Happy 1st Birthday To My Rylie Muffin!

One year ago today at 8:25 PM after 8 hours of med free labor, my 2nd princess, Rylie Elizabeth, came into our lives at 7lbs 15oz 21in. I haven't formally written a birth story for her like I did Taylor so I figure, what better day to do it on than her birthday?

Andy and I went into the hospital for me to be induced at around 8AM. We got me checked in and went up to the labor and delivery floor where I met my OB and midwife and they took me back to my room. It was surreal standing in the room thinking in a matter of time I was going to be in some serious pain and that she was going to be born in here. Didn't I just do this 17 months ago?! So she gave me a cup for a urine sample and my oh so gorgeous hospital gown. Once I was changed I spent what felt like forever answering questions about my health, my family's health, whether I was going to breastfeed or bottle feed, ect. and she hooked me up to monitors to hear Rylie's heartbeat and to monitor my contractions. She left the room for a while so Andy and I had time to just hang out for a bit. After a while she came back in and gave me my IV of fluids to keep me hydrated. It took two tries since she popped my vein the first time... lovely. By this time it was 10 AM and my OB came in and said hi and he couldn't believe Rylie STILL wasn't here on her own LoL. He had me lay down to do a cervical exam and nothing changed... still 2 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced. He inserted the prostaglandin gel to soften my cervix. I had to remain flat for 1 hour but after that hour I had my mobile IV with me and got walking. I had very few minor contractions but after an hour they checked me and said I was 3 centimeters and 100% effaced so he popped my water. Now, having done this once before I KNEW this was the time the real pain was coming. Sure enough, not even a chance to build up to the bad ones, I had a full on, hard contraction. I started pacing the room with Andy and kneeling when I needed to so I didn't fall from the pain. After a few hours I requested the epidural and my midwife said my blood pressure was too low and if I took it now I might need a c-section because getting an epidural will drop my blood pressure even more and she wants to avoid that so I needed to wait a little longer. So I sat in a rocking chair eating a popsickle, humming through each contraction. My blood pressure was STILL too low but I was 5 centimeters now. She told me to get in the shower and maybe that will help me relax some. Well in the shower they were SO intense and I started to bleed a little. I KNEW it couldn't be that far off. It hit 7:30 PM and the anesthesiologist finally came in to give me my epi. Well she tried 3 times and finally got it. I was so ready for pain relief.... but it never came. My mom and dad came in at this time and talked to me for a few minutes and I started telling them that I was feeling TONS of pressure and actual pain and that my epi didn't work! Well my parents left and I told Andy "I think this baby is coming VERY soon and I feel EVERYTHING!!". We called the midwife in and she said "it's almost time for a baby! You're 9 and 3/4 centimeters dilated, there's only a small lip left. We'll give you another half hour and then we can start pushing". I told her about the pain and all they kept doing was pushing the button to administer more pain meds but it NEVER worked! By this point the nurse comes in the room and I KNEW I had to start pushing... my body was doing it for me! She said "oh no, you can't push yet! The OB went home hours ago and the midwife is delivering someone else right now!". That 20 minutes of trying to keep the baby inside with no pain meds and your body FORCING you to give birth was THE most painful moment of my life. I started tearing up and begging for a c-section. It was complete agony! The nurse was pacing back and forth and looking out in the hall way because I couldn't stop myself from pushing anymore. Andy was such a good support system for me. He kept saying "hold on baby, look at me, you can do it" and just kept rubbing the leg he was holding. She actually yelled into the hall "someone's going to need to deliver this baby!". FINALLY, my midwife came in and said "whoa, baby is RIGHT there mommy!" and she suited up super fast. I reached my hand "down there" and could feel her hair and I started crying. Despite the horrible pain of holding her inside and, since I didn't have any pain meds, the pressure and burning and pain were hard to bear but I couldn't believe I was almost finished. I was almost pain free! It gave me the motivation to push through the pain even though I didn't want to. Pushing made it hurt worse. After one push her head came out and Midwife Hensley suctioned her nose and told me to wait till the next contraction but I couldn't. It hurt so bad and I needed her out so with one more huge push she came into the world screaming her little heart out at 8:25 PM. They placed her on my chest where she proceeded to pee all over the place LoL. She was covered in that white sticky vernix coating and slightly bloody but she was, in addition to her big sister, the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Andy and I couldn't get over how much she looked like Taylor. I tore in 3 spots so while they were weighing and cleaning Rylie she stitched me up and they had to give me a shot to stop bleeding that was too heavy. Right afterward Andy went and got my mom and dad and they came into visit. I also called my sister Kris who was watching Taylor and told her the news and asked how my big girl was, I missed her so much! They finally placed Rylie in my arms and I suddenly knew how I could love 2 children at the same time. It was completely effortless... I loved her beyond all reason. My parents left after a few mins and Andy took her so I could *try* to go potty. Anyone that's had a baby knows how much you NEED to go but you can't LoL... weird feeling. When I got back into bed Andy gave her back to me and the lactation consultant came in and taught me how to nurse... I didn't nurse Taylor so had no clue what to do. So Andy went home to be with Taylor and I spent the night in the hospital alone, in the soft glow from the tv, nursing my baby and holding her. It was pure bliss... there aren't any words to describe the emotions I was feeling. After we slept for a few hours she needed to be changed and fed but I felt this HORRIBLE headache. Turns out ALL the anesthesia went INTO my body and up to my brain causing a spinal head ache. It was worse than the natural childbirth! It lasted the whole first week of Rylie's life and I seriously wanted to just die. We got to leave the hospital on the 27th of March, Percocet (for my headache) in hand. I got home to see my parents playing outside with Taylor. I started crying and went to hug her immediately. It was like she sensed her world had changed. She acted completely different towards me and I felt terribly guilty. After a few days she warmed up to Rylie and we couldn't keep her away from her. After a week of the head ache... I can't even begin to describe how debilitating that is, I was told to drink 3 pots, yes POTS, of coffee and it would go away. If FINALLY left and I could actually enjoy my 2 kids. Because of my experience with the epidural that didn't work and that caused such enormous amounts of pain afterward, I will only have natural childbirths from now on. Rylie has been such a joy to me this past year and I'm forever grateful to God that He gave her to Andy and I. Her life is such a miracle to me and I don't take one single day for granted. Happy 1st Birthday "Rylie Monster" (Taylor's term for Rylie), we love you more than life itself.