Baby Becca is here!

So after weeks of impatiently waiting and trying everything under the sun to get her to come, Rebecca Faith Rayanne Leibrock finally arrived! Here's the birth story that I typed up while still in the hospital:

Waited as patiently as we could, but I started having swelling, head aches and blood pressure issues beginning at about 38 weeks.

Then at our 41 week appt, I got two blood pressure readings that were over 140. I was sent to the maternal assessment center and admitted for an induction/augmentation (as I was having random contractions on my own already).

At about 6 pm I got Cervadil put in to help soften/dilate me. I was nervous as everyone kept telling me that my cervix was basically closed, I had a long way to go, etc. Also, the string started to fall out and the nurse checked me at about 11 pm and I hadn't made much progress. However, when it was time to take it out in the morning I was 2 1/2 centimeters dilated and a bit more effaced, so it worked! The midwife told us we could skip anymore ripening and go straight to pitocin. 

We were schedule to start pitocin at 8 am but got a bit delayed as they were having trouble getting my IV in. I was stabbed four times between last night and this morning. 

They ended up starting pitocin at 9 am, by noon, I was at 3.5 cm with very little pain/discomfort in getting there. After she checked me we noon, matt went out to get noodles and company and when he was gone, I was resting and felt a couple of clicks and a pop. It was painful and then my next contraction was super painful. I felt a little wetness down below and went to the bathroom but couldn't honestly tell if it was just the gel from the exam coming out or not. I had two more intense contractions in the bathroom and started to panic as matt wasn't back yet.

He came back in and immediately saw that things had changed. I sat down on the bed to try and eat a few bites of food and water came gushing out! (1 pm)

After that things picked up pretty fast. I went for over an hour managing the contractions with nitrous oxide but as they got more and more intense, I decided I wanted the epidural. 

It took about an hour to get the epidural and have it kick in. It was probably the most miserable hour of my life! The midwife checked me before the epidural guy came and I was a 4.5, but baby had dropped pretty low. After the epidural kicked in she checked me again and I was a 7.5! No wonder that last hour was so brutal! I also couldn't use the gas as I was getting the epidural in and waiting for it to work, so I fully felt every one of those last awful contractions. No clue how people do that all naturally. Wow!

After the epidural kicked in, life was wonderful again. I relaxed and was just waiting to finish dilating. The midwife waited an hour or so and then came to check me and I was a 9.5, yea! I was pretty comfortable the whole time but had some weird nerve/leg pain in my right thigh that Matt had to rub out with each contraction. But I wasn't feeling the contractions which was great. She decided to give me a bit more time to get that last 1/2 centimeter gone. 

During the time we were waiting, I felt my contraction pain start to come back and started panicking. It started out as back pain as was back to full blown contractions before the anesthesiologist came in. I was in rough shape at that point and was crying out and begging someone to help me. It wasn't my finest moment, but I was feeling desperate.

The anesthesiologist gave me new epidural medicine and also a local anesthetic which was such a huge relief but made me super duper sleepy. I couldn't feel my legs or my contractions and all I wanted to do was take a nap. But my heart rate and baby's heart rate started to go down a bit so the midwife said it was time to get baby out! 

It was about 6 pm when I started pushing and I was so discouraged at first. I was so so tired I kept falling asleep between pushes and I couldn't feel anything, couldn't move my legs or feel how to push. Baby was still really high and I felt like all my effort wasn't doing anything. 

After about an hour though the local anesthetic began to wear off and I got super scared that all of my pain was coming back. It was a blessing in some ways as I started being able to feel my contractions and how to push, but it also brought a whole lot more pain and discomfort! I tried to give up tons of times but everyone kept telling me to keep going, that I could do this and also that I didn't have a choice, ha! Eventually they told me they could see the head and I started pushing and yelling like crazy just to get done. My midwife Lynnsie told me to calm down, that I was in control of this, and to listen to my body. So I did, and bore through the ring of fire and kept consistently pushing and pushing until finally I felt baby come out. It was just as much of an incredible relief as it was with Brinley!

I wanted to be the one to say the gender so as the baby came out I got to reach down and pick baby up. I looked and saw that it was a little girl! We were so so thrilled! I had really wanted a little girl and right before she came out, Matt had turned to me and said he really wanted a little girl too!

Little Rebecca Rayanne Leibrock was born on 8/8/17 at 7:50 pm. And she wasn't that little at a whopping 9 lbs 3 oz, 21 1/2 inches long and with a 15 inch circumference head. Ouch! No wonder she was so hard to push out, ha!

It was really pretty calm after she came out as we got to let the cord pulse, I got to hold her skin to skin, and then nurse soon after she was born. She did poop all over almost immediately after being born but we were relieved she didn't poop in utero! Daddy cut the cord and then they eventually took her to be weighed. It was really great.

Also, I didn't tear so I didn't have to have any stitches, which was great!

We had a very nice stay in the hospital, but I had a lot of pain while trying to walk as my pubic bone separated. I left the hospital in a wheel chair but within a couple weeks of being at home I was much better.

Also, on the way home from the hospital daddy and I talked about adding Faith as an additional middle name. I have really felt that through this whole pregnancy I had a lot of worry and anxiety and this has really been one huge test of faith. God is always faithful and we are so grateful that he brought us through everything and gave us a beautiful healthy baby girl! This was really meaningful to me so we added in Faith, making you our sweet little Rebecca Faith Rayanne Leibrock.

And we decided to spell Rayanne with an "e" since I have an "e" at the end of my middle name and so does my mom. It honors us as well as honoring Daddy, his grandpa and his mom.

Labor tea. Horrible stuff but it did cause some contractions but no labor :(

Super swollen feet and ankles. They barely fit into my shoes!

Believe it or not the one on the right is swollen as well, the one on the left was crazy swollen!

Brinley and I baked you a birthday cake to try and entice you to come out!

I even went to Zumba to try and dance you out!

Nana's water had broken with me while she was on a rowing machine so I got the nice janitor at the high school to let me in so I could try it! Didn't work though :(

At my 41 week appt, right before heading to the hospital to get induced. Daddy took a half day off of work to come with me. You looked great on the ultrasound but my blood pressure was too high so they sent me off to get you out!

Our board, it was getting real!

Our room, so nice but I unfortunately never got to use the tub :(

Ready and waiting for you!

I HATED getting the IV. Worst part of the experience...thus far at least! ;)

How I dealt with the first real contractions. Lots of nitrous! Daddy said my face looked hilarious as I was sucking that thing for dear life!

And finally you arrived!

Proud daddy :)

The nurse that was with us for 12 hours had to leave so we sent her a pic!

My baby. Finally!

Proud but tired mama!

Big sister came right away to the hospital to meet you, she was thrilled to have a sister!

Nurse Casey helping big sister hold you for the first time

She wanted to help the nurse check you out.

Holding your hand so you wouldn't be scared. The nurse had to give you the vitamin K shot and Brinley grabbed her cheeks and exclaimed "oh" when you got poked with the needle. She also told the nurse not to do that anymore to her baby sister!

Peeking your eyes open. What is this world??? Also, the hat was so cute but your head was too big for it!!!

Proud Nana!

So perfect!

We love you!

Big sister visiting the next day before going to visit Nana for a few days

Big fluid filled Mama :) I left the hospital still at over 180 but was down more than 30 pounds in about 10 days :)

Aunt Gracie, Aunt Dana and Grandma Ann all came right away to meet you as well 

Proud Auntie! So glad she got to be here for the early days

Grandma's classic baby hold as she talked to you :)

Perfect little angel 

Sisters!

First baby bath in the hospital. The first thing you did after you were born was poop everywhere so we had to get you cleaned up. 

So cute in your little bassinet!

Heading home! You looked so small in that seat!

Sweet flowers from my awesome co-workers awaited us when we got home! Nana also brought us flowers in the hospital but we forgot to take a picture of those. You are already so loved little one!