How it all went down (aka: longest post ever)

So in true Becky fashion, I must include a description of birth day and I'll really try to hold back on all the juicy details because I know not everyone wants to know. If you do, just give me a call:) Ok so the day started on the 28th at about 3 am when I started feeling some small contractions. They weren't anything too huge but they were coming every so often. By about 5:30 a few had been pretty painful but they were still totally sporadic. Ryan left about that time for work and I said to him, "It might be baby day today, just a warning". I got up with Ollie at 6:15 and just went out to the couch to lay down and watch Spongebob with him. My mom and Leah got up and so we started timing the contractions. Some were 5-6 minutes apart, some were 15-20. It was weird for me because I expected them to just take off like they did with Ollie. So I wasn't sure if I was really in labor yet. Leah, Ollie, and I decided to go to Starbucks to get some cocoa before my 10:15 doctor's appointment. At this point, some of the contractions were pretty painful but still very random.

So we all headed to the Doctor to find out if there was anything going on. By this time I was about 4 days overdue so we were going to discuss what to do at the appt. So Mom and Leah walked around the hospital while I waited 2 hours to see the Doctor. Don't ask me why, but I have to wait forever to see my Doctor and usually it's annoying, but that day I was like, ok really, my water might break right here in the office. I was actually sitting in the office breathing through contractions. At this point I was sure I was in labor, but was also confused at why my contractions were still coming so random. The last thing I wanted to do was be checked and be sent to labor and delivery and not be progressed enough and therefore be hooked up to pitocin. My plan for this labor was to go natural so anyone who's been hooked up to pitocin knows that it's much harder to pull off a natural labor when you're being given meds to bring contractions on right on top of each other. Luckily when I finally saw the Dr. he said that I was 5-6 cm dialated and definitely was in active labor. He told me to go up to labor and delivery (his office is in the hospital, right beneath labor and delivery) and get checked in. I was relieved to know that this was it but also nervous that this was it, you know. I was also starving.

If you've been in labor at the hospital you also know that they don't let you eat. I don't know who's genius idea this was, but how am I supposed to work that hard with nothing to eat, seriously. So I made my very nervous mother take me to Quiznos to get a sandwich before checking in. Ryan was already on his way to the hospital from work so when we drove up to the hospital he was walking up the path and you couldn't have wiped the smile off that kids face, it was so cute. So we got checked in and I got hooked up to the monitors and given an IV. I think it was about 1:30 at that point. The contractions definitely were picking up and about an hour after arriving at the hospital the nurse checked me and I was at a 9. I was so surprised to be at a 9 because I felt like I could still manage the pain pretty well. Then I turned over to my side and that's when all hell broke lose. I had a little breakdown at this point because pushing without meds made me really nervous. I asked Ryan to give me a blessing and he did and I felt so comforted by him and my Heavenly Father. I can't remember how many prayers I said through the whole experience but there were a lot.

So then came true transition and my contractions were on top of each other and very intense. Since I was going so fast, I thought getting through that last centimeter would be quicker but it took about an hour to get from a 9 to 10. The main reason for this is that my water bag would not break. After about an hour the nurse was surprised it wasn't breaking on it's own and told me to start pushing with each contraction. I still hadn't felt the need to push so this was really uncomfortable. I had heard from anyone going natural that pushing was such a relief and so I kept waiting for this urge to push and get some relief. Well that water bag was not budging and looking back I just wish someone would have broken it when I was at a 9. That would have helped things move along much better. Finally the doctor got there and immediately broke my water and unfortunately there was meconium (when the baby has a bowel movement in the womb). This can be dangerous for the baby if they swallow it and get it in their lungs. I was scared of this happening because I was overdue so it put a little stress on the whole situation.

Once he broke my water the whole room erupted into action. I got put in the stirrups and it was time to push. Only problem was that the baby's head hadn't come down enough to give me that natural urge so it felt very weird and wrong to push at that point but I knew the Doctor was concerned about the meconium and the baby so I just pushed. I remember saying that I couldn't do it and the Doctor was like, well you don't really have a choice. It only took about 10 minutes to push her out but man, that was the hardest work I have ever done. I did feel a few of those unbelievable urges to push and thank heavens for those because that's when my body just took over and did it's thing. The minute she came out was the best kind of relief I have ever felt. It is an amazing feeling to know that first off, it's over, and secondly, I actually did it. I remember the first thing I said was "what a relief!" and then I said "I'm never doing that again".

I couldn't hold her for almost 45 minutes because they were very concerned about the meconium and she was coughing and choking it up for a while. Honestly I was so tired after pushing her out that I had to kind of bring myself back to earth and realize that I had this new little baby. I started getting really anxious and annoyed that they wouldn't give her to me but finally they did and I just instantly loved that little thing. I thought right away that she looked like Oliver. She was so rolly and chubby, just like Ollie was. It's always amazing to see this little person all the sudden arrive when they were just seconds before in your tummy. I don't think much of anything can beat what a miracle birth is. So overall it was quite the amazing experience. I wanted to do at least one of my births natural so now that that's over with, I'm not sure if I'll do it again or not. It is nice to know that in case I don't have the option for meds in the future, I can do it on my own. Whether I want to if given the choice, we'll see:) I'm recovering really well which is one of the best parts about doing it natural. Amelie is also doing really well and sleeping a lot. Nursing is good but totally kills. Ollie was pretty natural as far as latching on well but she takes a little more work and practice. She is really starting to get it though. And the uterine contractions while nursing that come with the second are pretty intense, I was surprised. Ollie had been sick, perfect timing huh? So it's been a little challenging being there for him and her but we're managing pretty well. He is very sweet with her but not so gentle. I think he's just testing his boundaries a little which is fine. It's a lot for a kid to get used to. Ryan is amazing as always. I KNOW that I would not have been able to do that labor without him. He is such a peaceful strength to me and I'm even more in love and grateful for him than ever. He is IN LOVE with his little girl. If you didn't know, Ryan has been waiting his whole life to have a little girl, seriously. So basically we couldn't be happier with our new family of four. Life is pretty amazing. As far as more pictures go, I will work on it. It's taken me a few days to get this post out so things might move a little slower than usual. Thanks everyone for everything. There is a lot of LOVE.