I wanted to write down the events of the day that Andrew made his debut. This is really more for me than anything so I can remember all the details for years to come!
My official due date was June 1st, 2011. I had been 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced for several weeks by the time that day rolled around. Dr. T. set an induction date for June 9th (which was a Thursday) at our last appointment. I was convinced that Baby Owen was content in my belly and would not come out unless he was forced out! My parents had been here since my official due date and were holding until he came, while my sister was becoming fast friends with Southwest customer service. She ended up changing her flight 4 different times in an attempt to get here at the "right" time. She had actually called on Sunday (the day before he arrived) to check and see how I felt because her flight was set for Monday (what became his birthday) but was going to change it to Wednesday if I was feeling no signs of labor. I assured her that I was feeling fine and that Baby Owen was going to make it to his/her induction date. So, she again changed her flight.
Monday rolled around. I had decided the Friday before that I would not go back to work until the baby arrived as I had finally reached the majorly uncomfortable point of pregnancy. Being on my feet all day long was no longer fun for me, so I was officially on maternity leave. Jeremy went to work and I took a shower and got ready for the day. Mom called over a little later and asked if she could come over and do some laundry as they had already stayed longer than they had anticipated and their clean clothes were slim to none! Mom got here and I enjoyed a small cup of yogurt and then decided I needed to go mail a package. I left mom to her laundry and drove to the UPS store in Vestavia. While I was waiting in the store I started to have some strange pains, but thought nothing of it as I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks. I left there and decided that I would make one more stop and head to Walgreens to pick up a few items. While in the store the strange feeling intensified, so I just hurried up, checked out, and headed home. On the drive home, the pains were continuing, but again, thought nothing of it. I walked in the door and felt the urge to go potty. So I said hey to my mom and went to the restroom. ************ Warning (TMI ahead)************
I barely got to sit down and realized that my water had just broken. I yelled out in a oh lord what is happening tone to my mother "M----O----M" and said "I think my water just broke." Continuing in the tradition of my parents never getting alarmed about anything, she calmly told me to call my doctor. I called Dr. T's office (it was about 11:30 in the afternoon at this point) and Ronnie her nurse answered. She told me to come on to the office so they could ensure I was in labor. Seriously! My water just broke... I assure you I am in labor. Whatever!
Mom gets in my car to drive to the hospital and I slowly get into the passenger seat. No contractions at this point, but in the short drive to Brookwood they started to come on strong. By the time we arrived at the valet I was ready to kill someone. My jeans were soaked (p.s. water breaking means that once it starts it does not stop) and my contractions were causing me serious discomfort. I thought I might leap across and strangle the valet guy when he HAD to have me sign my free valet parking voucher. At that point I wanted to tell him he could take his pen and shove it! I also was protesting to my mother that I was NOT going in the building because my jeans were soaked. She had to remind me that no one cared about me and my soaked jeans, and to get a move on! On to Dr. T's office.
They weighed me first. To this day, I still don't get why that was necessary. I am in pain and streaming water, but whatever! Then I had to sit and wait for Dr. T to get back from lunch. We had called Jeremy on the way to the hospital to let him know of the situation, and he was on his way home to get Ollie and take him to be boarded. Mom called Dad who had been visiting a friend, and he was on his way as well. Mom then made the call to Clare while we were waiting on Dr. T, and she went into game time mode to change her flight AGAIN and get to Birmingham.
While we waited, Mom pacified me by timing my contractions. I was not handling the pain well, and my Mom had to keep telling me "BREATHE" because I would just hold my breath when they came on. By the time Dr. T arrived I think the contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart. She did a quick check and I had already progressed to 5 cm. She said, "lets get you downstairs and have this baby." So, we headed down to labor and delivery. By this point, my humor factor was gone as the contractions were coming on fast and strong. They quickly got me in a room, got my IV started, and hooked up the monitors to my belly. Jeremy arrived about this time, as I was grabbing the rail of the bed in pain. Being a sweet husband he tried to hold my hand during one of the contractions, and I am pretty sure I swatted him away and shot him a "don't touch me 'cause I am going to kill someone" look. Listen, I love my husband, but contractions are not a joking matter people! I don't even think they asked if I wanted an epidural.... it was clearly evident that I wanted the meds and I wanted them now!
Let me say this...... any woman who delivers without an epidural, I salute you! I have a high tolerance for pain and there was no way I could have handled one more minute of those contractions. I finally got my epidural from my proclaimed, "new best friend the Anesthesiologist," and things finally calmed down in the room.
By this time the Owen family had arrived. Mom and Dad Owen and Jennifer had come to visit. I was much more pleasant at this point, so I was happy to have company. I had the sweetest nurse Lexie who stayed in my room most of the time and chatted with Jeremy and I. I proceeded to tell her the story of how this baby was a "miracle" baby and that we had decided to not find out the sex. She was so excited and was convinced that Baby Owen was a girl!
Fast forward about 2 hours and I had already progressed to 9 cm. We started to push. Again, let me say that pushing is not easy. I only pushed for about an hour, and I was exhausted, so I can't imagine women who do it for 6 and 7 hours! Aftet a little bit of pushing Lexie realized that everytime I pushed the babys' heart rate would drop. She kept rolling me on my side as this would help the heart rate come back up, but Lexie was pretty sure the cord was wrapped around the babies neck.
***Jeremy had handled things pretty well up until this point. He does not do well with blood, so we were a little concerned if he would make it. He did have to take a "timeout" for a drink and crackers as he got a little lightheaded when I was pushing, but rallied in the end!
Dr. T came in again about 5 o'clock and said, "let's have this baby." The baby was so far down that I could not have a c-section at this point, but he needed to get out fast as the cord was wrapped around his neck. So, with a few pushes and a little help from the forecps, Andrew Glenn Owen made his debut at 5:37pm! It was so fun when he came out because we all excalimed, "It's a boy!" They immediately put him on my chest, and I can't begin to describe my emotions. I can't believe this little thing just came out of me, and he is MINE! Jeremy went into Daddy mode and immdiately started taking video and pictures of our little man! After he got cleaned up and checked, they gave him back to me.... All I can say is WOW! What a wonderful and indecsribable experience to finally hold the thing you have been carrying around for 9 months in your arms.
We eventually made it upstairs where Andrews' fan club was waiting for him. Clare had finally made it to Birmingham despite a crazy day of delayed flights. We also had both sets of grandparents, Jennifer, Kevin, and cousin Owen. Everyone was so happy to finally meet Andrew and I think he was privy to his first paparazzi moment! After everyone left for the night Jeremy went downstairs and got us both chicken fingers and fries (Mom had not eaten since about 10 am) and we settled in for the night. After another night we checked out of Brookwood and headed home on Wednesday to officially begin our lives as a family of 3!
All in all, my birth experience went really well mostly because it went really QUICK! I think God was giving me somewhat of a payback for things I experienced in the beginning of this whole journey!! As I have said before, Andrew was worth everything we went through to get him and I would gladly do it all over again to have him in the end.
