She's here!

Olivia Jane Dean is finally here! I am sure you are just here for the pictures, so I will give you the short version of her birth story:

She was due on Sunday, September 18th. I woke up that morning feeling a few contractions but nothing much. So the day passed with no news. However, I woke up at 4:00 am on Monday, September 19th with definite contractions about 10 minutes apart. By 6:30 am they were getting closer and stronger and by 9:00 that morning we had checked into the hospital in Labor & Delivery! The day went pretty slow. Finally at about 9:30 PM, I was 10 cm and ready to start pushing. (Funny story - Nazreen was in the room with us at this point. My parents had been there most of the day but had just left for a minute to walk around. Nazreen was apparently freaked out at the announcement that I was ready to begin pushing because I think she thought I was going to push the baby out right then. So she jumped up and said "Come on Matt, lets go!" and and out of the room. Matt went to find her just standing in the hall. He told her that he was going to stay with me (thank goodness!), but that she could come in and wait for our parents and promised I wouldn't push while she was there!)

So, my family left and it was time to start pushing. And, push I did! For nearly THREE hours!! At which point, the doctor told me that we could try for 10 more minutes and she would use forceps, but she was pretty sure I was going to have to get a c-section. So, we all got ready and moved to the Operating Room. Matt and I both thought the forceps were a long shot, but I had been pushing for so long that I figured it was worth a try.

So...the contraction came, the doctor said "push", I did....and all of a sudden a little baby was plopped on my chest! I was literally speechless. I just remember looking back and forth at Matt and then at her again and again. Finally, I was able to say "She's SO cute!"

But before I could get out anything else, the doctor cut her cord and she was whisked away. Our stubborn girl refused to actually take a breath and was turning purple! But after several very scary moments and some time with the NICU doctors, she was okay. The nurses later told me "Your daughter is quite the diva! She would look right at us, but refuse to take a breath!" Hopefully this is not a foreshadowing of difficult days to come with this little bundle.

A few pictures in the room during the day.

Matt and I....pretty scared/excited about what was going to happen..


With my parents


With Nazreen


I was loving the ice chips and made Matt refill that glass approximately 20 times while I was pushing.


Poor little Olivia's heart rate kept crashing, so I had to be on oxygen most of the afternoon and almost the entire time I was pushing.


Matt and I with our favorite nurse, Jamie. Once her shift was over (right when I started pushing), things got pretty crazy for us! We were very sad to see her go.



Here's our first family picture together before she went to the NICU for the night.

Olivia Jane Dean
September 20, 2011
12:42 am
6 pounds, 12 ounces
19 inches

Olivia went to meet the family on her way up to the NICU.


Matt got a print of her footprints on his scrubs



After a few hours in the recovery area, Matt came to get me and I was finally wheeled up to the NICU to see her. This is my first real chance to see her. Love!


I'll post more on our hospital stay later, but we are all doing great and having fun adjusting to this new world!