I went into this labor remembering that I really didn�t need my epidural when I had Ashley. The only reason I had it was because, I was given Pitocen to induce my labor and even that wasn�t it (I could handle the contractions just fine I thought), I was told that I was 7 cm dilated. Back then you could only get a epidural at my hospital between 3 and 7 cm. I was afraid that it might get uncontrollably painful, and then I wouldn�t be able have any pain relief. So I got it just in case. It did work wonderfully, in fact I took a much needed nap! ( but I did not like being stuck in bed without being able to move) Unfortunately I found out that they let the medication die out BEFORE you can push! And THAT was the part that hurt!... So I decided that I did not want an epidural this time around.
I also had decided that unless there was something found to be wrong with the baby or me, I would go into labor WITHOUT Pitocen inducing it. I remember all to well having several tubes going into my body for one reason or another. Going to the restroom while lugging all those wires around took incredible effort. I couldn�t imagine induction being of an advantage unless something was �wrong�.

8-2-2001 Beginning of my labor story......
Hey guys, I just got sent home from the hospital after several hours!.....
2 weeks ago I was 1 cm dilated, and baby was at a -1 station... Last week I was told I was almost 2 cm and baby was at a -2 station (going the WRONG way lol).... Yesterday a doc (Dr. Hoffman, not mine, she's on vacation!) said I was ALMOST 3 cm and 70% effaced (Don't know what station). He (the doc) then stripped my membranes, if that's what you want to call it, because I was told it takes 5 - 15 minutes "to do a good one", but he only was down "there" for about 20 seconds (and it did not hurt at all). So I figured nothing happened. But I had been having mild - medium irregular contractions all day, and finally saw a little blood tinge!
Anyhoo, if they were going anywhere it wasn't fast. So I got everything ready last night (I had a gut feeling �this was IT�), took a prescribed sleeping pill to sleep through the contrx and went to bed, only to wake up every few minutes with severe pain. It got really badand I could no longer sleep. They became 6 min apart and regular. I took a shower, called the doctor, got Ashley ready, got our things together and off to the hosp we went at 6:00ish, stopping at the bank so Kurt would have cash, and Burger King (Ick) for food (I knew if I were admitted I would not be able to eat till after the birth. We brought Ashley with us because I felt I still had a lot of time before we got down to business.
I had no problem walking from the parking garages this time around, in fact I thought it would do only good things, but Kurt (my sweet man!) said it would be a better idea to drop me off at front and I would wait for him to park the car. I was checked into an Evaluation room, it was just a small room with a bed a table and a shared (with the room next door) bathroom. The wonderful nurse I had, Julie, (I had her when I went into preterm labor� I was so glad! I hoped to have Julie and/or Andrea after how wonderful they were before) checked my cervix, said I was 3 cm and 90% effaced and baby at a -3 station! UGH (Baby was going back up!). We started walking the halls. I walked as fast as I could, even through the contractions! Kurt, kept telling me I should stop, but I couldn�t, it actually hurt more if I stopped, and I felt if I didn�t walk hard they were going to die out. We went backed upstairs to be checked an hour and a half later to hear I was 3 1/2 cm, "I wouldn't say you are quite 90%", and baby stayed at -3, by my NEW nurse (May sound bad but I did not like her for the simple fact that as soon as she became my nurse, things started going the wrong direction!). My contrx were starting to die out, not to mention the baby was going back up to �floating�, so she (the Nurse) suggested me to get into the jacuzzi tub (isn't that supposed to calm it down????) for and hour, in hope that it would speed thing up. Kurt, Ashley and I all hung out in this little room hoping for the best, but wouldn�t you know it? I had all of a whopping 4 or 5 contractions the entire time! I got out and told the nurse I was going to start walking AGAIN for another hour before I went back to my room. We walked up and down the halls of the lobby level, the contractions were intense but dwindling in regularity. I was tired of walking and went back up to the 3rd floor, just to be checked and find out I was STILL THE SAME (3 cm and "not quite 90%), and baby went to "I can hardly feel him, he's so far up there".

They wanted to break my water, but couldn�t, because he was moving up so high. If my water was broken now, it could cause cord prolapse and end up with a C � section (my biggest nightmare). The pains were SO  hard, but now very irregular that they decided to give me a shot of Morphine and Phenanen (or something like that) and sent me home, with a see ya this afternoon or tonight!
I did NOT want to leave now. I told them that I would even be OK with being induced with PITOCEN of all things at this point! That isn�t gonna happen   =(  They said my uterus is exhausted, and it needs a break, or they would order me lunch and I could just stick around to see what happened. Since my labor had been slowly regressing since I got to the hosp, I opted to go home. At this point I was in tears.
That's where I am now, home and drugged up. I'm really tired, and these contrax are still incredible but farther apart now (8-10 minutes  =(  ). I wanted to note all of these things now while there fresh in my mind, and also to let all of you know MY BABY WILL BE HERE SOON!!!!!
I'm hurting and I'm tired so I'm going to bed now
Wish me luck