Went into L&D on Sunday 8/11/19 @ 6:00 pm for Cytotec. Cervix was high and closed and maybe 20% effaced. No pain or cramping from this overnight.

Went back into L&D on Monday 8/12/19 @ 7:00 am to begin the induction. The doctor checked me and I was 1cm dilated and about 50% effaced. (edit - baby was -1 station) He broke my water and barely anything came out. He said the baby was super low - as he had been the whole pregnancy - and his head was acting like a cork. Every once in awhile I'd feel a tiny gush of fluid but I wouldn't compare the feeling to peeing, but it was warm like pee.

7:30 am Pitocin was started. My contractions steadily increased in pain and frequency. Once they became on top of each other and I started having trouble breathing I opted for the epidural. I have fibromyalgia and I was really struggling. I knew in the back of my mind I probably couldn't handle unmedicated birth but wanted to see how long I could go. (edit to add - I was afraid getting the epidural would halt my labor as I felt it was already going slow. It actually had the opposite effect, it relaxed me and allowed my body to do what it needed to do - almost too well!)

1:00 pm - 2cm. Opted for the epidural. Everything went perfect with the insertion and it was amazing. When it was being threaded down, my legs both had an overwhelming sensation of the feeling when you hit your funny bone. That was the worst part of the whole thing!

3:00 pm - 5cm.

7:00 pm - 9cm. They said they'd come back to check me in about an hour but to let them know if I felt increasing pressure down there. Felt something soft near my side and started scratching and playing with it. I asked my husband what I was touching, was it a blanket? It was so soft and squishy. It was just my leg and side butt.

7:10 pm - Felt pretty intense pressure. They checked and said it was time to push. She actually had to somewhat pull her hand back because his head was already descending.

7:20 pm - Got the stirrups into position and got my legs up. Every contraction she had me push 3 times, 10 seconds each time. We pushed through 3 contractions and she went to get the doctor because he was right there. I wanted to see his head so I had husband take a pic of my vag in all it's glory, baby head coming out and all. Our moms wanted to see the pic afterward - we opted to just have us in the room because we wanted it to be our private moment - and his mom goes "nice vag!"

7:35 pm - I felt his head coming to the end and felt more pressure. The nurse walks in and says the doctor is on the phone but he's on his way in. I look over and go, "oh God what - he's on the phone?!" Then he walks in. As the doctor enters the room, I feel Liam literally turn his head/body and push himself out with his legs. The doctor had to fly into his gown (couldn't tie it), take his shoes off (it's his ritual - I have a pic of DH holding Liam with the doctor's shoes in the background which I'll link below), and put his hands down there to catch his head, while going "oh, oh, oh!" He essentially delivered himself and the doctor just pulled the rest of him out. Time of his entrance was 7:39 pm. 8lbs 6oz, 20.5" long. No tearing, 4 small internal lacerations that the doctor put a stitch in each just to stop the bleeding.

It took about 3-4 hours for my epidural to wear off before they let me shower and moved me to maternity. MIL's friend brought us ham BBQ sandwiches to eat, and I proudly held up my sandwich before being wheeled off into maternity.