To my dismay I found myself ten days past my February 28th due date and going in at 1 cm 50% effaced for cervidil at 6:30 pm on Thursday March 9th to induce labor... so much for the natural water birth I'd hoped for. The cervidil ended up causing moderate contractions but fluctuations in the baby's heart rate (I honestly think they just had trouble keeping her on the monitor) so it was pulled at 12:30 am with a membrane sweep at 6 hours early, and I had a long sleepless night as the contractions continued moderately until about 6 am on Friday March 10th. Before starting pitocin my midwife checked me and did my third membrane sweep of this long pregnancy. The contractions from the cervidil had eased up to almost nothing but had also gotten me to 3 cm and 80% effaced with babies head at -1 where it had been for a week. Pitocin was started 9:30 am at a 2 with what was supposed to be hourly raises by 2 and we waited.... except things skyrocketed from there. By 10:30 I was very uncomfortable but by 11 I lose complete track of time. Horrible pain and pressure. Heat packs, counter pressure, nothing really did much to even begin to help me cope. I just took to vocalizing because it was all I could do. I decided to get in the tub around 4 cm and came out maybe only 30 minutes later after they turned me down for pain medication (the midwives I picked really push for you to achieve the natural labor you wanted...at least wanted before you got there) and with the overwhelming urge to push in the tub. Checked again at 6 cm. Can't push... but I REALLY REALLY have to push. Baby's at a 1 now. I'm not sure if it was baby or sheer will but I went from 6-10cm in 3 awful contractions. My midwife cleared a cervical lip for me (apparently this is supposed to be painful but in the scheme of things meant I could push so it felt fine to me) and I pushed for about 30 minutes until this little 8 lb 4 oz joy made it out. No one could believe for my first baby I was start to finish a little over 4 hours. I was GBS+ and only got one dose of the antibiotic. My mom and husband labored with me and said they were both feeling dread that labor would be long enough for me to get one dose at 12 and one at 4 like planned.