Here we go!!! (Oliver - Part 2)

We pulled into the parking for those expecting a little person (we were super excited)...

 

...and held hands as we made our way to the 5^th floor – labor and delivery.  We got checked in, an IV and monitors set up, and the Pitocin started, so we were on our way by about 4:30pm.  The contractions started within just a few minutes.  They were not terrible, but they were coming quick.  After about an hour I decided it was time to get an epidural.  The anesthesiologist came in and was surprised to see Matt because he is their kids’ pediatrician.  He unfortunately had a hard time placing the epidural.  It took 7 shots and 3 different locations before he got it in.  It was not fun.  At first I was leaning forward with my head in Matt’s chest and holding onto his arms.  I was really squeezing his arms hard and trying to hold still but it hurt.  A lot.  It was hard to breath in the crunched (well, as crunched as I could be) position.  I was starting to get anxious, too, which didn't help.  Then the words of the blessing the night before came to mind.  I would “have the courage I needed”.  I started taking deep breaths and concentrating on being calm and was able to be still as he finished placing the epidural.  It was a sweet reminder of how well our Heavenly Father knows us individually.

We had texted the family that we were headed to the hospital.  Brett had taken the day off work and came to the hospital and sat in the waiting room.  We chatted for a while which helped pass the time.  I thought it was very thoughtful of him to want to be supportive.  

The pitocin had been up and my contractions were really coming close so it was turned down and then off, but my contractions continued.  Matt texted Dr. Dabling to give her an update.  She said that she could come in and break my water and we’d probably have the baby pretty quick or we could take it slow and see how things went and potentially make it to midnight.  We told her we’d love to take it slow and see if we could make it to midnight if that worked out, but we were not set on a Pioneer Day baby.  And so we waited.

At about 10pm, as I lay resting, my water broke.  Matt sent a text to Dr. Dabling and the nurse, Tina, started getting things set up for the delivery.   We all figured it wouldn’t be too long now.  At 10:20 Dr. Dabling arrived and sat next to my bed and said we had two options.  We could wait and see how I progressed on my own or I could start pushing now.  If the baby wasn’t going to make it to midnight then it might be best to get started.  Or, if baby was fine and I was comfortable we could just wait and see.  I don’t remember that we actually decided to go with the “just wait and see” option, but we all started chatting and ended up doing just that.  Johnathan, the anesthesiologist came back to our room, too, and soon we were all talking about callings and working with the youth and our kids.   

As we talked, we also told Dr. Dabling that we’d like Matt to deliver the baby.  It had come up in one of our prenatal visits that Matt had delivered some of the older kids (Tyler and Amy) as well as a dozen or so during medical school.  So Dr. Dabling asked if he wanted to deliver this one.  He initially said no, but then we started talking about it and both liked the idea a lot.  I was so nervous with Kate’s delivery and wasn’t sure how Daniel’s would go that I wanted him close by for both of those.  This seemed like a perfect scenario for Matt to participate as well as get some more experience and training about delivery in case he had the opportunity to do more traveling to do medical humanitarian/disaster relief work. Dr. Dabling thought it was a great idea.

I remember looking at the clock after we'd been chatting a while and almost an hour had passed!  I was surprised that it had gone by so fast and even more surprised that we were now only about 45 minutes from midnight.  The conversation turned to politics in the hospital system or some such topic that I was not as opinionated in, and since I was so comfortable I dozed off.  I’d been complete for over an hour and now was asleep, as was our Little Guy (his heart rate went up and down a little for the few minutes after my water broke, but then he was very content the rest of the time).  Shortly before midnight I woke up and thought we should start getting things ready.  So did the others.  At 11:59pm the light was flipped on,  Matt and Dr. Dabling put on the gowns and gloves while Tina and another nurse helped me. 

Once we were all ready, we waited for the next contraction to start.  When the contraction began I was told it was time to push for ten seconds, I took a breath and then pushed again.  On the third push I heard the intense cry of our little Oliver.  It was 12:05am on 24 July 2015. 

I’d asked to hold Oliver right away, so they put him on my tummy and he was immediately quite. The nurses wiped him down a little and then we did skin to skin.  It is still a tender memory that brings tears to think of that moment when this little being was placed in my arms.  I’d known him so well these last months, but I was blind.  Finally, the time had come when I could see him, hold him, and tell him he was loved.

 

Matt continued with his tutorial for another 10 minutes or so.  When he was done he was anxious to hold his son.  Since Matt had been busy during the delivery, Tina our wonderful nurse, took several pictures.  Looking at them brings back some of the euphoria of the moment.  Matt wanted to tell the family that Oliver had arrived, so he sent out a text, “We’re so thrilled to welcome Oliver Macdonald Cornish into the world.  8# 10oz born at 12:05.  Great delivery and all is well!”  That’s the first that I saw what middle name he’d chosen.  I’m pretty sure he chose it because he knew I liked it.  Sweet, sweet man of mine.



I actually got to go down to the nursery to watch Oliver’s first little check-up and bath.  That was super fun.  I was in a wheelchair since my legs were still wobbly from the epidural.  I just stared at this little boy, still amazed that he had just been inside me not long before.  It is near impossible to really comprehend the miracle that brings these little souls to earth. 

Because all of the recovery rooms were full we were taken to a new delivery room for the night.  It was quite comfortable and big, but I still could hardly sleep.  I haven’t been able to sleep after any of my deliveries.  There are so many things going through my mind about this new little person and our family.  The next day we were moved to another room.  We had several visitors and were able to Skype with Matt’s parents, which was super fun.  


Late morning we decided to go for a walk around the floor.  Just as we were passing the nursery we heard mom’s voice as she got off the elevator with Kate and Daniel.  As they came through the doors they saw Matt and came running to him.  (I’m so grateful they have him for a dad!)  We brought them over to Oliver’s little bed on the cart and introduced them to him.  Daniel kept saying, “Baby! Baby!” and Kate said, “He’s so cuuute!” in her sing-song voice.  I took a few pictures as Matt showed them Oliver and then turned them around to look into the nursery.  I took a photo, which he later said, “That was my dream, right there.  That’s the window we were standing at in my dream.”  Another sweet reminder that our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us. 

 

We had lots of visitors who were excited to meet Oliver:

***ADD PHOTOS***

The last ten days have been happy.  It’s wonderful to have Matt home (he worked on Friday and goes back to work tomorrow for his regular schedule.  The adjustments to another family member will continue, but Oliver Mac has found his place in our family, a place that will always be his.  How I love this little boy, our Oliver Mac.