Courtney is born!

We went in to the hospital at 6 AM, and were brought right to the (last available) room and got settled in. The pitocin IV (the drug that induces contractions) was started right at 7, and at that point I was a little over 2 cm dilated.

The doctor broke my water around 9/10ish, and I was '2-3 cm' dilated. The pitocin rate of delivery was being ratcheted up throughout the day, and I wasn't getting much in the way of labor pains or regular contractions. At around 2, I was close to 4 cm dilated and got the epidural, but didn't have it cranked too high (I think I had it waaay too high with Luke), and was still able to feel mild contractions.

Around 4ish (???) the pains started getting much worse on my left side only - I don't know how exactly it works, but basically my right side was numb, my left side was not (I don't think I could feel everything, but I definitely had to breathe and focus through contractions. I wanted more epidural (why get the epidural AND feel pain!?!?) but they checked me and I had basically gone from 6-10 cm in 45 minutes or so. They wouldn't give me anything more, besides anti nausea drugs (but I still threw up, dang it!) Started pushing at 5 PM (which helped sooo much with the pain! With Luke, I could feel nothing, so I had no real idea) with my left side functional and my right side numb - really really weird sensation and annoying when trying to shift positions with one working leg. There was another woman laboring right about the same speed as I was, so the doctor was going between the rooms, when suddenly Courtney was ready to go and the doctor was NOT! She was gowning up and they're telling me NOT to push, which was just impossible! Born at 6:42, VERY dark hair and A LOT of it! She is completely my husband's child!