I read so many of these stories while I was pregnant, that it is amazing that I finally get to contribute my story to the bunch.

I work for a school, and while I was on Christmas break in 2002, I began to feel extremely tired – unusual while on vacation. I had been off the pill for only three weeks, so I thought that it was impossible that I could be pregnant. A pregnancy test on January 2, 2003, confirmed that I was indeed pregnant! My due date was September 9, 2003. Twenty weeks later we found out that we were having a boy!

I had a wonderful pregnancy; my only complaints were bouts of morning sickness and hypertension that I had to take medication for. Overall, I loved being pregnant – until I passed my due date. I tried everything to induce labor naturally. I walked and walked our neighborhood, had sex, had the doctor strip my membranes, but nothing worked.

By one week after my due date I was so uncomfortable that I couldn't sleep. At my next doctor's appointment I begged her to induce me. Unfortunately, I was so desperate to not be pregnant that I didn't think about how induction might affect my birth experience.

I was checked into the hospital on September 16, and had Misoprostil placed on my cervix to ripen it. Six hours later I was started on Pitocin and strapped to a fetal monitor. I would not be able to leave my bed except to go to the bathroom for the next 36 hours.

About two hours after being on Pitocin, and having regular, non-painful contractions, I suddenly had a five-minute contraction that required me to get a shot. It completely relaxed my uterus, and I had to be on oxygen (the baby was in distress). This was very depressing.

After being in the hospital all day, I hadn't progressed at all. My doctor suggested that I be unhooked from all the drugs and try to get some sleep before trying again the next day. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any sleep because I was still hooked up to the monitor and was checked all night because of the dangerous contraction that I had.

My doctor came and checked me at 6 the next morning, and I was dilated to 1 1/2 centimeters. I was OKed to start back on Pitocin. Due to the fact that my veins kept collapsing (I was poked at least nine times), I didn't actually get started on Pitocin until about 10:30 a.m. I had been in the hospital for more than 24 hours and still had not felt any real contractions – I didn't think I would ever get to see my baby.

Finally at about 3 p.m. my doctor felt like I had dilated enough to break my bag of waters. Within minutes I started into real labor. Even though it was painful, I was relieved and happy.

By 5 p.m. I had dilated to 6 centimeters and was in a lot of pain. I was still hooked up to the Pitocin IV, and the contractions were on top of each other. At this point I requested an epidural. When it was inserted I was totally numb from the waist down, except for a 3-inch circle of feeling that I had in my stomach region.

At this point I was so exhausted that I was not able to explain to the anesthesiologist that I didn't mind that amount of pain. He decided to turn the epidural up full blast. I was so numb that I felt tingling in my face and hands. I couldn't move at all without someone lifting me.

An hour after receiving my epidural (7:30 p.m.) my attending nurse noticed from the monitor that I was having contractions that seemed to indicate that the baby was descending down the birth canal. I had no idea, as I couldn't feel a thing. She checked me and I was fully dilated. She could feel my baby's head. It was time to push, but I had to wait 30 minutes for the doctor to arrive.

My mother and husband each held one of my legs (as I couldn't lift them myself) so that I could start pushing my baby out. It was difficult to push because I was so numb. One of the other effects of the epidural was that it made me feel like I was not in reality. It felt like I was having a dream. I can vaguely remember telling jokes and laughing while I was trying to push. My husband said later that I wasn't really myself at all.

After about 45 minutes of pushing, John Quentin Aebi was born at 8:55 p.m. on September 17, 2004. He weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces! I had no idea he was so large. When he was placed on my chest, I couldn't believe it was real. I finally had a baby!

It took nearly an hour to stitch me up. I had a fourth degree tear and developed about six severe hemorrhoids from pushing. I was hardly able to walk for about a week and could not sit comfortably for about two months. My hemorrhoids still have not healed.

I believe that the injuries that I sustained during childbirth are strongly attributed to being induced and getting an epidural. When I have our next baby, I will do everything within my power to not be induced. I also do not want an IV. And though I scoffed at the idea with my first pregnancy, I plan on hiring a doula. It is important to have someone with you who can advocate your needs to medical staff when you are unable to.

Motherhood is wonderful, and worth every minute of pain and discomfort. Good luck to all of you mothers and mothers-to-be!