Ode to Cooper Matthew

April 21, 2003

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COOPER MATTHEW!!

I got up today and showered. It’s the big day. The day we’ve all been waiting for. Mom gets here at noon. I’m supposed to be at the hospital at 9 am to start my IV. Dad, Matt, and I packed our bags in the car, put the car seat in the back, and headed for the hospital. I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since last night.
We got to TRH at about 10 minutes to 9am. We waited in the waiting area until 9:30am and then I was taken into a room. It was more like a suite. I got dressed in a gown and at about that time, the candy striper/helper girl changed me to another room. I got into bed and the nurse came in at about 10:30am to start my drip of Pitocin. Dad and Matt hung out with me and Amy, Kelton, and Shell came by. My contractions started, but I could hardly tell. I haven’t been scared about this at all. It just feels like I need to go in and get the job done, like a big game. Brit got here. I have been dilating really slowly, but I’m fully effaced. At 12:30pm, the nurse had Dr. Saunders break my water. Hopefully, they said, it would make my contractions come faster. It was like peeing your pants non-stop, only my bladder was a 30 gallon tank and the force of release was like an open hydrant.
My mom got there at 11:30am, right before he broke my water. I was so glad to see her. Brit sat with me while Matt and mom and Weed went to eat. My contractions started to get bad, but all the pain was in my back; right where I used to get my epidurals for volleyball. Brit was awesome; she kept my mind off the pain. Matt got back around 1:30pm and my contractions got really strong. It hurt to laugh and I did not want Matt to rub or tickle. It must have been really bad. He put pressure on my lower back with his fist and mom held my hand.
At 2:30pm the nurse checked me. I was dilated to a 7. They said I could get an epidural and I accepted. The narcotic the nurse put in my drip at 1:30pm was not helping. The anesthesiologist came and prepped me. He told Matt not to watch. Later Matt told me that it looked like he just stabbed the needle in a random spot on my back. I had a contraction while he did it, but I held really still. The epidural was the easiest part. I think it hurt Matt more than me. It started to work almost immediately.
Ben, Dave, Shell, Brit, Amy, Kelton, Valeri, Kalli, Mom, Dad, and Matt all hung out. I could only eat ice chips and everyone else ate good food all day in front of me. The nurse checked me again at 4:30pm and I was fully dilated. Everyone left the room.
Dr. Saunders finally got arrived at the hospital, but with the help of the nurse I had already started pushing. The doctor and the nurses let my body do most of the work and push the baby down as far as it could. At 5:30pm I really started pushing. I had to wear an oxygen mask for a while, but eventually I got to take it off. Matt held my hand, but the nurse counted. During our childbirth classes Matt and I decided we would not count out loud while I pushed because it made us laugh too hard. My legs were in stirrups, but at least my toenails looked pretty. My feet were tan and Shell had treated me to a pedicure a few weeks earlier for that exact reason. I don’t remember being tired or feeling any pain. It just felt like this unreal stretching. I pushed for about an hour, though it did not seem that long, and at 6:48pm our little boy was born. When he cried, everyone in the hallway yelled. The nurse weighed the baby after Matty clipped the cord. Then she wrapped him up and handed him to me and took some pictures of the three of us. Matt took the baby into the hall and everyone yelled. Later they said they could not explain the look of pride on Matty’s face.
Matt went with the nurse to bathe and test the baby in the nursery. Everyone else followed to peek in the window. I was left with the doctor – FUN. Matt and the baby came back. He was all swaddled and beautiful. His nose was crooked from being smashed in the birth canal, but the nurse assured us it was only temporary. I tried to nurse, but he did not love it at first. Matt told me that he told the nurse the baby’s name was Cooper Matthew. Our precious little Cooper. Our teeny man.
Everyone came in and wanted to hold the baby. Aunt V held him first and it was love at first sight. Kelton loved him. Brit cried when she held him and so did the rest of us.
Everyone was so excited. Kalli brought me a 64 oz. Mountain Dew and Karri Roll brought me a Papa John’s sausage pizza. Matt called Gary and Ellie, who will be here tomorrow. We called Meg and Jason, because she’s too far along in her pregnancy to travel. Of course dad cried.
Everyone left after a while, but I asked mom to spend the night on the fold out couch while Matt slept on the cot. Mom held Cooper, who she is in love with, while Matt and the nurse helped me to the shower. I had to stand up really slowly to see if the epidural had completely worn off. It had.
After a quick shower Matt went to get Cooper. They had taken him back to the nursery for a few minutes. I nursed him, but he still does not love it and it’s very discouraging when he won’t eat. I can’t believe how beautiful he is. We are so blessed. Overall, an amazing day. Very little pain – much less than I thought. And an overwhelmingly rewarding day.

Cooper’s stats: 8 lbs. 2 oz. and 20 ½ in.
A head full of blondish red hair and bright blue eyes.
(This is my journal entry -minus a few embarrassing details and too much gushing over our beautiful little boy- from the morning after Coop was born. All of the pictures taken of Coop's first few months were taken with an old school camera. I'll scan a few pictures to post later.)