Olivia's Birth Story

Our sweet baby girl arrived on December 10th and we are so grateful for her sweet personality and spirit joining our family.

I love hearing about birth stories, but hers is one of my favorites.  I knew that it wouldn't go as planned but I never would have imagined that everything I REALLY hoped wouldn't happen would happen. Don't worry, everything turned out completely fine and we definitely had heavenly help, which I am so grateful for.

Let's rewind to the day before Thanksgiving.  I had an awesome cold that week that I could not shake.  When I went in for my doctors appointment on Wednesday my blood pressure was high and my doctor was a little concerned.  He said it could have been because of my cold and the cold medicine I was taking but just in case he wanted me to get some lab work done and some monitoring if it turned out to be pre eclampsia.  The lab results came back completely fine, except my blood pressure was still high.  I had to go back a few days later to see if it was just a fluke.  When I went back it was still high and they told me to come in if I had any swelling in my feet or hands, a severe headache, high blood pressure again or if I just wasn't feeling right.

Fast forward a couple weeks later, I hadn't had any of the signs mentioned and everything was going along as planned.  I was 38 weeks and just a couple of days away from being 39 weeks.  I had a health screening at Dallin's work for our insurance and they told me my blood pressure was high then, Dallin wanted me to call my doctor but I kept saying it was fine and I didn't have any other symptoms.  The next day I noticed my hands and feet (really just my right foot, it was pretty hilarious) started swelling.  I shrugged it off thinking that people needed to give me a break because I was almost 39 weeks pregnant! haha

On December 9th I got a headache that I could not get rid of, we had lots of plans that day but I couldn't quite get through all of them.  The biggest one being going to my nephews birthday party.  We picked up my grandma and headed to the party.  I was still in the thick of my headache, but I wanted to support my cute little nephew.  Later while we were at the party I had a feeling (major prompting really) that I should really go in to Labor and Delivery and just check out my symptoms.  I sat there for a minute hoping that wasn't the case.  I didn't want to be sent home and charged again for all the tests and monitoring.  I kept feeling that I had to go.  It was silly of me to ignore all these signs when I literally had all of them.  So off Dallin and I went to the hospital at 8:00 PM, no bags in the car (which were only kinda packed at home).  When we got closer to the hospital I asked Dallin if we could just go home and sleep it off instead. haha He said no way!

Once we got to the hospital they monitored my blood pressure and sure enough it was incredibly high.  My lab work came back mostly normal, but my blood pressure just wouldn't go down so I was admitted and the doctor's orders were for me to be induced.  I was terrified, I did not want to be induced!

The doctor also wanted me to have an IV of magnesium to help prevent seizures due to my high blood pressure.  I've never been on magnesium before but boy is it rough.  It makes you really weak, drowsy, and gives you blurry-double vision.  Hence why I look pretty haggard in the pictures above and I just delivered a baby so there's that. They started with one form of induction to help me progress which worked out great.  They expected the baby to come the next night due to the slow nature of this process and it being my first.  I still remember texting all my siblings and telling them how terrified I was around midnight when Dallin went to get our bags from the house.  They all answered right away and were so sweet!  I called my mom and told her how scared I was and she told me everything would be ok, and like usual she was right.  I'm so grateful for that lady!  I can't tell you how many times I've thought about how lucky Livy and I are to have her as a mom and grandma.  I don't know what people do without having a Regana in their lives!

At 3:00 AM my water broke and my nurse said how ironic it was that I came earlier because the baby was planning on coming with or without being induced.  By 8:00AM on December 10th I had been monitored all night with just a little bit of sleep (Dallin on the other hand slept super well of course haha).  I could really start feeling the contractions and I knew that with the next round of medication to help me progress it would just get worse so I wanted my epidural quick!  By 8:30 I had my epidural (incredibly terrifying, but I'm oh so grateful for that thing!) and was set for the next step.  I was so blessed with incredible nurses that consistently checked on me and were so nice!  The nurse even helped me when I was getting my epidural and held my hand, while Dallin held the other.  At that time I was dilated to a 5 or 6 so no wonder I could feel those contractions.  Once the epidural set in, and with the magnesium and lack of sleep I totally crashed.  I slept until my sweet nurse Donna would come in to check on me and had to wake me up.  I remember her saying something about me progressing too quickly, and that I wasn't ready and she had to give me a shot to slow down things and later that the baby's heart rate was dropping but she would keep an eye on it with a little monitor she placed on the baby's head. I was in such a fog I fell asleep again!! So not like me, I'm a natural worrier so that I kept sleeping makes me think that was another blessing because if I would have been up worrying my darn blood pressure would have gone through the roof! By 11:00AM she came back in to check on me because the baby's heart rate was too low and still dropping.  She checked me and said the cord was pinched and that is why little baby's heart rate was the way it was, but that I was now dilated to a 10.  I quickly told Dallin to call my mom and tell her baby was on her way!  Once she told me that everything was in full swing! She sent the emergency alarm to all the nurses and before I knew it 5 nurses were in my room prepping for a speedy deliver.  I could still hear Olivia's heart rate so clearly and it was terrifying to not hear little beats when there should have been.  I started to panic!  I knew my doctor wasn't in the hospital and I figured he wouldn't be there for delivery.  Sure enough right as I started panicking another incredible doctor walked in and said I'm sorry but your doctor won't be able to make it, we've got to get her here now!  Two and a half pushes later little Miss Olivia was here and I couldn't believe how quickly it all happened.  Dallin called my mom at 11:16 and Olivia was born at 11:23 AM, weighing 6 pounds and 1 ounce and measuring 20 inches long!

I am and was so grateful for incredibly knowledgeable and kind nurses and doctors that can think and act so quickly.  I'm grateful that even though it didn't go as I had planned it went really, really well considering the circumstances.  I'm also so grateful for promptings from my loving Heavenly Father and the heavenly help and angels watching over us that day and each day.  Who knows what would have happened without them!

As I look back on those days in the hospital they were really so heavenly, and not just because of the nursery at night! :)  Dallin, Olivia and I would snuggle up on my hospital bed and watch Christmas movies, eat pizza and Tim Tams and endless cookies thanks to the hospital.  It was so peaceful!  I was really hoping Olivia would come closer to her due date before she arrived because we had so many holiday parties and events that upcoming week but being with her for an extra week was heaven.  I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else than snuggling with her and Dallin.  And at night when I would miss Olivia I would look at pictures of her.  Dallin was so great to always hold my hand when I cried and gave me loads of hugs no matter what the time, with all my crazy hormones and medications I felt like I cried SO much.  He was always there for Olivia when they took her for tests or monitoring too.  Livy and I are so grateful to have that incredible guy in our lives!

Meeting Olivia was something I hope to never forget.  She made me a mom.  Something I have wanted since I was young.  And even though being a mom is incredibly tough and exhausting it is so beautiful and rewarding too.  She motivates me to be a better person just by being in my life.  Even though Livy, Dallin, and I are still getting use to this new life for all of us we are loving every minute of it!