So, it's 5 am and my babygirl is sleeping but she could wake up at any minute! I hope I have time to write this.

We went in on Sunday for the dreaded "induction". We arrived at 11 am and waited and waited all day for someone to do something. Finally, at 3:30 a doctor showed up and decided to break my water as I was already 4-5 cm and 50% effaced (with no labour!). They did, and baby had pooed in there so I was taken to high risk labour and delivery. I started contractions and the younger doctor kept wanting to start me on syntocinon (sp?) to "give me a boost". I told them no, I said give me time I just started labour, so she asked the head doc and he agreed. They started immediately asking about "my epidural", I said I was waiting to see. I had so many different doctors and nurses come in and say "I'll be your 'caregiver' tonight". I couldn't even say how many there were. I was strapped to the monitors the whole time and had to ask if i could get up to use the bathroom. I kept asking to go for walks and they would let me once in a while but tell me to come right back so they could strap me up again. So far, things were okay, I was getting slightly longer and stronger contractions. Then this new nurse comes in. For the first and only time that night. She walks in and says "have you had your enema yet?" I said "I thought they didn't do that anymore" and she said "yeah well, I think I'm going to bring it back into fashion, I'll get you one, don't worry it will do wonders". So, I said fine. I asked Rich and my mom to leave and I went in the bathroom and had a number 2 while the nurse was gone to get the enema. She came back and I told her I had already gone and she said she wanted to give it to me anyway. So I let her, and OH MY GOD. They did something because as soon as I went my contractions were 10 times stronger and non-stop. I had no breaks in between and the pain was out of this world. So we called the doula in. By the time she arrived I had locked myself in the bathroom because the nurses wouldn't let me get off the bed for more than 5 minutes at a time and they would poke and prod me and ask me questions while I was in the middle of a contraction. I couldn't cope with the noise and distractions and meddling nurses. They did nothing to help me like offer heating pads or counterpressure or anything. Rich and my mom were at a loss because by this time I was trying so hard to breathe but all of my exhales were turning into loud, long, moans and wails. I must have sounded like a cheesy haunted house effect "ooooohhhOOOOhhoooOOOOOhh!!!" lol. I think now, looking back, that I was doing my best to drown out all of the noise and action around me so I could focus on something. That something just happened to be my own voice. Nobody else was impressed. I was locked in the bathroom when the doula arrived and I let her in and she just took over. She was so amazing, just doing all the right things to help me. Poor Rich, he tried so hard but didn't know what to do to help me. So, I laboured with the doula for a few more hours but the contractions were just too close together and too much for me to handle. I asked them to check me and if I had progressed I would keep going, but if not I would take an epidural. Well, no progression, still 5 cm. So I got the epidural and it was excruciating!! I was shaking uncontrollably when they put it in but after it was done I felt better immediately. It was like night and day. Suddenly I was happy again. My mom says it was like an exorcism! lol. So, after that we just waited and I got a little rest. A few hours later the pressure got unbearable and I needed to push. So, I pushed for about an hour and finally my little girl was born! I ended up with a 3rd degree tear because I couldn't stop pushing when they told me to stop and there were some problems with the placenta not separating properly so I bled profusely and ended up shaking so bad they were afraid I was going into convulsions. But things turned out okay. My litte Eadie Ellen had a full head of curly brown hair and her Apgar score was 8-9! Her hair has straightened out but she is the most darling little angel!! I am so happy and in love. I don't have pics from the l & d yet, my mom hasn't sent them to me yet but I will post some pics of baby in the other forum.

I thought about all of the women on the forum so many times when I was in labour, and since we had her. All of the wishes and advice and thoughts of those of you who just went through this and who were about to were with me in there! Thanks everyone!