A/N - I know it's a short one but upcoming chapters will be small glimpses into their life versus full blown chapters about day to day activities.
"Olivia push."
Fitz urged as he let her squeeze his hand as tightly as she needed to. He lost feeling in the them about 10 minutes earlier.
"I'm dying," she cried.
"You're not dying, you're doing great sweetheart."
"Olivia, you need to bare down as hard as you are able, we need to get her out," the doctor ordered.
Olivia had been pushing for a while now and the baby's head had dropped but she wasn't pushing hard enough to actually push her head out. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead causing her hair to stick to her face.
"I'm trying."
"One more time, push until I count to ten then breathe."
Olivia nodded.
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10"
Olivia exhaled.
"Again."
She took a deep breathe.
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10."
Olivia exhaled.
"Okay, one more time."
Olivia inhaled again.
"1,2,3,4,5,6-"
Olivia managed to push the head out.
"Good job mommy, one more push," the doctor urged.
Olivia took a few short choppy breaths and then pushed again this time, the doctor lifted Stella in the air and Stella's started crying.
The doctor had Fitz cut the umbilical cord and then they started to clean Stella off.
Olivia finally let her body relax and waited for the door to clean her off and place her on her chest. Fitz was beside her the entire time, holding her hand and tell her how proud of her he was until he stepped away to cut the cord and then he was right back beside her. When the doctor finally put her on her chest, Stella calmed down.
Olivia kissed her daughter on her forehead and so did Fitz.
"Can you believe it Fitz, our daughter is finally here."
He smiled and kissed her cheek.
"I'm so proud of you, you did great baby."
Olivia started crying and laughing at the same time.
"I'm so happy right now but I'm also in sooo much pain. Is it normal to feel like this?"
"It's completely normal," the nurse answered with a smile.
"Okay, we have to take her away to perform a few mandatory test and give her a full check up but we will have her back her soon."
"Can she stay in my room when she's back." Olivia asked.
"Of course, she will be back soon but please try to get some rest in the meantime."
Olivia nodded.
Once the other nurses were done cleaning Olivia up and made sure everything was alright with her, they left her and Fitz in the room alone.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Imagine being hit by a bus, you're on the floor and that bus reverses and runs over you again then drives forward and runs over you again, then imagine all that pain being in your vagina and lower stomach."
Fitz smiled.
"I love you so much."
"I love you too, thanks for helping me through this, you were a great coach. I couldn't have done it without you."
He kissed her again.
"Get some rest, your mom and the kids are on their way."
"Wake me when they bring Stella back okay."
"Of course sweetie."
Olivia fell asleep in minutes and soon after Fitz fell asleep in his chair as well.
They had been asleep for no more than an hour when Maya, Karen and Gerry came into the room. Maya had been at a girlfriend's house, when Olivia's water broke, they called her a couple times but it was so late that Maya had already been to bed. Olivia went into labor so quickly after her water broke that there was no way Maya could have been present for the birth.
Karen woke Fitz immediately, not caring whether he was asleep or not, she wanted to see her sister.
"Dad, where's Stella?"
Fitz stretched in this chair and sat up.
"The nurses are taking care of her, she should be back soon."
"Is Olivia alright?" Gerry asked.
"Yea, she's just tired."
Maya walked to Olivia and stared at her for a while.
"How was the delivery?" She asked.
"She did really good. She scratched me up a few times but she did great."
Maya laughed.
"That's my girl. What they really need to do is bring my grandchild in here so I can see her."
"I think if we call the nurse she'll bring her."
Fitz paged the nurse and she came about a minute later.
"Mr. President?"
"Hey Laurie, can we see Stella?"
"Yes of course, I'll bring her back."
"Thank you."
A few minutes later the nurse came back with Stella in a baby bassinet carrier. Marie walked over immediately and took Stella out of the bassinet.
"Oh my she's gorgeous."
Karen and Gerry ran over to see their new baby sister.
"Dad she's so tiny," Karen gushed.
"Can I hold her?" Gerry asked.
"Of course." Maya answered.
She gently handed Stella to Karen and then Gerry, carefully showing them how to hold her securely.
After about 20 minutes Stella got fussy.
Maya chuckled.
"I think Stella ready to eat."
Fitz looked at her.
"I guess we could call the nurse and have her bring a bottle."
"Did Olivia want to breastfeed?"
"Yea but she's asleep," then Fitz remembered that Olivia wanted him to wake her when Stella got back.
"She did ask me to wake her when Stella came back…" He said hesitantly.
"Wake her, she's gonna need to feed her."
Fitz got up and tapped Olivia gently.
"Livie, Stella's here."
She didn't move.
"Livie wake up, Stella's here."
She shuffled but she was still asleep. He tapped her arm again and a few seconds later she was up.
"What going on?" She asked.
"I think Stella's hungry."
She looked around and smiled when she saw Karen, Gerry and Maya.
"Hey Mom, it took you long enough. Hey Karen, hey Gerry."
"Hey Liv," Karen and Gerry said in unison.
Maya chuckled.
"Ugh I'm so angry with myself, I didn't expect Stella for another two weeks."
Olivia chuckled.
"Neither did I but it's okay, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, it was worse but it's over now."
Maya laughed.
"Now you know what I had to go through to get your big head out of me."
Stella began fussing again.
"Olive she's hungry."
"Can you call the nurse, she said she was going to show me how to breastfeed."
"Don't be silly sweetie, what are mothers for, I might be old but certain things you just don't forget."
Maya walked over with Stella coddled in her arms.
"Karen, Gerry can you give us second."
"Sure, I was ready for a snack anyways, we'll go to the vending machine," Gerry responded.
Both he and Karen left.
"Okay sweetie pull your gown down, not all the way."
Olivia pulled her sleeve down enough to reveal her breast. Maya placed Stella on her chest.
"Oh my god Fitz, look at her little face. Can you believe that this is our little girl."
He smiled.
"I'm still working on believing it," he chuckled.
Olivia kissed Stella on her forehead.
"Look at our baby girl, you are so adorable aren't you?"
Maya and Fitz watched her in awe.
She looked up at Maya.
"Okay mom, how do I do this?"
"Okay, put the nipple in her mouth but it may take a while for her to latch on and start sucking so be patient."
Olivia did as she was told.
"Let me warn you, it might hurt."
"Hurt? Why?"
"I could try to explain but I might tell you the wrong thing, I think it best you ask the nurse."
"Okay dammit mom, now I'm nervous."
Maya laughed.
"Don't be. Just give it a try."
Olivia waited for Stella to latch on. It took her a while.
"You think maybe we should give her formula instead."
"Just give her a little time."
A couple minutes later Olivia felt her latch on.
She took a deep breath
"Wow, that hurts."
Olivia tried to breastfeed as long as she could until the nurse came and helped her out. After a few tries that day Stella was latching on better and the idea of breastfeeding was no longer as unbearable as it was when she had just began.
First day home…
Olivia walked into the nursery and sat on the rocking chair. Her body still ached but it was of a lesser concern because she was still overwhelmed by the new mom bliss she was experiencing. Fitz walked in behind her with a sleeping Stella in her carseat. It was the first time they'd been alone, just her, Fitz and Stella in three days. Fitz sat on the pouf in front of her and placed Stella carseat in between them on the rug.
"So, how do you feel?"
She smiled and stretch for Stella. Fitz took Stella out of her car seat and handed her to Olivia. She gently rested her on her chest.
"I feel good, I'm happy that she's here, finally, I feel like I was pregnant forever."
Fitz smiled.
"Are you still in pain?"
"Definitely but I'll be fine," she said with a smile.
"You know, I think she's going to be a good baby, she's been so quiet the last few days," she said as she adjusted herself on the chair.
"Quiet babies are horrible toddlers, remember that."
"She won't get your rowdiness, she'll be calm like me."
Olivia looked down and kissed Stella's forehead.
"Stella Louise Grant, our first child together," she said softly.
"When do you start campaigning again?" she asked.
"I have the surrogates out campaigning for me right now, I think they can all appreciate how important being here with you and Stella is to me right now."
Fitz kissed her hand.
"Thank you, I want you here with me and Stella, the nurse said the first few days after birth is crucial bonding time you know."
Fitz smiled.
"I know, I think it would be even better is we were in Vermont right now at our home, sitting by the fireplace, sipping hot chocolate and staring into Stella's grey eyes…"
Olivia smiled longingly.
"That sounds perfect right now."
Fitz decided to change the subject.
"What do you want for your push gift?"
Her face lit up.
"I get a push gift?"
"Yes you do my lovely wife and mother of our child."
Olivia pondered for a moment.
"I want a vacation."
"Huh?"
"I want a vacation with you and the kids, we have to go somewhere warm, just me, you, Stella, Karen and Gerry after you win but before you get sworn in again. I think I might feel like normal again by December, we should do it then. That is what I want as my gift."
Fitz smiled.
"You've got yourself a deal."