to get up and walk to try to progress my labor. So we went out into our parking lot and did laps around the apartment complex. Everytime I had a contraction I would just stop and squat in the middle of the parking lot and he would squeeze my hips.I was definately some good entertainment and drawing more odd stares from concerned neighbors but at that point I didnt care about anything. I had sort of drawn into myself. I was in the beggining of what would be the deepest concentration of my life.

Around 10 or 11, I was on my hands and knees in our hallway in pain and I wasnt managing very well on my own. I remember hollering at Zach and saying "Call Karissa. I need Karissa." ( Karissa was my doula) Zach: "are you sure its the real thing?"  Me: "Call her. I. Need. Her. NOW!"

Thank God for Karissa.

When she got there I was starting to get a little out of control. I wasnt focusing or relaxing at all. The only thing I could think was "ouch ouch OUCH.'' A contraction started again and I started whimpering and she told me "No. Relax and focus. Say 'mmmmmaaaa' through  the contraction. Exhale and blow the pain away" So I did and things got so much easier. She helped me labor in different positions, squeezed my hips through contractions, rubbed my feet and back, and literally held me as I labored. Around 3 in the morning she told me it was time to head to the hospital.

When we got there, I was dialated to a 5, having steady contractions (that didnt stop this time thank goodness) and my water was leaking.

I was moved down to labor and delivery and we told the staff of my wishes. No epidural, no pitocin, no extra staff in the room, only intermittent monitoring, and the only way

I'd have a c section was if there were life threatening circumstances. To my surprise and as an answer to a lot of prayer, they were very supportive and even acted a little excited for my birth plan.

Then the real fun began

Zach almost did as much work as I did. He wasnt off the hook when Karissa got there, that's for sure. Although I didnt want to look at him, talk to him, or have anything at all to do with him during my labor, my love for him grew tremendously over those 24 hours. He stayed silently by my side and did whatever he could to help me.

He squeezed my hips through contractions.

He walked with me and held me when I needed him to. I didnt have to say anything, all I did was lift my arms and there he was with open arms, ready to hold me.

I'd whisper "water" and he'd bring me a drink.

I'd whisper "hot" and he would fan me.

He didnt say much but every now and then he'd look me in the eye and tell me with conviction "you're doing so good." I was too focused to respond but those words of encouragement could have moved mountains. Everytime he told me that, I thought to myself "Am I? Ok...Im doing good...I can do this. I can really do this."

A few hours passed and the midwife came to check me and I hadnt dialated at all but Charlotte had moved down to the 0 position. My heart sunk and I was filled with frustration. I had been working so hard to only be told "no progress with dialation!" She told me for the lack of progress I had made in so much time I should consider pitocin or the epidural but that she'd give me another hour or so to see how I did.

Karissa looked at me and said "dont get discouraged. You are doing so great. Baby Charlotte has moved down and that matters more than your dialation."

So with the strongest sense of determination, I labored on my hands and knees on the hospital bed. Karissa stood on it behind me while pulling on a sheet that was tied around my stomach to try to get me to contract harder and oh boy did it work. My contractions significantly intensified and I prayed. And prayed. And prayed. Through every contraction I prayed and let me just say that was the closest I have ever felt to God. I praised Him for the daughter He was about to give me and for the fact that in my weakness He was made stronger.

In an hour I progressed from a 5 to a 7 and was feeling the overwhelming urge to push. It was obviously too soon to push and fighting that urge was the hardest thing Ive ever done. Each contraction was making me gag and heave because I had to force my body to stop doing what it wanted to do naturally.

In another hour I progressed from a 7 to a 9.5 and was finally allowed to push.

...and push.

...and push.

...and push some more.

While I pushed, Zach got ready to help deliver his first born into the world.

Finally, after 28 total hours of labor and an hour and 45 minutes of the hardest physical work I have ever done in my life...

Baby Charlotte Zariah Klein entered the world weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces and 18.5 inches long.

Our lives were changed forever.



Everyone said we would fall in love instantly but no one could describe the overwhelming joy and unfathomable love that burst from both of our hearts when we saw that sweet face for the first time.

I will never forget the look in Zach's eyes. One of love, passion, pride, joy, awe, and one that showed the instinctual protection of a father.

After 24 hours of wanting pure silence, I couldnt shut up.

"Thats my baby! Oh thank you Jesus! Thats MY baby. She's beautiful. You're beautiful. Oh my gosh you're the most beautiful baby Ive ever seen! Isnt she gorgeous?!"

It was the most beautiful, wonderful, raw, and intense experience of my life.

It was the perfect natural labor that I had hoped for and to be honest, it didnt even hurt as bad as I thought it would.

I was able to relish in the greatest accomplishment Id ever made for a couple short hours...

Then, things took a downhill turn...