Oliver’s Birth Story

This pregnancy was quite a bit tougher than my pregnancy with Grayson.  I was plagued with extreme morning sickness for at least the first 20 weeks, and even had to go to the emergency room at 11 weeks for IV fluids, because I was so dehydrated from not being able to even keep water down.  Towards the middle of my second trimester, I finally started to feel like myself again.  It was around this time that we decided to send Grayson to Mommy’s Day Out (a daycare at our church) for one day a week (5 hours) to give me a bigger chunk of time to get some things done around the house.  We also wanted to get him around other kids his age to work on his social skills, since he is pretty shy.

Well, just as I knew he would, he brought home a lovely cold after that first day and kindly shared it with his mommy.  This was right around Halloween, and I ended up developing a severe case of chronic bronchitis that lasted 2 whole months!  I even had to go to the ER (again) to be monitored and to be given some antibiotics.  During those two months I was coughing nonstop around the clock.  I couldn’t go more than about 10 seconds without coughing, sometimes so hard that it made me throw up.  Every time I thought I was starting to get better, Grayson would come home with another cold and I would start my sickness all over again.  Life was not fun.

Then, at about 35 weeks pregnant, I developed a kidney and bladder infection that required me to stay overnight in the hospital to be put on an IV drip with antibiotics.  On our way to the hospital, I was having such painful contractions that were so close together that I thought I was in labor.  Luckily, Oliver decided to bake for a few more weeks!  The infection, however, was stubborn and didn’t go away even after 3 rounds of antibiotics.  Because of this, my doctor called me on January 16th around 6pm to tell me that I would need to come back to the hospital for more antibiotics via IV, since the infection was resistant to all other types of antibiotics.  She then asked if I was open to being induced since I was only 5 days away from my due date and I would be at the hospital anyway.  I, of course, said yes, and my induction was scheduled for 6am the next morning!  Thank goodness my mom had flown in to help with Grayson 2 days prior!  She has been a God send!

We arrived at the hospital at 5am, but weren’t put into a room until 6am.  We got settled in and took some last pictures of my baby bump before I changed into my hospital gown.

They started me on IV fluids and my antibiotic right away, and about an hour later started the pitocin to get my contractions going.  Right after the nurse started the pitocin, the anesthesiologist came in to talk about my epidural and get set up.  While he was talking I started feeling what I thought were severe gas pains, so I just kinda grinned and beared it.  Then I looked at the monitor and realized that I had been having contractions every couple minutes, and they were starting to get more and more painful.  Steve and I had a laugh (in between contractions) because of my mistake, and soon the anesthesiologist came back and gave me the epidural.  That numbing shot is killer!!!!  But I’m sure I’d rather feel that than feel the actual epidural going in.

Steve was a trouper while we waited for me to dilate.  We both attempted to take a nap, but with nurses coming in and out every few minutes, it was hard to get any sleep.

I was only labor in for 5 hours before I was completely dilated and ready to push!

And after only 6 pushes, Oliver Steven McVey was born!

Immediately after he was born, they put him on my chest and Steve cut his umbilical chord. 

I was amazed at how different he looked from his brother.  I don’t know why I was expecting Oliver to be Grayson’s identical twin, but I didn’t have anything else to go by.

Within just a few minutes of being born, Oliver began to suck his thumb.

We were able to cuddle with skin to skin for about an hour before they took him to be weighed and measured.  The first thing I said after he was born was, “He’s so little!”  Then they weighed him, and he was 8lbs 9oz and 20.5 inches long, and I realized that he wasn’t so little after all!

Later that afternoon, my mom came to the hospital with Grayson, and she got to hold her new grandson for the first time.

Grayson wasn’t sure what to think and just stared at his little brother.  We attempted a family photo, and this is the result.  I’m sure we’ll get a better one in a few weeks. 🙂

From the time he was born, Oliver has been an excellent sleeper!  He certainly takes after his parents in that way.

Steve likes to pretend he’s tough, but when it comes to his boys, he melts like butter.

We were able to go home two days after delivery (Oliver wore the same “going home” outfit that Grayson wore when he came home from the hospital), and Oliver continues to be an excellent sleeper and eater.  He is such an easy baby, and a wonderful addition to our family.  We are totally smitten!