I know that Olivia is almost 7 weeks old! I can't believe I haven't posted about her birth or the past 6 weeks on here. Here we go...
On Friday, March 27 my water broke. I didn't know it broke because it wasn't a big gush or even a continuous trickle. It entered my mind that my water broke, but because it wasn't constant (just a little trickle one time) I didn't think it did. Actually, I didn't even tell Jeremiah about it because I didn't think it was something to worry about. On Saturday, March 28 we got up and went to Cardinal Fitness to work out. I walked for awhile and then Jeremiah and I walked around the mall for about an hour. While we were walking, I felt a few more little trickles. Again, they weren't constant. I told Jeremiah and he was upset with me because he said it sounded like my water broke. I told him that it wasn't my water, but I called the hospital when I got home. They told me to walk around my house for another hour, so I did. When I called them back they said it didn't really sound like my water had broken but that I should probably come in just in case. I was so mad because I just knew they were going to send me back home when we got there. Right before we left for the hospital we heard our doorbell ring. We opened it and saw Dave and Lauren standing there! Some of you know that Dave is Jeremiah's best friend and lives in Wisconsin. It was unreal that they were standing at our door at this time. We told them that we were leaving for the hospital and they were so thrilled. It was pretty neat that we got to chat with them for a bit before going to the hospital.
So, Jeremiah and I got to the hospital around noon. They hooked me up to the machines to monitor the baby's heartbeat. Then they tested me to see if my water had broken. Right away the nurse said it had and we were so excited. Since my water had probably broken on Friday night, the nurse told me they wanted to start everything right away. They didn't want me to get an infection. They took Jeremiah and me into our delivery room and hooked me up to pitocin around 1:00. The nurse told me I was having contractions, but I wasn't feeling them. I felt really good and was checking my email and laughing with Jeremiah. Around 3:00 my contractions started to become intense. My parents and Kacy came to the hospital around 4:00 and my contractions started to feel even worse. At this time I was still dialated to 2 cm. Around 6:00 I told the nurse I wanted an epidural. I received the epidural at 7:00p.m. and was dialated to 3 cm. The nurse told us that it was going to be a long night and that we should get some rest. After receiving the epidural, I felt absolutely wonderful! I was laughing and talking with everyone again. Jeremiah's parents came to the hospital around 7:00 as did Kelsy and her boyfriend Casey. It was nice to see everyone and it made the time go by quickly. Around 9:00 Jeremiah and I decided that we wanted to try to get some sleep. So, we sent everyone out to the waiting area. We tried to get some sleep, but we couldn't. We were just too excited. At this time I was a little teary eyed. I was thrilled that we were about to have our baby, but also scared. We also realized that it was the last time it was just going to be us. We knew that our lives were about to change forever.
At 11:00p.m. the nurse came in to check me. She said, "Let's hope for a 5. I hope you are dialated to 5 cm." When she was checking me she realized that I was fully dialated. She said, "Um..we are going to start pushing now." During this time Jeremiah was absolutely amazing. He was so positive and encouraging the entire time. Our nurse was also wonderful. She was very positive and a really great support for both of us. About 15 minutes into labor Jeremiah could see Olivia's head. I thought that we were going to deliver soon, but she jut didn't want to come out. At 1:00a.m. the nurse went to get the doctor. At 1:20a.m. the doctor told me that I had been pushing for 2 1/2 hours and it was still going to be a lot longer before she was born. The doctor told me that I could have her vacuumed out or...and I just stopped her right there. I told her to vacuum her out. I was not about to have a c-section after pushing for that long. So they used the vacuum two times and Olivia was born at 1:40a.m. They laid her right on me and Jeremiah cut the cord. It was so surreal. I couldn't believe that this little baby was our baby! They let Olivia lay on me for about 10 minutes. Then I said, "Don't you need to take her and get her cleaned up?" I don't know why I was so worried about it! They knew what they were doing. While they were cleaning her up, I was taking picture of Jeremiah looking at her. I felt wonderful because the epidural hadn't worn off. I still couldn't feel anything at all. I didn't feel anything during the labor or delivery. I felt a little bit of pain in my back, but that's about it.
After they cleaned her up, Jeremiah went and got my family and his mom. It was so neat to watch them meet Olivia and hold her for the first time. Jeremiah got to go up and watch Olivia get her first bath. At about 3:30a.m. our family left and at 6:00a.m. Jeremiah and I finally went to sleep. We went to sleep for an hour and then started our first day as a family.
While we were in the hospital we had so many visitors. We were happy that so many friends and family were able to meet her.
On Friday, March 27 my water broke. I didn't know it broke because it wasn't a big gush or even a continuous trickle. It entered my mind that my water broke, but because it wasn't constant (just a little trickle one time) I didn't think it did. Actually, I didn't even tell Jeremiah about it because I didn't think it was something to worry about. On Saturday, March 28 we got up and went to Cardinal Fitness to work out. I walked for awhile and then Jeremiah and I walked around the mall for about an hour. While we were walking, I felt a few more little trickles. Again, they weren't constant. I told Jeremiah and he was upset with me because he said it sounded like my water broke. I told him that it wasn't my water, but I called the hospital when I got home. They told me to walk around my house for another hour, so I did. When I called them back they said it didn't really sound like my water had broken but that I should probably come in just in case. I was so mad because I just knew they were going to send me back home when we got there. Right before we left for the hospital we heard our doorbell ring. We opened it and saw Dave and Lauren standing there! Some of you know that Dave is Jeremiah's best friend and lives in Wisconsin. It was unreal that they were standing at our door at this time. We told them that we were leaving for the hospital and they were so thrilled. It was pretty neat that we got to chat with them for a bit before going to the hospital.
So, Jeremiah and I got to the hospital around noon. They hooked me up to the machines to monitor the baby's heartbeat. Then they tested me to see if my water had broken. Right away the nurse said it had and we were so excited. Since my water had probably broken on Friday night, the nurse told me they wanted to start everything right away. They didn't want me to get an infection. They took Jeremiah and me into our delivery room and hooked me up to pitocin around 1:00. The nurse told me I was having contractions, but I wasn't feeling them. I felt really good and was checking my email and laughing with Jeremiah. Around 3:00 my contractions started to become intense. My parents and Kacy came to the hospital around 4:00 and my contractions started to feel even worse. At this time I was still dialated to 2 cm. Around 6:00 I told the nurse I wanted an epidural. I received the epidural at 7:00p.m. and was dialated to 3 cm. The nurse told us that it was going to be a long night and that we should get some rest. After receiving the epidural, I felt absolutely wonderful! I was laughing and talking with everyone again. Jeremiah's parents came to the hospital around 7:00 as did Kelsy and her boyfriend Casey. It was nice to see everyone and it made the time go by quickly. Around 9:00 Jeremiah and I decided that we wanted to try to get some sleep. So, we sent everyone out to the waiting area. We tried to get some sleep, but we couldn't. We were just too excited. At this time I was a little teary eyed. I was thrilled that we were about to have our baby, but also scared. We also realized that it was the last time it was just going to be us. We knew that our lives were about to change forever.
At 11:00p.m. the nurse came in to check me. She said, "Let's hope for a 5. I hope you are dialated to 5 cm." When she was checking me she realized that I was fully dialated. She said, "Um..we are going to start pushing now." During this time Jeremiah was absolutely amazing. He was so positive and encouraging the entire time. Our nurse was also wonderful. She was very positive and a really great support for both of us. About 15 minutes into labor Jeremiah could see Olivia's head. I thought that we were going to deliver soon, but she jut didn't want to come out. At 1:00a.m. the nurse went to get the doctor. At 1:20a.m. the doctor told me that I had been pushing for 2 1/2 hours and it was still going to be a lot longer before she was born. The doctor told me that I could have her vacuumed out or...and I just stopped her right there. I told her to vacuum her out. I was not about to have a c-section after pushing for that long. So they used the vacuum two times and Olivia was born at 1:40a.m. They laid her right on me and Jeremiah cut the cord. It was so surreal. I couldn't believe that this little baby was our baby! They let Olivia lay on me for about 10 minutes. Then I said, "Don't you need to take her and get her cleaned up?" I don't know why I was so worried about it! They knew what they were doing. While they were cleaning her up, I was taking picture of Jeremiah looking at her. I felt wonderful because the epidural hadn't worn off. I still couldn't feel anything at all. I didn't feel anything during the labor or delivery. I felt a little bit of pain in my back, but that's about it.
After they cleaned her up, Jeremiah went and got my family and his mom. It was so neat to watch them meet Olivia and hold her for the first time. Jeremiah got to go up and watch Olivia get her first bath. At about 3:30a.m. our family left and at 6:00a.m. Jeremiah and I finally went to sleep. We went to sleep for an hour and then started our first day as a family.
While we were in the hospital we had so many visitors. We were happy that so many friends and family were able to meet her.
Last picture of just the two of us. This was taken after I received the epidural!
This was taken right after she was born.
Jeremiah holding Olivia for the first time.
Olivia Ann Cox-7 pounds 2 ounces. 18 1/4 inches long.
This was taken right before we left the hospital.
Our first night home.