The morning of December 30th, 2021, two days after my due date, I woke up at 2:30am to strong contractions. It was accompanied by some back labor and I was so uncomfortable I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I started tracking how far apart they were.

They were about six minutes apart, but seemed to be getting stronger as time went on. I labored in bed for a couple more hours, then got up to use the bathroom and saw that I had lost my bloody show. Baby girl was on her way!

I labored in bed for another hour or so, but was starting to have to breathe through the contractions, so Sam called the midwife and then my mom to come watch Saydie. We threw the bags in the car and on our way to the hospital we went!

When we arrived and got settled I had my first check – to my surprise I was only 3cm and contractions were still only six minutes apart. They monitored me for an hour but I didn’t progress, so they broke my heart and sent me home. I cried the whole drive back to our house.

Saydie was still at my moms and she was willing to keep her, so Sam got me all settled at home and then headed into work around noon. All I could do for the next several hours was labor in my chair, deep breathing through contractions and trying to dose as much as I possibly could.

Around 4pm my back labor was so bad I could hardly walk. I called my mom to bring Saydie back over so I could see my girl, praying with all my might that I’d be going back to the hospital before the night was over. She made me a pizza and I tried to take bites between contractions, but all of a sudden they seemed to be coming quicker and were definitely more painful. I started tracking them again and they were three minutes apart – holy smokes! I looked at mom and said, “I think it’s time!”

Mom called my mother-in-law to come grab Saydie so she could drive me to the hospital. She sent my sisters-in-law instead, and they held my hand and rubbed my back while mom got the car ready, and off we went.

I called Sam and as soon as he answered I remember blurting, “We’re having a baby! Meet me at the hospital!”

It was the longest drive of my freaking life, the contractions now coming every two minutes. I was in so much pain and I remember thinking we weren’t going to make it. I turned to mom and said “I don’t think I can do this anymore.” She cried and prayed with me the whole way there.

We finally arrived and pulled up next to Sam’s car. He took one look at me and immediately hopped in the van and drove up to the closest spot to the door he could find. We frantically grabbed our stuff out of the trunk and I waddled to the ER entrance, barely making it to the wheelchairs.

We made our way up to the labor and delivery floor and got taken to our room at 6:30pm. I was so exhausted at this point that I turned to Sam and whispered “I think I want the epidural.”

I climbed into bed and my midwife, Dawn, walked in the door to check me. She looked at me and told me I was already dilated to an 8 1/2. I’m sorry, what?!

Ba bye, epidural!

Dawn kept helping me breathe through the contractions and sweetly proclaimed “You’re doing great, mama” after each one. I remember Sam turning on the worship playlist he made for me and asking me if I could hear it. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the words being sung over me.

She checked me just a few minutes later and I was already at a ten – and my water was still in tact. 7:00pm hit but despite Dawn’s shift being over, she started dressing for delivery. The next thing I know, my other midwife, Melissa, bursts through the door and suits up right away. It’s time to meet our girl!!

I tried not to panic as the pain was unbearable at this point. I reminded myself that I was almost there – she was almost here.

One push and my water broke.
Another and I could feel her head coming.
One more and she was on my chest.

7:10pm.
7lbs 5oz.
21 inches long.
Such a quick, chaotic, beautiful whirlwind that had God’s goodness weaved into every detail.

Our miracle was born. And our lives will never be the same.

Rhylee Rennae, you are absolute perfection. Love you forever and ever and ever.

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