Welcome to the world Owen Douglas

Owen is punctual. He proved that to me the day he was born! He arrive on his due date!
My parents got into town on Thurs the 18th around 9:30. Ady was beside herself with excitement to see granny and pa. We all stayed up for the better part of an hour just talking and unwinding. Mom got to feel Owen move around a little bit too. :) Then it was off to bed! Ady so badly wanted to sleep with granny and pa but I told her that they needed a good nights sleep after being on the road all day long!
Around 1 am I got up and went to the bathroom. I went back to sleep and at 3:33 am (I checked my clock!) I felt wet. I wondered if I had peed myself some. (common problem for the very pregnant). I got up and went to the bathroom. I decided I did not pee myself but my water had broken! I tried to call out to Ian but he was out for the count. So I got into the shower. I had made the mistake of not taking a shower before I went to the hospital with Ady and I was not going to make that mistake again!! After my shower I went into our room and told Ian that my water had broke and if he wanted to shower before he left, he'd better get to it! He asked me if I was sure..silly boys! I called Labor and Delivery at the hospital and told them what had happened. Then I headed upstairs and told my mom what was going on. She was so excited! I told her where things were for Ady and we left for the hospital.
Ian asked me if I wanted to drive. Um, no. It was really foggy that morning. We got to the hospital and I hadn't felt the tiniest little contraction. They set us up in a triage room and the nurse did a swab to make sure I was leaking amniotic fluid and not urine. I told her I was sure and I was right! ;) She asked me how my contractions were and I told her I wasn't sure I was having any!
After a while another nurse came over and they wheeled my bed to a labor room. From this point to 7 am I saw several different nurses and couldn't tell you what a single one of their names was. Ian and I just hung out. Ian tried to sleep some but the chairs in the room were really uncomfortable. I was feeling minor contractions at this point but nothing bad.
At 7 am there was a shift change and I met my wonderful nurse Melissa. She was great. She started me on Penicillin since I had tested positive for Strep B. She also told me that Pitocin (helps increase contractions) had been ordered for me. I really didn't want that stuff! I've heard horror stories about it! So she suggested that we walk some to see if that would get things moving. Well, it did, but not enough and they started the Pitocin. Oh, I was also told that Owen would be delivered within 12 hours of my water breaking to prevent infection so I knew that by 3:30 that afternoon I would have my baby on the outside!
Ian had called his parents and was surprised to hear that his dad was still awake at 3 am Alaska time reading a book. A friend of mine, Liann, had called me and couldn't believe that I hadn't called her and told her as soon as my water broke. I explained to her that that happened at 3:30 in the morning. She reminded me who I was talking to! :)
So the contraction got stronger with the Pitocin. At 9, Ian took off to see if his co-workers were going for breakfast. He offered to smuggle me in some toast or something since I was starving and could only have liquids. Then we were just waiting and getting through the contractions.
Anesthesia came in and talked me to about my choices for an epidural. I told her I wanted one but was a bit unsure of what kind since I was so sick after having Ady and I'd been told it was my reaction to the drugs. Apparently, that was wrong. I just throw up when I'm in labor. This was proven when I started throwing up my OJ without any pain relievers in me!
Anyway, a doctor came to check me for the first time because I'd asked to know how far along I was before getting the epidural. Let the parade of doctors begin!! I believe it was a resident that first came in. She checked me and said I was at around 4 cm. Ok, good enough for me! Bring on the drugs!
Anesthesia came back and told me that they were going to give me a spinal block that would last about and hour and a half then they would turn on the epidural. Ok, sounds fine to me. This took forever!! My contractions were really bad by this point. I thought it would only take a few minutes. That's the way it was when I had Ady and I was at a much better hospital this time around! Wrong!! The dr kept telling me I had really ' tough ligaments' back there. I kept asking my nurse if she was almost done b/c I was having trouble staying still. Ian was going back and forth from holding my hand and standing at my back so he could see what was going on. She finally gave up on site #1 and moved up to try another spot on my back. Great. It didn't happen right away, but she finally got that thing in! The dr and her nurse started testing my legs and sides to see what I could feel and making adjustments. I could still feel my right leg. It was a little tingly but that was all. I couldn't feel pain from the contractions but I could feel pressure from them. Once they were satisfied with their job the headed out.
More OB doctors came in. One checked me and said I was 9 cm but baby's head was facing to the right. She said that he should turn on his own in time for me to push. Minutes later the first doctor that checked me came in and said I was 10 cm but his head had not turned. So she goes in and tries to turn it. Holy mother does that hurt!! I could feel tremendous pressure for her hands! I wanted to yell at her so badly but I could hardly talk the pressure was so bad! They put my on oxygen. I told Ian he needed to call my mom ASAP if she wanted to be there when Owen was born.
At this point there are 4 OB dr's in the room with me and a gaggle of nurses. My nurse had called anesthesia to turn on my epidural but they were too late. It was time to push. The one dr was still trying to turn Owen and I still wanted to give her a piece of my mind!! I started pushing. Ian held one leg for me and my nurse held the other. I became one of those cliche women you see on TV and yelled when I pushed. The dr in front of me yelled at me for that and told me I have to hold my breath to push. I did not like this woman! The staff OB speaks up and says that he doesn't like what he is seeing with Owen's heart rate when I push. Then he says words I didn't expect to hear. 'Assisted delivery' What?! He said they would have to use forceps or a vacuum. The dr and Ian kept asking me if I understood what they were saying but all I could was cry. I wanted a nice easy labor like I'd had with Adyand I was terrified of a c-section! Luckily, they didn't have mirrors in the labor room but I saw the forceps in the visor of the doctor in front of me. Holy crap. That. is. going. hurt.
There was insane pressure and I can feel Owen coming out. Then I hear that the cord is wrapped around his neck twice!!! Freaking out now!! He isn't crying and they don't let me see him. They took him right over to the table to be checked out. Then I hear his little cry. Thank god! I hear a nurse tell Ian that she will take a picture of him cutting the cord and I can hear the doctor in front of me talking about a minor tear. She gives me Lidocain and started the repair. I am finally given my little boy. I cry a bit. He is perfect. The doctors tell me to let them know if I feel anything b/c I shouldn't. Well I do. I feel a needle! After four more shots of Lidocain she finally gets my tiny first degree tear sewed up.
Shortly after, a nurse comes in and says that my family is in the hallway. They come in and mom starts crying right away. Ady is so excited to see her baby brother and can't take her eyes off of him for about five minutes. Then she says 'Pa, I'm hungry' :)

So there it is. 10 hours of labor and 40 mintues of pushing for Ady. 8 hours of labor and 15 minutes of pushing for Owen.

Owen Douglas Clift was born June 19, 2009 at 11:45 am
He weighed 8 lb 4 oz and was 20 inches long.
He has tiny blue eyes and blonde hair. He's perfect :)