Rylee's Arrival Part 1

Little Miss Rylee Ellis made her debut on February 22, 2011 @ 5:49 pm. She weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long. Our baby girl is beautiful, healthy, & perfect in every way!

Her birth story is one to remember. I worked Sunday and Monday nights. Monday was my last shift before starting my maternity leave. Since her sister was a week late, I figured I would work up until my due date which was that Thursday! My sweet co-workers had brought all kinds of goodies for me. One food was a mexican dip that i devoured! Well, by midnight I was having cramp-like pain every 30 minutes or so. By the end of my shift all my coworkers were concerned that I was in labor. I walked myself up to L & D. The nurses asked if I thought I was in labor. I said, " I don't think I would be this happy if I was!" They said go home and get some rest, which I did.

I woke up Monday afternoon feeling fine, so I planned to go to work for my last shift. I started experiencing cramping again around midnight. The cramps would come and go every 20-30 minutes. By 4am the cramps or contractions were very consistent...every 1o minutes. While I was sitting at the computer charting at 6am, I noticed that my contractions were coming more frequently. They were now every 6 minutes apart. I paged my Midwife. She told me to come up to L&D but take my time...go eat something, etc. The midwife coming in at 7am would check me...Stephanie, the midwife, said you are probably not a keeper...you are most likely experiencing the early stages of labor. I continued to finish my shift, give report, call Robbie, and tell everyone good-bye. I was not hurting, but I was becoming uncomfortable. I walked myself up to L&D and checked into triage. A L&D nurse walked me to a small triage room and had me change into a gown. I was thinking I am so tired I just want to sleep. My nurse midwife, Jenny, came to the triage room and checked my cervix. She says, "You are a 4 no 5 cm, 80% effaced, and station 0...You will be admitted." I really couldn't believe it!!! I had seriously labored in the PICU!