-Olivia Jade's Birth Story-

On Tuesday, August 25th, I went in for my weekly OB check at 38 weeks. I was dilated 4 cm and 90% effaced. My doctor said that my cervix was ready and that he was going out of town that Friday for 10 days. He stripped my membranes and expected me to go into labor that night or early the next morning. If I didn't, he wanted to see me first thing Thursday morning to check me again and that we would most likely have a baby that day. First of all, stripping the membranes hurts SO bad! After I left the doctor's office I called my parents and Bradley to tell them that it could happen anytime within the next two days. Once I got home Bradley and I walked around our neighborhood for an hour and I bounced on my exercise ball all night. Other than being really sore, I really wasn't feeling any regular/consistent contractions. The next day; my mom, grandma, and I went walking around town to pick up some last minute items for the hospital. By noon I was completely exhausted and was having some back labor. Around 2:00 pm I lost my mucus plug and continued to lose it the rest of the night with minor contractions.

On Thursday morning we headed to the doctor around 8:30 am. i was still dilated to 4 cm and 100% effaced. I was officially in "active labor" with cramping and irregular contractions. He stripped my membranes again to get things started. He sent us over to the hospital to check in. 

We got checked in around 9:50 am and they began getting all my IV's and monitors hooked up. My doctor came over and broke my water at 11:30 am and started a small drip of pitocin to regulate my contractions. After that my contractions were getting super intense about 3-5 minutes apart. The anesthesiologist was doing a c-section and would be right in as soon as he could for my epidural. I labored with intense contractions for an hour and a half before he finally came in a little after 1:00pm. They checked me and I was still at 4 cm right after my epidural. Those epidurals are magic and such a life saver. I could still feel but it was completely bearable rather than before. About an hour after my epidural they checked me again and I was at 6 cm. I was able to rest and until about 3:00 pm when I was dilated to 10 cm and was ready to labor down. When the nurse sat me up, Olivia was completely on my left side and I could feel my contractions again. I had a "lip" blocking my cervix and she needed to labor down a little to be able to push through it. I started pushing around 3:30 with the nurses and they had to call my doctor because her head was already there. He was so impressed that I had progressed that fast. 

When he got there he immediately started stretching me and performed an episiotomy. I kept pushing and our beautiful baby girl was born at 4:11 pm. She barely cried when she came out and it scared me but he said she was perfect and was responding well to everything. Our doctor was so amazing! I can't brag on him enough. We loved him from the first time we met him and he was so excited to deliver Liv. When she came out he rubbed noses with her, with the vernix and everything still all over her. That moment will always remain a memory in my mind. We are so thankful for our whole team that helped get our baby girl here. I can't believe I'm a momma. 

Olivia Jade Spencer

08-27-2015

4:11 pm

8 lbs. & 21 1/4 in.

-37 Weeks-

How Far Along: 37 weeks, 5 days

Weight Gain: 32 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Yup! 

Gender: Girl!

Movement: She's still moving quite a bit but it's still like stretching movements rather than kicks and jabs. 

Food Cravings: None

Food Aversions: None

What I Miss: I'm at that point where I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore. I've enjoyed the journey but I'm huge, uncomfortable and look absolutely terrible. No more pregnancy glow, if I even had it at all? I'm swelling in my hands, feet, and face now as well. 

Sleep: I'm up 3-4 times a night now and just can't sleep well. I try to nap as much as I can when I'm home but I'm still working so that is only on the weekends.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Meeting this sweet little babe!

Belly Button: Still doing that weird thing. It's soft and flat but will pooch out a little sometimes. 

Weekly Check Update:

I went back to the doctor this past week and I am now 80% effaced and dilated between 2-3cm. He said I was pretty much at a 3 though. He asked if I wanted to go on my own or if I wanted him to induce me at 39 weeks. Of course I said go on my own. I need to make it through at least half of this week of work and then she can come anytime. On Friday, I thought that my water had started leaking. This might be TMI but when I stood up I had something run down my leg and my back started aching and I had mild cramps. I still don't think I have been having any contractions though. I didn't leak anymore that night but when I got up the next morning and started walking around there was more. I ended up calling my doctor and he said that it didn't sound like it was my water, but that it was probably increased discharge and my body was gearing up for labor. Woohoo! I hope I have progressed some more when I go back this week. 

-36 Weeks-

How Far Along: 36 weeks, 1 day

Weight Gain: 31 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Definitely!

Gender: Girl!!

Movement: She is still moving around quite a bit, but her movements feel more like she's stretching rather than kicks and jabs.

Food Cravings: Cereal

Food Aversions: Seafood

What I Miss: Being comfortable. I've hit that point.

Sleep: It's decent. I get up to pee 2 or 3 times now and my belly is always so sore when I get up. 

What I'm Looking Forward To: For labor to start, actually I'm nervous but looking forward to it because that means we get to meet this precious little babe of ours!

Belly Button: It looks and feels super weird. It's soft and a brown color as well as where my belly button ring was. It's the craziest thing because I haven't gotten stretch marks any where other than 3 of them sprouting out around my belly button. Super weird looking.

My doctor started checking me this week! I can't believe it's already time!

I'm 70% effaced and dilated 2cm. He said I was progressing quickly on my own and that we might have a baby earlier than my due date. We are so excited and need to get last minute things finished up!

We also had two more baby showers this past week. One at my job and the other with Bradley's family. We have been so abundantly blessed during this special phase of our life and we are so so thankful for everything!  

-35 Weeks-

How Far Along: 35 weeks, 5 days

Weight Gain: 30 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, although I would much prefer not wearing anything at this point.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: Yes! She stills moves quite a bit but her movements have turned into balling up this past week and some of them really hurt. I'm pretty sure there's a foot or something right under my ribs on the left side. 

Food Cravings: Nothing

Food Aversions: Nothing

What I Miss: Just being able to eat whatever I want and not feel bad about it.

Sleep: The hip pain is back and it hurts to turn from side to side because my belly is getting so big.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Our doctor's appt. Wednesday. This will be week 36 and he is going to start checking my progress every week. EEk soooo exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time!

Belly Button: It pretty much doesn't exist for some reason? Like it's completely gone and it's soft. Is that weird?? Unless I'm standing up then it pokes out a little. 

We had another shower from our church family in Conway yesterday. It was so nice, short, and sweet. My kind of shower. The ladies who hosted it are so wonderful and I'm so blessed to have them as my sisters in Christ.

-2 years & Counting-

I can't believe it's been two years since this amazing day took place. It's so crazy to think that we've only been married two years when we've been together 6 years! This was a wonderful day filled with so much love and happiness but I can honestly say that I am so much more in love today than I was then. Only because I didn't know the impact marriage has. Dating is great and all but it doesn't compare at all to marriage. We have grown so much in so many different areas in the past two years and I am so happy that we chose each other to spend this life with. He is the best choice I've ever made and even on those hard days, there's still no one else I would rather be with. I always wondered if I would ever find someone who believed the way I did and just meshed well with my personality. Then I met my Bradley and knew that I had found him. I'm so excited to watch him become daddy and I can't wait to watch his love unfold for her. Here's to many more happy memories and years, babe! I love you! Happy Anniversary!

-34 Weeks-

How Far Along: 34 weeks, 5 days

Weight Gain: Probably 26-28 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Best Moment This Week: Getting through the work week and our anniversary. 

Gender: Girl!!

Movement: She's still really active. Flipping and flopping every where.

Food Cravings: None

Food Aversions: None

What I Miss: Being able to sleep or lay on my belly.

Sleep: I toss and turn but am exhausted all the time so I'm getting a lot of small naps in.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Our next doctor's appt. 

Belly Button: Barely poking out.

I haven't been swelling at all until this week. It's only my nose/face and fingers though. My legs and feet haven't swelled at all this whole time. I'm not sure why it's only my face and fingers but it's hard to get my rings on and off. I've also carried her so low the entire time that I'm starting to think I'm getting stretch marks right below my belly button. I hope not but it's getting super tight down there. We can't wait to meet this precious little babe!

-33 Weeks & Showering Baby Liv-

How Far Along: 33 weeks, 5 days

Weight Gain: 26 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah!!

Best Moment This Week: Finding out our baby girl is growing like a little weed. She weighed 5 lbs. 3 oz. at our appointment Monday and our first baby shower!

Gender: Girl!!

Movement: Yes! All the time! I love it!

Food Cravings: Cereal and orange juice.

Food Aversions: Meat

What I Miss: My belly not feeling like it weighs 100 lbs. by itself. 

Sleep: Way better than it was before. I'm only getting up once to go to the bathroom.

What I'm Looking Forward To: We go back to the doctor in two weeks.

Belly Button: Still poking out a tad.

This past weekend my family and friends threw us the most amazing and adorable baby shower. We received so many things and it was so evident how blessed we are. I can't thank everyone enough for the most wonderful shower I could have ever imagined.