Sooo a little late but here’s our birth story!! We went in on Tuesday October 10th at 9am for our scheduled induction. We got all checked in and hooked up by 9:15. At around 9:20 the doctor came in to check my dilation and to see if I was progressing on my own. At my appointment two days prior I was 90% effaced and 3cm dilated. Well I was 100% effaced and now at 5cm dilated. The Doctor then broke my water and holy hell was it painful! He took like at huge crochet needle and shoved it right up there lol Once he broke my water they started the pitocin. Contractions started coming almost immediately they weren’t too terrible yet but I knew I was going to want an epidural so I let the nurse know and she started to push the iv fluids and called for the anesthesiologist. Around 10:30 the nurse checked my cervix I was dilated to a 7 so I was gradually progressing yay!! The contractions were coming more frequent now about every 7-5 minutes and lasting about 2 minutes and they were terrible. I definitely was not prepared for how terrible they would be!! The anesthesiologist finally came around 1100-1115 (there were 8 other women in labor!) so she came in and administered the epidural. I was actually pretty nervous to get it but it didn’t hurt at all; well it was nothing compared to the contractions atleast lol! It was wonderful!! They decided not to check me again till around 4 so now it was just a waiting game. The nurse gave me a peanut ball to put between my legs to help open my hips and pelvis. It was pretty comfortable! Couldn’t eat so I snacked on ice chips. My contractions were pretty close now every 5-3min and off the chart but I still couldn’t feel them only a little pressure. Fast forward to 4:30 I started to actually feel some contractions, not too terrible at first but then it was pretty evident that my epidural had stopped working. The nurse checked my cervix again and I was now at about 8-8.5 and the contractions were coming every two minutes relentlessly! I couldn’t breathe through them and crying so we tried changing sides and positions I was also given the oxygen mask but nothing was helping the pain. The anesthesiologist returned around 6 and tried giving me more pain relief but it was not working. They decided to stop the pitocin as babies heart rate was becoming irregular with every contraction. Doctor came in to check on us around 7 and we did some practice pushes. I was only at a 9 but we were hoping with the practice pushes we’d get to a 10. I pushed through all the pain but it was not helping. By now it was about 8:30-9 and I was in so much pain I was nearly passing out. I was unfortunately having to do this with no pain relief. And let me tell you, I knew it was going to be painful that is pretty obvious but I totally underestimated it! It is unlike any other pain I have ever felt and there’s no way to describe it! It was now 10:30 and I was finally at a 10! My contractions slowed down a bit so they decided to kick back up the pitocin. Soooo much pain lol!! But it was finally time to push for real!! Every push and contraction took everything I had. I remember screaming and saying I couldn’t do it! His head was coming out and the doctor told me to stop pushing, the baby had the cord around his neck and with every push he was being lassoed back up cutting off his breathing. The doctor reached up and clapped the cord from around his neck. They told me to give one good push my husband cut the cord and he was out! That last push took everything out of me! I was actively pushing for over an hour. Stephen James was born at 11:52 pm, 7lbs 7oz and 20in of perfection 😍 I ended up with a 2nd degree but the most perfect little boy. He is now almost 6weeks and weighed 10lbs 5oz at his check up last week!