Hi friends + family!
Riley is here!
The newest member of our family is finally here and I am so happy to share her story with you guys.
My pregnancy wasn’t picture perfect.
My pregnancy with Riley was far from easy and if you followed along here on the blog or via Instagram then you defiantly seen some of my hardship. From weeks 6 to 21 I was so incredibly sick there were days where I felt so defeated. I lost 21lbs couldn’t keep food down, had low iron and just felt so weak most of the time. After week 21 I started to feel much better. Though morning sickness never completely went away I was still able to at least enjoy those last weeks of pregnancy the best I could. Though my pregnancy wasn’t picture perfect my baby girl was and today for the first time I share her birth story. Everyone I’d like to introduce to Ms. Riley Reign.
“I think my water broke”
Was what I ran downstairs and told my husband. It was December 28 2021 at 10:30 pm. He literally had just come home from hanging out at a Kings game and the timing could not have been more perfect. Your kidding did your water really break? He asked me. I think so yes. I pulled him into our downstairs bathroom and explained to him how I was just laying down upstairs when I immediately felt a gush of water. Next thing I know everything below the waste was soaked. Unlike the first two times my water broke in previous pregnancies I didn’t feel a pop. I only felt a gush of water. But I was pretty sure my water broke and I wasn’t waiting around the house to find out. Some women like to labor at home for a while before they go in the hospital. Me? totally not one of them. I wanted to get to the hospital right away just to be safe. So we called my mother in law over to watch the kids. My sister came by and picked up my niece who had been having a slumber party, we tossed the bags and carseat in the car and we were off.
Happy Birthday Dayjhan.
By the time we took care of everything at home and arrived at the hospital it was around 11:15ish. Dayjhan went to park and get a covid test while I went to register in. There was one other mom ahead of me and the wait to get in a triage room plus to see Dayjhan felt like forever reality was it was about 35 minutes. Once we made it to the back they started monitoring the baby heart rates and coming in and out of the room with paper work. I remember having to pee so bad and I was still gushing water even an hour later. Once they checked my cervix and confirmed I was in labor it was time to get us settled in a birthing room. It was right 11:59 pm as I watched the clock hit midnight. Happy birthday Dayjhan I said to my husband. Surprise! Our baby would be born on his birthday out of all days. It was the craziest way to bring our little girl in the world and the best birthday gift if you ask him.
I feel the pressure..
Being settled into our birthing room, getting painful IV’s and changing clothes took a while and by now it was around 1:30 am. Nothing changed much on my end with my body I still wasn’t very dilated and things were progressing very slowly. There were times were the baby heart rate would take a dip and the nurses who were monitoring the screens outside the room were nervous. I didn’t panic because it was as if the baby and I were in-sync and I just knew she was okay. I ended up speaking to the nurses about medications to make labor progress. This was new to me as I never took anything like that durning my previous labor and deliveries. But my body was refusing to progress on it’s own and it had now been hours since my water broke. Half a pill of pitocin and things picked up very fast. I ended up speaking to the nurse again this time about how much pain I was having and agreed it was time for my epidural.
When I tell you I had the two best nurses EVER! I had the two best nurses ever. Nurse Tish was my first nurse she was so amazing and motherly. She held my hand when I cried and gave me the most encouraging words a stranger ever had. Then there was nurse Jill. She was our last nurse. She had the kindest heart and took care of the three of us to ensure we had everything we needed while we were there. If by chance either of these nurse ever read this you guys are more than nurses your true angels. Thank you for everything!
So hours had passed the sun had come up and there was still no baby. I was finally dilated but not enough to push just yet. Dayjhan went to grab himself some lunch since I couldn’t eat and I just waited and waited. Texting my friends and family updates until I felt so much pressure. The midwives came in and checked me and was like wow it’s almost time to push! I quickly called Dayjhan to come back but then things went left. I begin to shiver hard. It didn’t take long for the nurses to realize I had a fever of 103 and an infection. There was nothing that could have been done to prevent it and its just one of those not so fun things that sometimes happen durning laboring. They wanted to make sure I had medication for it first before pushing but while that was happening under the blanket the baby was coming. I feel pressure! I told one of the nurses oh it’s just pressure you’ll be okay she said . Well I’m going to lay on my back instead of my side I told her. Next thing I know I pulled the blankets back and there she was her head! I was in labor pushing and had no idea. The nurse yelled her head! Dayjhan froze and jumped up they both came running but before anyone could do anything Riley was here! She delivered herself!
Welcome to the world baby girl.
Riley Reign Carr born on her dads birthday a little after 2:00 pm December 29 2021. Weighing just 5lbs and 10oz. Our smallest baby, who had pretty much just delivered herself. The doctors and midwives ran in Riley was already out and I couldn’t help but cry. All the months of sickness, all the times of uncertainty, all of the pain. It was worth it. She was here. Our baby girl was finally here.
After a 2 day hospital stay due to the infection we finally got to go home. December 31 2021 we made it home so the girls can meet their new sister and just in time to ring in the new year. I would of never imagined a pregnancy or birth like the one I had with Riley but I am happy I did.
We love you Riley!
