Once I got to the hospital they hooked me up to all the monitors. Baby looked great but they "weren't picking up any contractions". Meanwhile I continued to have them about 5 minutes apart. They checked me and I was only 4 cm dialated. They told me to try to walk and do hip exercises. I walked a few laps and started to vomit. Then the contractions started coming back to back. No rest or relief for me. They still could not pick them up on the monitor. They made me wait an hour and a half to be checked again telling me if I didn't progress and dilate more they would probably send me home. They finally checked me and I was between a 5 and 6. I was moved into the delivery suite and they finally called for my epidural. They took about 20 minutes to come in and about another 20 to get the epidural placed because I was still contracting back to back and at this point they FINALLY started picking up my contractions on the monitor. Apparently baby was sunny side up and I was back laboring he whole time. I had gotten him to flip by doing hip exercises. They started me on a low dose of pitocin at this point and finished up my epidural. It's now about 5:30 am. The epidural kicked in instantly and it was heaven. I could breathe and speak. I felt nothing. We watched tv, looked out the window and rested. They came in at about 8:30 to break my water and insert a catheter. Still felt nothing. At about 12 o'clock they came in to check me and asked if I was ready to push. They called my doctor at his office and he told them he would be over in 45 minutes. I started to push the baby down. And finally my doctor arrived. He got me in the stirrups and 20 minutes of pushing later my baby James was on my chest. I had a 1 cm tear that required 3 stitches. Did skin to skin for an hour and then they took him to weigh him and wrap him up. He weighed 7 pounds 8.6 ounces and was 20 inches long. We stayed in the hospital for 2 nights and came home. This is the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life and I'm pretty happy with the way it went down. But let me tell you ladies, don't let anyone tell you that you aren't feeling what your feeling. If I had they would have sent me home in active labor.  If you've made it this far thanks for reading! Here's a picture of my perfect little man and me at 4 am.