Okay, so the LO is asleep in my arm (not the crib!) so I will one handily type out his story!

My water broke at 1030 on Saturday and we headed into the hospital after a little freak out on my part. We got there and I wasn't contracting so they said they would start my on pitocin in the am. Quickly became apparent that wouldn't be necessary! By 12 I started having pain in my hips which I realized was a contraction. We walked for a bit and our doula showed up. Around 1 we went back to the room to be monitored and it started really coming on. My contractions got to be about 5 min apart right away, then 4 then 3, and sometimes just back to back. It was all back and hip labor. Silly posterior boy!

So around 4 they checked me again. I was 2cm when we got there and 4 hrs of strong, consistent, frequent contractions got me to.....2.5. I cried. I had really wanted to labor until transition before getting an epi. The doula agreed I had already tried everything. Hands and knees, sitting in the toilet, ball, jacuzzi tub, counter pressure (DH and doula spent so much time applying pressure!) so I asked for the epi.

At this point my contractions at least stopped being back to back and I could breathe through them again. Breathing really helped! I recommend it!! It took the anesthesiologist about 40 min to get there and 20 min to put in the epi. At that point I had gone from 2.5 to 5,5-6! Things were moving fast. I couldn't wait for it to kick in and get some relief. The anesthesiologist asked if my legs were numb yet. Not even tingly.

About 1.5 hrs later it finally kicked in. It had taken the edge off some contractions, but I definitely still had to breathe through them. Half an hour after that though,..,it started to wear off again. My nurse said she had never heard of an epi not working for back labor, but the anesthesiologist swore it didn't. I just had really sharp pain in one hip for a while, so it was manageable.

By 8 or 9 I was 8.5 and at 10am my MW said it was time to start pushing. I had wanted to labor down but she didn't want to give me any more epi since I was already maxed. I was at 0 station so baby had a long way to go! At this point, my epi was mostly worn off. I had feeling everywhere, but it was hard to move.
Pushing was the hardest. My hip ligaments just killed me and it hurt to pull them back. Every contraction I felt only in my hips. Nothing helped it and the pain really made me want to die. Everyone timd me to think of the baby, but all I could think of was not being in pain.

Two and a half hours later, the MW said the over seeing OB wanted to try a vacuum delivery. I really wanted it, but she said to get it another half hour. I hated her then. But I also realized I was getting dangerously close to needing a C. I pushed the head out about 15 min later. It burned some, and I think my epi was still somewhat effective there, but to be honest, it was the easiest part of labor. (The final push out that is). Getting his shoulders out was the best feeling in the world, although I did tear.

He snuggled on my chest for two whole hours afterwards. It was amazing. I can't recommend skin to skin right away afterwards enough. I just wanted to hold my son! The pain went away instantly. He didn't latch on right away but we are working on it with a nipple shield. We take him home today! He is a little bloody in this pic, but has the sweetest lips!