The birth story of Miss Leona Marie

Baby #5...this birth story has been hard for me to start...I am not sure why. Maybe because this was a harder pregnancy, harder labor and long pregnancy than any before. It was not bad, I am very thankful that I was able to carry a healthy baby to term (and beyond!). But we delt w/ a vanishing twin, severe nausea, migraines and various infections! Goodness!

With Myra I had delt w/ prodromal labor for weeks and again w/ this pregnancy I was dealing w/ the same thing. It can be frustrating to think that your body is going into labor, yet nothing. I was hopeful for a before 40 week baby, but in my heart I knew it was going to go over 40 weeks like the rest of the zech babies. My latest date was 40wks and 5 days....so when that came and went...I got sad...and anxious. No matter how many times you tell yourself that God has his plan and baby will come when it is ready....you still can get down w/ yourself...sad and frustrated at times. So everyday from 38wks until Leona was born I super cleaned my home ready for her arrival.

I think w/ all that preparing for her mentally and physically was draining on me so when labor day came I was so anxious and ready that I was impatient  when I knew I was in labor...I wanted to be done....I was ready to meet the newest Zech.

Now when you have a homebirth legally you cannot birth at home after 42 weeks. So when 41 weeks came and went I decided to be monitored at the hospital every 3 days until baby was born. They monitored fluid levels, placenta, and baby's heartbeat and movements. I went for 2 of these and both times things looked great. So at 41 weeks and 4 days I had been having contractions for about 24hours, very early labor I assume. They came about 1 or 2 an hour and were stronger but hardly noticeable. I asked my friend who is an OB nurse and midwife in training to come and check my dilation and sweep my membranes. I was at a 4 1/2 and in early labor by the time she left 5pm. I started having contractions about every 7-10 minutes from 8 until 10pm

I say labor started officially at 10pm on Sat June1st, that is when our friend Melissa showed up, we popped in a movie and relaxed thru contractions until the midwife showed up around 11pm. During this time I would just quietly breathe thru contractions...and eventually started to sway my hips thru some. So around 11:30 I had my MW check me, I was at a 6 1/2...PROGRESS!!! Around now is when I got into my birth tub my sweet hubby had filled for me...he was so excited that we were finally in labor, melted my heart how attentive and ready to serve he was! The photographer showed up as I was getting into the birth pool which was set up in our boys' room. This room has a dimmer and I feel comfy and safe in this room.

So I went thru some contractions in the birth tub and would get out to use the bathroom and labor started getting more intense around midnight...up until around here I was able to just breathe/focus thru the contractions...water felt nice...and I didn't need any help. But they got intense and harder and I needed Zac to be in front of me, for me to hold onto, lean into and use for strength. {I think this is a reason God had labor be harder this time, to use Z and create an even better teamwork between us} I continued to labor in the pool and on the toilet when I would go to use the bathroom. My contractions were interesting....they would come a strong hard and long one...then it would slow down but not go away then a smaller shorter one would it...it was exhausting. I was getting impatient and frustrated that my water had not broken yet....I knew once that broke I could push {from past experiences}. Around this time I had a mini freak out and was about in tears, my midwife gave me something under the tongue to help calm me down. Lots of loving words of encouragement were given to me around this time as well. {I believe I was so anxious and ready to be done ...mentally exhausted with the pregnancy that I was trying to rush the labor processes}

Around 1:30 I asked to be checked.....I needed to hear I was almost to a 10...please!!! I was at an 8, ok this explains why I feel I cant do it and I wanted to be done. I truly was wishing to be at a hospital and to have medications...I was loosing focus and control...this was not a good feeling. It was a bit scary. My birth team was great at bringing my focus where it needed to be....back to the pain...to focus and take control before a contraction would hit...to own it and ride thru it. I tried...and with my husbands help I was able to ride thru the rest of the contractions. I went to the bathroom about 1:45 and Z always came with me, sat in front of me and kissed me and gave me strength...its amazing how much I needed him {never in the past have I needed anyone this intensely}. I had a HUGE contraction that made me mad and I stood up half way thru it and yelled so LOUD {I was very loud this labor, very!} and I felt the baby move down, I thought it was going to fall out. I told him we need to get back into the pool now!!!

So we waddled back to the pool and quickly hopped in. I overheard my MW say, "she is getting close!" That was nice to hear and I knew it too, the sounds I was making and feeling baby move down. Once back into the tub these contractions were intense, very intense and I had about 4 in here. These were tough...and I would thank God in between them, gain strength from Zacs eyes and during those contractions I would YELL "down, out, c'mon baby...I want to meet you baby" Tyler came into the room sometime during here and I smiled at his sleepy head and asked him to wait in the hallway baby was almost here. Then the a contraction hit and my water exploded!!! I felt it in my hand (I was squatting in the pool hanging on to Z w /one hand when this happened. I exclaimed "Yes! my water broke, THANK YOU GOD!!!" I was SOOO thankful and grateful, I knew I could push now.

I asked for the kids to be woken up and to come in so they could be in the room when baby came out. Only ty guy came. Turns out Cullen was not to happy w/ Melissa waking him up and so Chloie was amazing and stayed w/ baby brother. Myra didn't move. So just ty came in and he was excited I told him where to sit {amazing during a natural birth how aware you are of everything around you} So with the next contraction I pushed as hard as I could, I moved baby down...and kept pushing I could feel the head and it was so close to being out I dug as deep as I could and yelled as loud as I could and pop! Out came the head, WOW! Amazing to feel this head....I did not want to wait another couple minutes for another contraction to push the body out, I needed baby out now, I was so close to meeting baby I needed to just push so I scooted back into a seated position on the other side of the pool all while holding baby's head....I could feel her ears, was so crazy!! And I pushed hard and she came out. My birth team was urging for me to pull baby up out of the water....I took my time and slowly lifted the body up and out!!!! {this was 2:19am on June 2nd, about a 4 hour labor}

Baby was here, I was done, YAHOO!!! Relief swept over me, pain was gone. Tyler was right by me. Zac was across from me. I looked up and our photographer was crying tears of joy, this was her 1st homebirth. I hope I didn't scare her with my ferocious labor and delivery. So after a moment I asked Tyler to please tell me if we had a baby brother or baby sister... he announced he thought it had girl parts, I confirmed and started crying, I knew she was a girl, I just knew it!!! We had our 3rd girl, she was here safe and sound...Thank you Lord! I asked for Melissa to go get the other kids and I didn't care if they were mad or not, wake em up!!! They came in and myra stripped to her unders and hopped into the birth pool {it was not icky or bloody} and Cullen wanted to be naked and hopped in too, they both gave me and baby kisses. We got them out quickly to deliver the placenta and move me into my bed.

We climbed into my bed, the MW and Melissa monitored my bleeding {I have hemorrhage in the past}. I ended up needing 2 shots of Pitocin ( to help shrink the uterus). Those shots hurt! Then Tyler got to cut the cord, he knew all along this was his job and he was very excited to do this. That cord was tough to cut! We waited until all the blood had transferred back to baby (40% of the blood is in the cord/placenta when born...so its best to let it circulate back to baby before cutting it). Chloie got to weigh baby and help w/ baby stats. Miss Leona weighed in at 8lbs 9oz and 20"long.

We called grandma and nana and announced that we had our newest member. Grandma and Grandpa came down to visit and my parents were super excited!!! Once the MW monitored us and such everyone left. Leona and I slept and nursed upstairs and Z and all 4 big sibs went down stairs to nap until 10am!!

It was a long night, long labor and rewarding birth. The Lord I feel had Z and I work so hard thru this labor to build a stronger bond between us and to bring our focus on him, our God is amazing and Glorious. Pregnancy/labor and delivery truly shows how amazing he is.  We have 5 sweet blessings and they each teach us so much. I am thankful and excited for what's in store for this Zech family of 7, yes 7!!!