Cora Jean-Birth story

I can’t believe it’s been two months since sweet Cora Jean entered the world. She has been such a blessing to our family and we are so in love! I wanted to share below a little about my birthing experience since it was my third time around (and most likely last:) plus share some pictures.

I was induced on June 21st, which was a week before my actual due date. My cervix was soft and I was dilated so I chose to be induced. I was also induced a week early with Hudson due to football season and the timing of the Pro Bowl and what not. The type A personalty in me was excited to know the date and plan ahead lol, even though she could have came any time before that. With Asher my water broke like two days before my due date so I’ve never been super early with any of my kids. This was my first delivery at a new hospital (United in St Paul) and this time I had my family doctor deliver (who I’ve seen since I was in elementary school and she is our whole families doctor now…so that’s pretty cool!). With the boys I delivered at Fairview Southdale in Edina and had great experiences both times, it was just a bit too far of a drive.

So we went in at about 6:30am and sat there for a coupe hours while they hooked me up to everything/ asked Q’s, etc! Adam was already stir crazy within the first hour of being there lol so he went and walked outside and got some coffee from a coffee shop. It takes awhile for them to set everything up, do paperwork, and what not so it wasn’t until probably 10am when they inserted a pill type thing up me to soften my cervix even more. Supposedly they can keep adding the pills every few hours until you officially go into labor on your own. I loved this concept because with Hudson I was put on pitocin..and I liked how this was more natural. From that first pill everything started moving pretty quickly and within a few hours my water broke and I was getting the epidural. Within an hour or so of getting the epidural I started pushing. **Side note— If you've never tried a peanut ball to dilate you, I highly recommend. I swear for all three of my births I went from like a 5/6 to a 10 within an hour. Miss Cora was by far my easiest delivery and she was out within three pushes. I was expecting a total sweat session like I had with the boys (throwing up and the whole nine yards) because they were both over an hour of pushing. I also asked them to not put in too much of the epidural because with the boys I could barely feel anything and this time I could actually feel contractions and a lot of the pushing (which was so crazy cool to experience) where with the boys I was completely numb. We stayed in the hospital just one night and were out the next day. (Honestly I would have probably chosen to stay another night lol because to me it was like a hotel, way less chaos…but Adam wanted to get off the couch, which I get and get back to the crazy boys). Cora’s jaundice levels were a bit high so we had a nurse come to the house the following day and also had to take her in one time but over a week she was good to go and her levels were normal (thankfully because she got poked for blood like 6 times within a few days). She also didn’t pass her left side for the hearing exam but we took her in a few weeks later and it was cleared, thankfully. I guess fluid can get stuck in those little ear canals and cause them to fail the exam right away. Thankful everything else was healthy with her.

I like to tell moms to not have a super strict or set birth plan because things can go way differently then what you think or want to happen. I am totally open to epidurals and also would have loved to not get one but with all three it just worked for myself (and baby) to get one. Just make sure you are doing what’s best for you and for your baby!

As of now we are slowly still adjusting to a family of five! It was so nice the first month having my hubby home a lot to help with the boys but since he started training camp it’s been a bit of a process getting used to the three kids by myself. Luckily I have parents who live by and help a lot and some occasional babysitters that have helped as well. Asher and Hudson start pre school in a couple weeks so I am extra excited for that one on one time with just Cora (like I had with each boy) and just some much needed quiet time. I am thanking God for his special gift of a daughter and all the love she’s already brought to my life.I pray I can have a relationship with her like I have with my own mom.

I hope everyone had a great Summer and enjoyed a lot of time with family and friends! But if you are a mom I know most of you are pumped for school to start again ;)

xoxo,

MRS T